Category: Navidrome

January 24, 2024

Persistent Windows SMB mount in Raspbian via CIFS

I’m using Navidrome in CasaOS on a Pi for music right now and I like it quite a bit. The one thing irking me was that the network storage mounts you can define within CasaOS (Files > Location > Connect network storage) don’t persist. At least they don’t for me – every reboot or update and they’re gone.

I’ve gotten around this by creating a persistent mount within Raspbian utilizing CIFS.

SSH into your Pi, and go ahead and

sudo su

sudo su

to avoid having to sudo every line you input. First, make sure cifs-utils are installed (they should be, but still):

apt-get install cifs-utils

1	apt-get install cifs-utils

Now create a credentials file for your mount to access using nano:

nano /etc/credfile

1	nano /etc/credfile

Populate the credfile with the credentials necessary to access your Windows share:

username=user
password=password
domain=domain (if applicable)

username=user

password=password

domain=domain (if applicable)

Save it, then set the appropriate permissions to keep it safe from prying eyes:

chown root: /etc/credfile
chmod 600 /etc/credfile

1 2	chown root: /etc/credfile chmod 600 /etc/credfile

Create a mount directory on your Pi to link the share to:

mkdir /mnt/linux_sharename

1	mkdir /mnt/linux_sharename

Now open fstab:

nano /etc/fstab

1	nano /etc/fstab

Add your mount to the bottom of the file, changing the first path to the Windows share and the second to the mount path you created previously:

//WIN_SHARE_IP/share_name  /mnt/linux_sharename  cifs  credentials=/etc/credfile,file_mode=0755,dir_mode=0755 0       0

1	//WIN_SHARE_IP/share_name /mnt/linux_sharename cifs credentials=/etc/credfile,file_mode=0755,dir_mode=0755 0 0

Finally, reload the daemon:

systemctl daemon-reload

1	systemctl daemon-reload

And mount the share using the details you defined in fstab:

sudo mount /mnt/linux_sharename

1	sudo mount /mnt/linux_sharename

To confirm, cd to the share and confirm you can see the contents.

January 16, 2024

Navidrome, Clients and the Compilation MP3 Tag

As I outlined in a previous post, I switched from Jellyfin to Navidrome for my music. While on the whole I’m happy with the change, I discovered that Navidrome handles Various Artists albums such that if the Compilation tag isn’t set, it indexes the album from one into as many as there are artists. And, as outlined in the aforementioned post, this is not a bug, but by design. The intent is to account for different artists with the same album name, and that makes sense.

So I set out to attempt to automate the modification of the Compilation tag – a quest that turned out to be more complicated than I anticipated. The Compilation tag is apparently not a ‘standard’ tag. If you load up an mp3 in taglibsharp and have it vomit out all the tags, the Compilation tag won’t be among them. Here, try it yourself in PowerShell. You’ll have to update the path to your taglibsharp.dll and your test mp3 file.

$null = [System.Reflection.Assembly]::LoadFrom("PATH\TO\TagLibSharp.dll")
$Media = [TagLib.File]::Create('FULL\PATH\TO\YOUR.mp3')

$Media.tag

$null = [System.Reflection.Assembly]::LoadFrom("PATH\TO\TagLibSharp.dll")

$Media = [TagLib.File]::Create('FULL\PATH\TO\YOUR.mp3')

$Media.tag

Here’s an example output:

