Is TC 7.5 public beta out?

[balver]

2Clo

I must disagree. XML translation isn't that difficult.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Computer-assisted_translation

And I know what I type, I work for translations related company and play with XMLs every day

[Hacker]

m^2,

Database doesn't seem reasonably mobile solution, reinstall OS => loose all comments, connect a HDD to another computer => loose all comments, use anything other than TC for moving files => loose comments etc...

That applies to any solution different than descript.ion. Apart from that I don't see why you should lose all the comments when reinstalling the OS if you have a database and not lose them if you have descript.ion; and I don't see who would use anything other than TC for moving files.

Roman

[m^2]

I have an idea how to do it well:
Use 2 different formats. One would be used like descript.ion now, that is one file for each directory. File structure is less important.
The other way would be alternate data streams.

Advantages:
-mobile
-On NTFS, very clean, no unnecessary files
-compatible with all file systems
-can be archived with files

Disadvantages:
-might be confusing for new users
-more complicated


EDIT: Hacker posted while I was writing.

m^2,

Database doesn't seem reasonably mobile solution, reinstall OS => loose all comments, connect a HDD to another computer => loose all comments, use anything other than TC for moving files => loose comments etc...

That applies to any solution different than descript.ion. Apart from that I don't see why you should lose all the comments when reinstalling the OS if you have a database and not lose them if you have descript.ion; and I don't see who would use anything other than TC for moving files.

Roman

No. Any solution that keeps comments with files is fine.
Where do you want to keep the database? Thumbnails are (by default) in appdata. Therefore reinstall will wipe them.
Even with db path configurable, it's not OK because you'll have comments for 1 filesystem stored on another. Change drive letters or move any drive to another place and you're smoked.

Copying with something else than TC: did you never use scripts? They are fine as long as you work with full directories. Editing database in a script would be a killer. And 1 bug in such script could destroy all your comments for all files.

[balver]

2Hacker

I'm starting to think, that you don't use "descript.ion" at all.

Let's have a simple scenario.
1. You have some files.
2. You comment them.
3. You copy them to the pendrive (comments are copied automatically by TC).
4. You go with pendrive to another computer (i.e. in work)
5. You have ability to work with files AND comments on the other computer.

This is called "mobility".

If the comments were stored in any fixed folder in db, the scenario above wouldn't be possible. In the step 3 the comments would be left on your PC.

2m^2
... and won't work on FAT32 pendrives.

[fenix_productions]

2Clo
I understand your pain.

I am also against switching of all old settings to XML. They should remain plain text.

I can support XML files for comments only because "I believe in XSLT" - however it sounds). It could be great step for sharing TC data with other applications (i.e. media players) or for presentations (nice conversion to xHTML or XSL use only). Add plugins data to it and voila! No need for special application to generate HTML with your songs' ID3s listed.

Other thought: if TC would support comments with internal DB solution it could be nice start up for files indexing. Not portable - true, but current solution for thumbnails is neither.

Both ways has pros and cons, obviously. Choosing one of them would be hard but benefits are truly tempting.

Ideally, it would be to have them both but Christian has only two hands and cloning is forbidden

[m^2]

2m^2
... and won't work on FAT32 pendrives.

As I said, it should use 2 formats.

ADS when available, external files otherwise.

fenix:
Thumbnails are somewhat portable. Unlike comments, TC can recreate them, so you loose only performance, not any data.

[balver]

2fenix_productions
I think the XML translation is only a matter of tools used. I believe that with the same approach like with LNG files it can be big pain, but it has not to be that way. I won't say anything more about it, enough has been said.

About XML comments I still agree with every word

2m^2
Right, but let's not forget where it started. It's all about Unicode in comments.

[m^2]

I didn't forget.
It's about a new comment format because the current one seems insufficient.

[fenix_productions]

2m^2

fenix:
Thumbnails are somewhat portable. Unlike comments, TC can recreate them, so you loose only performance, not any data.

If TC needs to recreate them then "somewhat portable" is correct phrase for it.

Well I still think that using DB would be better than ADS but this is only my opinion.

Oh! You've mentioned that DB could be wiped out on reinstall but the same thing can happen with ADS. From my experience: when I must reinstall my OS than I am making necessary backup first, format needed partitions, install OS with the same data structure. No DB loss with such approach.

[balver]

Hacker hacked fenixes' post?

[fenix_productions]

Hacker hacked fenixes' post?

Not really. I still think that XML is the best, DB next, ADS last

[Hacker]

m^2,

Any solution that keeps comments with files is fine

Well, what's the issue then? We already have two such formats. Is it only about Unicode?

Therefore reinstall will wipe them.

Come on. Reinstall wipes all the data you don't backup. Your files, your comments, your databases...

Editing database in a script would be a killer

Well, can't imagine parsing a text file in AHK to be difficult.

balver,

If the comments were stored in any fixed folder in db, the scenario above wouldn't be possible. In the step 3 the comments would be left on your PC.

Yes, well, we already have descript.ion for that, so, same question as above - why do we need something else then? How do we use the database for indexed search using custom WDX-derived metadata tags?

Roman

[m^2]

How would you loose ADS?
They are stored on filesystem and therefore should live exactly as long as it does (unless removed by user, obviously).

How is average user supposed to know that there are some necessary files to backup? There never have been any.

OK now I'm the first to find an advantage of DB:
separate comments for each user.

[balver]

If there was available a universal, OS independent filesystem with streams (like ADS) support, suitable for HDDs and pendrives I'd voted for it as the best and natural option.

I've not seen such filesystem lately, so I'll stick to XML for now

2m^2

OK now I'm the first to find an advantage of DB:
separate comments for each user.

Just the same situation like in Nautilus from Gnome. The comments are additionally secured.

2Hacker
From my side it's all about Unicode+comments portability. I see advantages of DB, but I don't need them (for now).

[fenix_productions]

How would you loose ADS?
They are stored on filesystem and therefore should live exactly as long as it does (unless removed by user, obviously).

Backup does not always mean copying to another NTFS drive or making partition image, so you loose ADS while formating your drive.

How is average user supposed to know that there are some necessary files to backup? There never have been any.

Such "average" user does not know about descript.ion either. Little bit more advanced ones keep their wincmd.ini + few other files safe and usually know what to copy before reinstall.

OK now I'm the first to find an advantage of DB:
separate comments for each user.