How to move samples to another folder/hard drive without retagging the library?

Part II

Now let's start:

a)

You need to download some database software to get access to the database file. I recommend DB Browser. It's open source and available for Windows, Mac and Linux. Please follow the link to download the needed software and install it.

Link -> DB Browser for SQLite

b)

Make a copy from you database file - We better work with the copy first. So, for that reason I copy the kontakt.db3 file to another location to be on the safe side

c)

Now start the DB Browser Lite Software and then either grab the copied database file with the mouse and move it inside the DB Broser Lite window, or goto (top left) FILE, OPEN Database...and open the copied database file.

Should look like this:

In the yellow field there will be some data once you load the database (before it was empty) and if you have done it, open the red folder, saying: Execute SQL

d)

Now we switch to the Execute SQL folder and paste the following code there (green)

So this is the (example) code what you have to type in:

Please take care especially on case sensitive words and on every ; ' , sign.

For your convenience: here is the code for copy & paste. Just replace the red parts: First is always what you search for (x) and second what it should be replaced by (y).

update k_content_path
set path = REPLACE(path,'X','Y');
update k_sound_info
set file_name = REPLACE(file_name,'X','Y');

Once you have entered your program code, it's time to process...press the PLAY button (one line above) to start processing. It might take a while depending on your data but still much faster then you think and even more faster then re-tagging your library.

If the processing is ready, go to FILE (top left), select WRITE CHANGE and close the database. Now you're almost ready. Just replace the original file (and keep it as backup) with your one.

And one final reminder: Have you already moved your date we are talking abaout the whole time to the new destination. If no, then it's time now before everthing is DONE

and we start the Maschine software - Have fun 

😎



btw. If you dig deeper into SQL and your database you can see and do there much more thinks besides the limitation of the library surface in Maschine might give to you.

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FInally: If you have issues, you can still go back.

1. Close Mschine
2. Replace your new database file by the backup one and you are back again where you started.

Cheers

Hi CH7, I'm using this already but, correct me if I'm wrong, On your folder/hard drive there has to remain at least one link all the time on the same position where your library refers to.

So easy example:

Before your libray data was physically store on c:\Samples

Now you move it physically to d:\Samples

Now you set a junction but this means that the c:\Samples folder (like a shortcut) has still to remain virtually while the c:\Sampler is redirected in the background to d:\Sampler

Do you mean that? - Yes.possible but finally not a real shifting.

However I just showed a possibility to change inside the library database the path data. How, what and if you need this info is finally up to you.

Cheers

Hi D-One,

with one thing you are right:

Tagging the files in the library, moving them physically to a complete new folder, start rescanning, then telling the system where the files moved to (after error message), works - great - and keeping the tags. But why didn't it work for me in the past? - I don't know. now it does.

Regarding the tagging - My wav samples are not tagged inside, you can test it with some free samples, when you follow the link.

Just download some and check out. I see no tags inside the file except the bitrate and the frequence. Neither with the Maschine software, nor i.e. with vlcplayer, Audacity, MusicBee, mp3tag, IDTE- ID3 Tag Editor........ - No tags inside. And Maschine don't write tags inside after the samples are added and tagged in the lib.

Afaik, from the early beginning when they start digitising music it was not planned or even in consideration that wav files have tags. There was afaik no player, looking and presenting these info. I think this came first into consideration when MP3 files appeared. But Yes, you are right, it's nowadays possible but still seems not to be very common. Even the Maschine library is not interested in what's inside - at least I tested it, I filled a wav file with some tags even generate a tag field according to the maschine library tags (ie.e): TYPES - The library remained completly uninterested in the (inside) tags.

However:

What can be: I assume, Maschine is generating for each sample a unique hashcode - When you check the SQLite database there are some IDs next to every file. So as long as you don't change anything inside the content of a wave file - renaming and/or moving is not inside, even tagging doesn't change the sample itself - the Maschine library probably remember in the file and connect the New file to the previous one and it's data, stores in the maschine library, not in the file.