StartTag                   : TagLib.NonContainer.StartTag
EndTag                     : TagLib.NonContainer.EndTag
TagTypes                   : Id3v1, Id3v2, Ape
Tags                       : {, , }
Title                      : Cut Me In
Subtitle                   :
Description                :
Performers                 : {The Chosen Few}
PerformersSort             : {}
PerformersRole             : {$null}
AlbumArtistsSort           : {}
AlbumArtists               : {The Chosen Few}
Composers                  : {}
ComposersSort              : {}
TitleSort                  :
AlbumSort                  :
Album                      : Funky Funky Chicago
Comment                    :
Genres                     : {Funk}
Year                       : 2009
Track                      : 1
TrackCount                 : 0
Disc                       : 0
DiscCount                  : 0
Lyrics                     :
Grouping                   :
BeatsPerMinute             : 0
Conductor                  :
Copyright                  :
DateTagged                 :
MusicBrainzArtistId        :
MusicBrainzReleaseGroupId  :
MusicBrainzReleaseId       :
MusicBrainzReleaseArtistId :
MusicBrainzTrackId         :
MusicBrainzDiscId          :
MusicIpId                  :
AmazonId                   :
MusicBrainzReleaseStatus   :
MusicBrainzReleaseType     :
MusicBrainzReleaseCountry  :
Pictures                   : { [image/jpeg] 79442 bytes}
ReplayGainTrackGain        : -2.955
ReplayGainTrackPeak        : 0.587382
ReplayGainAlbumGain        : -3.345
ReplayGainAlbumPeak        : 0.588975
InitialKey                 :
RemixedBy                  :
Publisher                  :
ISRC                       :
Length                     :
IsEmpty                    : False
Artists                    : {The Chosen Few}
FirstArtist                : The Chosen Few
FirstAlbumArtist           : The Chosen Few
FirstAlbumArtistSort       :
FirstPerformer             : The Chosen Few
FirstPerformerSort         :
FirstComposerSort          :
FirstComposer              :
FirstGenre                 : Funk
JoinedArtists              : The Chosen Few
JoinedAlbumArtists         : The Chosen Few
JoinedPerformers           : The Chosen Few
JoinedPerformersSort       :
JoinedComposers            :
JoinedGenres               : Funk

StartTag : TagLib.NonContainer.StartTag

EndTag : TagLib.NonContainer.EndTag

TagTypes : Id3v1, Id3v2, Ape

Tags : {, , }

Title : Cut Me In

Subtitle :

Description :

Performers : {The Chosen Few}

PerformersSort : {}

PerformersRole : {$null}

AlbumArtistsSort : {}

AlbumArtists : {The Chosen Few}

Composers : {}

ComposersSort : {}

TitleSort :

AlbumSort :

Album : Funky Funky Chicago

Comment :

Genres : {Funk}

Year : 2009

Track : 1

TrackCount : 0

Disc : 0

DiscCount : 0

Lyrics :

Grouping :

BeatsPerMinute : 0

Conductor :

DateTagged :

MusicBrainzArtistId :

MusicBrainzReleaseGroupId :

MusicBrainzReleaseId :

MusicBrainzReleaseArtistId :

MusicBrainzTrackId :

MusicBrainzDiscId :

MusicIpId :

AmazonId :

MusicBrainzReleaseStatus :

MusicBrainzReleaseType :

MusicBrainzReleaseCountry :

Pictures : { [image/jpeg] 79442 bytes}

ReplayGainTrackGain : -2.955

ReplayGainTrackPeak : 0.587382

ReplayGainAlbumGain : -3.345

ReplayGainAlbumPeak : 0.588975

InitialKey :

RemixedBy :

Publisher :

ISRC :

Length :

IsEmpty : False

Artists : {The Chosen Few}

FirstArtist : The Chosen Few

FirstAlbumArtist : The Chosen Few

FirstAlbumArtistSort :

FirstPerformer : The Chosen Few

FirstPerformerSort :

FirstComposerSort :

FirstComposer :

FirstGenre : Funk

JoinedArtists : The Chosen Few

JoinedAlbumArtists : The Chosen Few

JoinedPerformers : The Chosen Few

JoinedPerformersSort :

JoinedComposers :

JoinedGenres : Funk

As you can see, no Compilation tag there. Compilation is technically an iTunes Flag Text Frame, and is set with a Boolean value (1 for Yup, 0 for Nope). It’s defined as TCMP. As of this writing id3.org is down, but here’s the archived page on this tag.

Given all this, I threw together the below. As per usual it’s unrefined, has almost zero error handling, and will be something I improve upon over time. This thing assumes your compilation albums are in directories formatted as “Various – Name of Album.”

