Option to display FILE NAMES instead of META TAGS

[Props]

I found, in a thread somewhere, that deleting the folder%Program Files%\VideoLAN\VLC\lua\meta\
Helps with the partial display of the filename, in both the playlist and initial playback. Though, at this point, I've done so many small tweaks, it's hard to keep track of what exact did what.

All in all, it would be so much easier if the developers just created an option that displays the filename instead of the meta data. Or an option that completely ignores the meta data. Come on developers, stop dropping the ball, PLEASE give us this option!! Please!

Here's my thread that doesn't add much at the moment, but for our sake, i will go through all of the available fixes and post them systematically with what each fix does. https://forum.videolan.org/viewtopic.ph ... 63#p419063

[mederi]

Delete/rename appropriate files or change settings in VLC preferences:

\plugins\meta_engine\libtaglib_plugin.dll
Parses metadata of mp3 files.

\lua\meta\reader\filename.luac
The script parses a filename of a video file and returns a new title with spaces instead of dots and without a text after the SxxExx (it can be an epizode's name): "Show.Name.S01E12-blah.avi" --> "Show Name S01E12"

There is an option in VLC preferences to display a filename in the title bar:
Tools > Preferences > Show settings = All > Input/Codecs: Change title according to current media [$]

[Radikinz]

I do not have an answer to the solution via VLC, however, I have figured out a quick and easy way to change the metadata info to match the title for multiple video files at once.

Forgive me in advance if the way I am explaining is not via protocol of some sort. I am of the older generation and know enough about the computer to fuddle my way through expediting things I want to do.

I use software called Media Monkey Gold (I do not know if this works with the non-Gold version)

In Media Monkey Gold
- File > Add/Rescan Files to the Library (a new window pops up... check the directory your videos are stored)
- On the left side of MMG click on Video to view your video files... default is in Art View
- View > Show details
- Highlight Titles you want to reflect file name instead of medadata
- Right click > Auto- tag from Filename
- Filename format: Box should say <Title>
- If correctly done, you will see the filename highlighted under Title
- If it doesn't look correct, you may have to manipulate it some until it is correct
- When I first tried this, the box said <Artist> <Title> and it kept putting the filename under Director instead of Title (I don't remember exactly how I got this right and now I cannot duplicate it)
- When correct... just hit OK

When I reopen my playlist I see my filenames under Title.

I know this isn't the solution to your question, but hoping it will help someone looking to change the metadata on multiple videos time efficiently.

[Ocsid]

* Bump *

I wish to remind the good folks on this forum about my request, and I hope to get some response from people who knows how advanced a featue such as this would be to implement in further releases.

I posted my request quite a while ago (Wed Jun 11, 2014 5:04 pm) and consider myself a patient person, how hard would it be to include an opt out checkbox that tells the program not to run the code fetching the meta data?

I can sometimes at loading see the filenames flicker before the meta is being read, could some elite person please look into this matter?

[Jean-Baptiste Kempf]

It's not hard to do.

[Pseudodonn7]

Hey, I may have found a work around for your problem. You want the file name to display instead of the metadata title? Well, I found this thread and found all it's proposed solutions and work arounds useless as well.

Well, I was able to change the metadata title of mp4s recently but nothing else. I couldn't figure out why only mp4s were affected but no other type of file. After fiddling around, I figured out how to make any file's metadata changable. At least, with a Windows 10 device, I don't know if it works with others.

Solution:

Right click on the item and go to properties. Uncheck read only at the bottom. Hit apply. Then right-click the file again and go to Details. You're now able to alter the metadata. I just erased the title, and now when I place the file in the playlist, or anywhere, only the file only goes by the file name.

Hope this helps you! Almost a year later...

[JarodKyle01]

This Is already been done just untick in Tools/Preferences/All/ Playlist untick automatically preparse files save exit restart vlc and all titles will now be the filenames as found in folder hope this helps

[smckibbe01]

Does anyone know a way to override the metatitle tag for both command line and xspf files EVEN IF a meta title is hard-coded in?

Examples:

vlc.exe --meta-title="My Desired Title"

</vlc:option><vlc:option>meta-title=My Desired Title</vlc:option>

do not work.

[fidorulz]

We need this as an option not only on PC version but on android and iOS apps cause this is really annoying

[Jean-Baptiste Kempf]

We need this as an option not only on PC version but on android and iOS apps cause this is really annoying

On Android and iOS, you don't have the lua filename thing.

