[Extension] Audio CD ripping helper

[Pallas_L]

Hi zcot,

Of course I will want the metadata mode (for great convenience), can you pls walk me through step by step?

Step 1, what should I do?

I had copied the scipt into Notepad and name it as Audio CD ripping helper OMG.lua and put it into extensions folder. Then I put into a CD then I select Audio CD ripping helper OMG.lua in View tab but nothing happens.

Pls advise, thanks so much.

Cool Regards,
Pallas

[zcot]

I select Audio CD ripping helper OMG.lua in View tab but nothing happens.

You can find out what the problem is if you check the log messages. In the menu: Tools -> Messages - set verbosity to 2. Try to load the extension. There might be some green or red lines.

[Pallas_L]

Hi zcot,

I followed your instructions and I got these messages:

Error: Could not activate extension
Debug: Deactivating 'Audio CD ripping helper OMG'
Warning: Error while running script 153;only one dialog allowed per extension!

Where is the problem?

Pls further advise, thank you.

Cool Regards,
Pallas

[zcot]

Where is the problem?

It doesn't seem to be an accurate problem at that point. Evidently it failed on an earlier attempt, and after trying to restart it again it's hung up in some unknown confusion. The error statement about "only one dialog allowed per extension!" does mean it failed earlier, and is hung up. The earlier (initial) failure may have had some more meaningful error message.

The way to correct that sort of "hung up" situation is to reload the extensions before attempting to retry it again after the initial failure:
Tools -> Plugins and Extensions : "Active Extensions" tab -> Reload extensions.

Or restarting vlc entirely and doing it again while already having the log messages debug window turned on first.

If it's failing, you want to have that log messages window ready beforehand to see if you can get any useful error message. If it fails and gets into that rare situation of "hang" and it's apparently running broken in the background, then it will just keep failing no matter what, and you'll get odd random error messages.

[zcot]

Also, I should point out. I did write some words of instruction in that link, and above.

I will want the metadata mode

I put into a CD then I select Audio CD ripping helper OMG.lua in View tab but nothing happens.

If you want the metadata mode you have to:
1. put into a CD.
2. have vlc open and viewing empty playlist.
3. vlc should have "allow metadata network access" setting.
4. vlc should have a functioning CDDB setting: Tools -> Preferences -> All : Input/Codecs -> Access Modules -> Audio CD : gnudb.gnudb.org
5. load the CD into the playlist, let it retrieve the metadata from the network.
6. at this moment you have a correctly listed full cd, with track titles, artist and album info, and possibly also artwork.
7. NOW you can open the extension!

If you do not do it this way, then the extension will be using the manual mode where you will have to type all the data manually.

Sometimes I'm not sure what to write, because I've been using the extension successfully for so long that I just really understand it so well at this point(hey, I have crashed it many times too when I've been working on it! ). So maybe I'm skipping important parts of the process.

[Pallas_L]

Hi zcot,

Pls correct me if I'm wrong. These are the steps which I took.

1. I load a CD into my CD-Rom player.
2. Then I open vlc and viewing empty playlist.
3. Do I have to search for "allow metadata network access" setting? Where is it located?
4. Then I go to Tools-->Preferences--Input/Codecs--> Access Modules-> Audio CD (CDDA Server I put gnudb.gnudb.org, am I right to do this way?)
4. Then I took out the CD and load it into my CD-Rom but no metadata showing.

I had tried these 5 steps but still not working, probably I still can't quite understand your instructions, it's my issue.

You are so full of patience writing this long script, I have to hand it to you (thumbs up)

Waiting for your reply soon, thanks in advance.

Cool Regards,
Pallas

[zcot]

3. Do I have to search for "allow metadata network access" setting? Where is it located?

Tools-->Preferences look down at "Privacy / Network interaction". -now you have "Allow metadata".

4. Then I go to Tools-->Preferences--Input/Codecs--> Access Modules-> Audio CD (CDDA Server I put gnudb.gnudb.org, am I right to do this way?)

Do this, and be sure to use Save now.

[Pallas_L]

Hi zcot,
For Step 2, what do you mean by viewing empty playlist???
For Step 3, I found the "allow metadata network access" setting and it's ticked.
For Step 4, I typed gnudb.gnudb.org in the CDDA Server column.

Then I went to View Tab and I selected Audio CD ripping helper OMG.lua and this message appeared:
***NOTE:Using manual mode. You must load CD first onto playlist before starting extension.Automatic metadata features will be disabled. ***

Pls advise, thanks so much.

Cool Regards,
Pallas

[zcot]

For Step 2, what do you mean by viewing empty playlist???

If you want to use this metadata mode, then you should make sure that the playlist will have ONLY the tracks from the cd, when you start the extension(before you start it).

If the playlist is empty when you start the extension, then it will use manual mode.

If the playlist has ONLY the tracks from the cd listed then it will try to use metadata mode. If the network metadata is not already loaded into the tracks that are on the playlist, then the extension will just use generic names like "Artist", "Album", and "Track #", and you will be effectively using manual mode.

If the playlist already had 14 mp3's, 2 movies, 7 youtube videos, and a jogging media list on it, and then you also loaded the cd onto it, then the extension will probably catch on fire. (well, it will certainly not do the correct thing easily because it will try to include all these other tracks too)

***NOTE:Using manual mode. You must load CD first onto playlist before starting extension.Automatic metadata features will be disabled. ***

Yes, this is manual mode, not metadata mode. It means that there is no tracks on the playlist.

[Pallas_L]

Hi zcot,

I understand now, I must add all the tracks in my CD into the playlist. I had added all the tracks in my CD into the playlist then I selected Audio CD ripping helper OMG.lua and this message appeared: Source MRL:

Nothing else is on the screen so where's the problem now?

Pls further advise, thank you very much.

Cool Regards,
Pallas

[zcot]

I understand now, I must add all the tracks in my CD into the playlist.

You actually just simply click "Media -> Open Disc -> Audio CD"

But you can look at the other window where is says "Messages", and it will say something bad in red or green. We did address that concept above already. So, I can not tell you any useful information based on where there is no apparent known error.

[Pallas_L]

Hi zcot,

I think I got it successfully because I can see there's an Album Photo and all the tracks with their respective names.

Thanks very much for your advice & guidance, I never be able to get it done without your help, appreciated your help

VLC is really COOL~

Have a wondrous week ahead.

Cool Regards,
Pallas

[zcot]

I got it

Great news!

Enjoy!

[Pallas_L]

Hi zcot,

Thanks again to you
I'll enjoy VLC.

Have a delightful day.

Cool Regards,
Pallas

[zcot]

I just wanted to mention that I got some feedback about that extension and I've changed a number of things. I edited the link in the post on page 1 for the file here: https://forum.videolan.org/viewtopic.ph ... 57#p520357

mederi brought up a number of potential issues(and suggested solutions) and showed where it was failing in certain cases. I guess there is a difference of the Lua version depending on which system you are running.

But a number of issues have been cleared up, and it should also be easier to work with whether you're on Windows or Linux and using manual mode. I don't even know how it works on Mac.

Give a mention if you find a problem.

[Pallas_L]

Hi zcot,

Sorry for the late reply. Thanks for the info. Have a great week