# uses taglib-sharp.dll
#[Reflection.Assembly]::LoadFrom("E:\mp3tools\taglib-sharp.dll")
# No true errorchecking in this yet. josefek

$null = [System.Reflection.Assembly]::LoadFrom("E:\mp3tools\TagLibSharp.dll")


$basedir = Read-Host -Prompt 'Enter the base dir'

$i = 0
$various = get-ChildItem -Directory $basedir | where {$_.name -like "various*"}
#$various = get-ChildItem -Directory $basedir 
Write-host -foregroundcolor yellow "Working..."
foreach ($vdir in $various) {
	$i++
	Write-Progress -activity "Scanning $vdir . . ." -status "Scanned: $i of $($various.count)" -percentComplete (($i / $various.count)  * 100)
	$files = @(Get-ChildItem -file -recurse $vdir.fullname | Where-Object { $_.Extension -eq ".mp3"} )
	foreach ($file in $files) {
			if ($file) {
				try {
			$prop = Get-ItemProperty -literalpath $($file.fullname) | Select-Object IsReadOnly
				} catch {
					# Handling for situations like invalid path characters, which prevent properties from being read
					Write-host "Cannot detect readonly $($file.fullname)"
					#exit					
				}
			if ($($prop.IsReadOnly)) {
				# Remove Read-Only
				$file.IsReadOnly = $false
			}
			try {
				$f = [TagLib.File]::Create($file.fullname)
			} catch {
				write-host "Error on $f " $file.fullname
				#exit
			}
		}
			[TagLib.Id3v2.Tag]$currId3v2 = $f.GetTag([TagLib.TagTypes]::Id3v2)
			$currId3v2.SetTextFrame('TCMP',1)
			$f.Save();
			$completed += @($vdir.fullname)
		
	}
$nonmp3files = @(Get-ChildItem -file -recurse $vdir.fullname | Where-Object { $_.Extension -ne ".mp3"} )
if ($nonmp3files) {
	$skipped += @($vdir.fullname)
}
}

write-host -foregroundcolor green "The following were updated as Compilation albums:"
$completed | select -Unique

if ($skipped) {
Write-host -foregroundcolor red "`r`n`r`nThe following could not be updated and were skipped:"
$skipped
Write-host "Hit any key for details."
$null = $Host.UI.RawUI.ReadKey('NoEcho,IncludeKeyDown')
foreach ($skip in $skipped) {
	Get-ChildItem -file -recurse $skip | Where-Object { $_.Extension -ne ".mp3"}
$skip
}
}
exit

# uses taglib-sharp.dll

#[Reflection.Assembly]::LoadFrom("E:\mp3tools\taglib-sharp.dll")

# No true errorchecking in this yet. josefek

$null = [System.Reflection.Assembly]::LoadFrom("E:\mp3tools\TagLibSharp.dll")

$basedir = Read-Host -Prompt 'Enter the base dir'

$i = 0

$various = get-ChildItem -Directory $basedir | where {$_.name -like "various*"}

#$various = get-ChildItem -Directory $basedir

Write-host -foregroundcolor yellow "Working..."

foreach ($vdir in $various) {

$i++

Write-Progress -activity "Scanning $vdir . . ." -status "Scanned: $i of $($various.count)" -percentComplete (($i / $various.count) * 100)

$files = @(Get-ChildItem -file -recurse $vdir.fullname | Where-Object { $_.Extension -eq ".mp3"} )

foreach ($file in $files) {

if ($file) {

try {

$prop = Get-ItemProperty -literalpath $($file.fullname) | Select-Object IsReadOnly

} catch {

# Handling for situations like invalid path characters, which prevent properties from being read

Write-host "Cannot detect readonly $($file.fullname)"

#exit

}

if ($($prop.IsReadOnly)) {

# Remove Read-Only

$file.IsReadOnly = $false

}

try {

$f = [TagLib.File]::Create($file.fullname)

} catch {

write-host "Error on $f " $file.fullname

#exit

}

[TagLib.Id3v2.Tag]$currId3v2 = $f.GetTag([TagLib.TagTypes]::Id3v2)

$currId3v2.SetTextFrame('TCMP',1)

$f.Save();

$completed += @($vdir.fullname)

}

$nonmp3files = @(Get-ChildItem -file -recurse $vdir.fullname | Where-Object { $_.Extension -ne ".mp3"} )

if ($nonmp3files) {

$skipped += @($vdir.fullname)

}

write-host -foregroundcolor green "The following were updated as Compilation albums:"

$completed | select -Unique

if ($skipped) {

Write-host -foregroundcolor red "`r`n`r`nThe following could not be updated and were skipped:"

$skipped

Write-host "Hit any key for details."