[fidorulz]

We need this as an option not only on PC version but on android and iOS apps cause this is really annoying

On Android and iOS, you don't have the lua filename thing.

Are you saying this shouldn't be an issue in Android and ios? Cause I have it all the time on my S7 edge running latest version of VLC

I'll rename files but sometimes it will display the meta info as the title

Let me know if you need an example

[jgbeall]

I got so tired of this problem, I deleted VLC and reinstalled. During the install, I unchecked the box that asks if VLC can get Network Data. Now, it is back to just displaying the file names instead of two windows, the way I like it. Hopefully, this will be optional in future releases. But, I love this software and it is the only one I use for video and audio files.

[OldGeezer]

I would like to have the playlist to not show the meta tag AND show the entire file name. Even when there is no meta title VLC shortens the file name to only show the program name and episode number. Often there is information in the file name like the episode title and audio info. I have unchecked the box to parse files and the unplayed files show what I want but no duration. When a video starts playing it shows the meta title if there is one. If not, it shortens the file name. If I want to remove or change the meta title to include the episode name I can use MKVmerge but that is inconvenient when there are a lot of files. There is supposed to be a way to batch this but I have not figured out how. I have to to it one file at a time. Unchecking parse is only a partial solution.

[OldGeezer]

I tried some of the suggestions and found another partial solution that does work. Unchecking the parse box which then shows the full filename in the playlist until the file is played. (but no duration) Under Input/Codecs, (scroll all the way down on the right) Change title according to current media enter $p. If there is no meta title it shows the FULL filename in the title bar. This means if an episode has a title and audio info you can at least see it there. The playlist will still shorten it. If there is a meta title it will display that in the playlist (even if it shows garbage like the screen shot from an earlier post) but the title bar will show the full file name.

If I am remembering right, years ago when I first started using VLC years ago the full filename was the only thing shown. It seems from the number of comments on this thread that a lot of people would like this option. I really don't understand why they shorten the file name in the playlist to only the show title to only show the show title and episode (S08E03). Sometimes files are not in the right sequence and seeing the title would help a lot, especially for many series that carry plot lines over from episodes. You can be watching out of order and wondering "what are they talking about and when did THAT happen"? Did a lot of people request this change? Did they also want only the meta title even if the whole season shows only a web site name? I have also seen an entire season showing the same meta title as the first episode.

I'm certainly not a software developer but it seems to me that giving these options is not a big deal. Just make an option for another column in the playlist. You made changes I never wanted, at least let us go back to the way it was.

[fidorulz]

This is driving crazy on android and PC

I downloaded a about 50 videos from a specific youtube channel and names them in alphabetical order as seen here on my phone



I open the VLC app on my S7 Edge and see the following jumbled mess(same for desktop app)



The titles attributed to the file names is coming from the metadata as seen by the desktop VLC app showing the info



We need a way to turn this off on the PC as well as on the mobile apps. Im not sure why this super simple option cant be added. Simply an option to display filename and not use the metadata

[OldGeezer]

"I'm not sure why this super simple option cant be added. Simply an option to display filename and not use the metadata"
My point exactly. Earlier versions only showed the complete filename. That's all I ever wanted to see. Did anyone actually ask you to shorten the filename to only the series title and episode? Did anyone really want the metadata when every title in the playlist is a web site name or just jumbled garbage? By unchecking to parse I can see the filename until it plays. Under preferences/input codecs/(last item bottom right) "change title according to current media" change to:$p it will show the full title at the top when not in full screen.

VLC is by far still the best player despite a few irritating characteristics. Don't get the idea that I don't appreciate all the work you have put into developing it. I especially appreciate that you added compatibility for HEVC. I would hate to be stuck with that crappy Quick Time or the totally worthless Windows Media.

[videobruce]

Right click on the item and go to properties. Uncheck read only at the bottom. Hit apply. Then right-click the file again and go to Details. You're now able to alter the metadata. I just erased the title, and now when I place the file in the playlist, or anywhere, only the file only goes by the file name.

Doesn't work in Win7. The details tab just displays the info w/ no provision to edit anything. I don't recall seeing any of these files that are read only.

Two years & six months and no solution???
Please forget the bells & whistles (gimmicks) and fix the core problems.

[OldGeezer]

Doesn't work in Win7. The details tab just displays the info w/ no provision to edit anything. I don't recall seeing any of these files that are read only.

