Music Indexing

First, I would like to document the definitive music indexing algorithm that StreetDeck uses so that I can understand it (and you can correct me where I am wrong). Then I would like to scratch my head and wonder why none of my music is indexed.

The Algorithm
1. Upon startup, Streetdeck looks at the Import Music Path [This is the path that is the “Import Music Path” section of the StreetDeck Config application known as “Edit Media Paths”] for music files to import.
2. When it finds a directory that contains music files, it will then move that directory to the _Indexed directory. The _indexed directory is the directory specified in the Edit Media Paths application in the field called “Music Path”. If you had anything important in Import Music Path, like 2 seasons of Lost for your Ipod, they will get moved, also.
3. During the move, StreetDeck uses some mysterious process to update a database about the music and file locations. If you imported “The Best of ZZ Top” and you already had “The Best of ZZ Top”, now as far as StreetDeck is concerned, you have two copies. [Remember, I asked you to correct me when I was wrong. I am probably wrong here since I have not got far enough to even have this problem.]

My Problem
I can see that my Import Music Path is empty except for the _Indexed directory. I am using the default values for the Edit Media Paths application and have even modified the startup directory in the Edit Media Paths shortcut to point to the StreetDeck Program Files directory as discovered in other threads. And I see that the _Indexed directory is blissfully full of my music. All of it.

When I start StreetDeck and go to Music, I have none loaded. This is perplexing. StreetDeck saw the music in the first place in order to move it to _indexed, right? I know that the first time I saw this behavior I used the Settings, Music, re-index music option to see if I was doing something wrong. Am I just too impatient and have to wait while StreetDeck indexes the music in a background thread? There are 4,000 songs after all.

What exactly, does “Re-index” mean? Does this mean that it will delete the entries in the magic database, then read the data in the _indexed directory and rebuild the entries?

Now, I’ve been turning a lot of switches and levers and probably even deleted the _indexed directory at least once in running through all the permutations that I thought would help resolve this error. Did I destroy something? Maybe the magic database? Where is that thing, anyway?

Wouldn’t it be cool to have an external tool that let us index our music and check the database?

Thanks for any help here. Please, do help me get the facts right on the algorithm. I really would like to understand it.

I know that it uses the Windows Media Player database...So if it appears in WMP, it should appear in Streetdeck. I've had the same sort of problemss with dupes.

Music indexing looks in the import path usually the My Music folder, whatever files it finds in that folder, it adds it to the collection and moves the file to the indexed path. Whenever you want to add music to streetdeck, you should just put it in the my music folder and it will automatically be added to the collection and moved. The same exact sub folder structure is kept when moving files, so if you ever want to undo the automatic moving you just have to move everything in the indexed folder back to the import folder.

StreetDeck uses the windows media player database to store the index, any changes you make in windows media player will show up in StreetDeck. This means you can use it for database management if you want to. Files can be added to the collection without being in the indexed folder, the import and indexed folder are only needed for automatic indexing.

If you have duplicates which is possible if you index files using windows media player that are in the StreetDeck import folder and later auto index. If this happens, just clear the index and reindex it using the music settings in StreetDeck. Reindexing will index all files in the _indexed path.

It doesn't matter if you delete the _Indexed path or anything else, if the files are not in the location that they are mapped to in the collection, they simply won't play, but StreetDeck will otherwise work and automatically create _Indexed path if it doesn't exist.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by froalskiner

I know that it uses the Windows Media Player database...So if it appears in WMP, it should appear in Streetdeck. I've had the same sort of problemss with dupes.

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Thanks loads. Earlier today I couldn't get SD to index on any MP3 in my album. Winamp worked as did Rhapsody and Music Monkey all saw my library but not SD. I'd never thought to look at the WMP library, but surely it had gotten deleted somehow. Fixes SD now and still 6 days on the test unit.

Thanks Again.
bill

:rtfm:

Is there some way to completely start over with the music index? Can I wipe all information about my songs and start over?

I have moved my music to a new location and updated the path to the new location. Street deck still shows music available to play and plays it, but search results are empty.

WMP is completely void of any music. There is no sign of any music in the WMP library.

SD must not be talking directly to WMP for the library because that library is empty... There must be some kind of sync that is broken...

You can clear the index. It's one of the Advanced Options fromt he Music screen.
Clear the index, then re-index and you should be golden.

That function doesn't seem to do anything. I hit clear, it shows a little progress bar, yet there is still music in the library within SD. That's why I was looking for a manual way to clear it. Sorry I didn't state that before.