That never worked for me either. There is a great free program called MKVToolNix that is very useful for many things that will let you either delete or edit the title. Open the file mkvtoolnix-gui.exe.
1. Merge Tool (top button on the left) Input tab: Slide video file into the upper box.
2. Click the output tab. File title is the meta. If you just delete the title the playlist will shorten TV episodes to only the program name and episode number. (XXX S02E03). Otherwise you can put in anything you want here, copy/paste file name, put in just episode title etc. This is what will show in the playlist. You have to click the output for each file and do this.
3. Click the Start muxing button at the bottom. It is a very fast process, unlike regular conversion programs. It will create a new file renamed with a (1) at the end in the same folder. There is supposed to be some way of batching files to delete the meta but I never figured out how. You might just check my previous comment about making the file title show in the playlist until it is played and show above the video when it is not in full screen even if the playlist only shows some web site name.
This program can do many other things. You can delete or add sound or subtitle tracks. Sometimes a file with a minor defect will be completely repaired just by muxing it. A file with a more serious problem can often be made at least playable but may have glitches. Other problems like when the video and audio have different duration lengths you can shorten or lengthen one or the other. That takes some trial and error. If the audio is just out of sync that is easy to fix.
https://mkvtoolnix.download/
The only container output is MKV but you can process MP4 and others as input.

Still don't know why they can't give us an option to just show the file name in the playlist. It's obvious from the number of comments here that a lot of people besides me want that.

[videobruce]

It's obvious from the number of comments here that a lot of people besides me want that.

One would think we were dealing with M$.

[OldGeezer]

One would think we were dealing with M$.

Don't even begin to compare VideoLan to Microshaft! VLC is a free program that despite some relatively minor irritating things is still the best player available. These guys are in it because they enjoy developing software, not to get rich. Sure, they are hoping for some donations to keep things running. By the time I ran across my first HEVC file they already had an update for it.

MS's idea of "free" is an OS with "recommended" settings to hijack browsers, file associations & ad revenue. It tries to make it look like there is no option for a local account so you hand them your password and log online. In their 13 "privacy" screens there are some very serious issues like your mike is always hot. It may not matter what you turn off, their [lack of] privacy statement they pretty much say they can snoop through private folders and snitch to you out to the law. They used malware tactics for a year to nag and trick you into installing this spyware.

Sorry this is a bit off topic but VideoLan should not even be uttered in the same sentence as MS!!

[videobruce]

I would agree with most of that, but between this selective log in problem and this not showing file names, kinda puts this in the same category. When there are this many posts on the two subjects and nothing is done about it, that I why I posted what I did.

[mederi]

Now you can try Lua script: Filename Forcer

[mederi]

... AND show the entire file name. ...

You can eliminate "filename.luac" script file in VLC.
https://forum.videolan.org/viewtopic.ph ... 20#p420059

[OldGeezer]

... AND show the entire file name. ...

You can eliminate "filename.luac" script file in VLC.
https://forum.videolan.org/viewtopic.ph ... 20#p420059

It looks like all that does is eliminate the dots in the filename. The dots don't bother me. I'm only annoyed that there is no way to show anything but metadata in the playlist. If there is no metadata title they shorten it to just "series name S03E06" (did anyone ask them to do that?) Filenames often have the episode title, audio info etc. If there was only and option to show the complete filename in the playlist I wouldn't care if they took out the dots. At least I figured out how to know what I am watching when the only thing in the playlist but some website name by just taking it out of full screen and it is on the top. If I hadn't found how to change that option it would also show the website name there too. I unchecked parse so I can see full filename what is next in the playlist. I do know how to use MkvToolNix to delete or change the metadata title but that is time consuming doing it one video at a time. I've looked for a program that would just batch change meta to file name but couldn't find one.

[mederi]

If there is no metadata title they shorten it to just "series name S03E06"

"filename.luac" is doing it. You can just delete the file in VLC.

If there was only and option to show the complete filename in the playlist

Meanwhile the workaround:
- Filename Forcer script
- to disable "Automatically preparse files" option in VLC preferences
- to set $p in "Change title according to current media" option in VLC preferences
- Metadata over video (better if implemented within Filename Forcer) script and to disable "Show media title on video start" option in VLC preferences

I do know how to use MkvToolNix to delete or change the metadata title but that is time consuming doing it one video at a time. I've looked for a program that would just batch change meta to file name but couldn't find one.

mkvpropedit within mkvtoolnix (mkvpropedit.exe --help)(http://forum.videohelp.com/threads/3684 ... kvPropedit)