$null = $Host.UI.RawUI.ReadKey('NoEcho,IncludeKeyDown')

foreach ($skip in $skipped) {

Get-ChildItem -file -recurse $skip | Where-Object { $_.Extension -ne ".mp3"}

$skip

}

exit

Bonus: If you, like me, discovered you have a whole mess of compilation albums in directories with the format “VA – Album Title” instead of “Various – Album Title,” This one liner will help correct that.

(Get-ChildItem -literalpath "\PATH\TO\ALBUMS\" -Directory -Filter "VA *" ) | Rename-Item -NewName {$_.Name -replace "VA ","Various "}

1	(Get-ChildItem -literalpath "\PATH\TO\ALBUMS\" -Directory -Filter "VA *" ) \| Rename-Item -NewName {$_.Name -replace "VA ","Various "}

January 16, 2024

Navidrome, Clients and Albums With Varying Artist Tags

I’m using Navidrome as my music server now, having switched from shoehorning Jellyfin into that role, and I quite like it. One thing I discovered, however, is that it – and quite a few clients that support it – rely on the Album Artist tag to help index files. Initially I found this problematic because many of my files didn’t have Album Artist populated. I solved this by writing a PowerShell script to copy the Perfomers tag data (Performers = Artist) to the Album Artist tag. I’ll share that in another post.

But then I discovered a different problem. If an album is a compilation or has variance in the artists from file to file (for example: This Guy feat. That Other Guy), it’d index files into separate albums of the same title. Navidrome’s developers confirmed that this is a feature, not a bug, and it makes sense. The solution for compilation albums is to set the Compilation tag to 1, which I haven’t automated yet but will shortly. The solution for non-comp albums is to make sure the Album Artists tag is consistent.

To accomplish this, I threw together the below script. It’s not optimized, it doesn’t have error handling or confirmation, and it’s apt to be destructive if you’re not careful. Still, it’s something you can build on, just as I inevitably will. As with all my music file related scripts, it requires taglib-sharp.dll. Obtain this file from TagLibSharp. You don’t have to futz with nuget or anything – just download the zipped package, yank the dll out of it, and put it in a subdir you’ll reference in the script.

This script will prompt for the full path to the files you wish to update, and then the name you wish to update the Album Artist tag to.

# uses taglib-sharp.dll
# No errorchecking in this yet. josefek

# update the below to reflect the accurate path to taglib-sharp.dll
$null = [System.Reflection.Assembly]::LoadFrom("E:\mp3tools\taglib-sharp.dll")

$basedir = Read-Host -Prompt 'Enter the base dir'
$artist = Read-Host -Prompt 'Enter the Album Artist'

$files = @(Get-ChildItem $basedir | Where-Object { $_.Extension -eq ".mp3" -or $_.Extension -eq ".m4a"} )

		foreach ($file in $files) {
			$file.fullname
			if ($file) {
				try {
			$prop = Get-ItemProperty -literalpath $($file.fullname) | Select-Object IsReadOnly
				} catch {
					# Handling for situations like invalid path characters, which prevent properties from being read
					Write-host "Cannot detect readonly $($file.fullname)"				
				}
			if ($($prop.IsReadOnly)) {
				# Remove Read-Only
				$file.IsReadOnly = $false
			}
			try {
				$f = [TagLib.File]::Create($file.fullname)
			} catch {
				write-host "Error on $f " $file.fullname
			}
		}

			$f.Tag.AlbumArtists = $artist
			$f.Save();
		
	}
exit

# uses taglib-sharp.dll

# No errorchecking in this yet. josefek

# update the below to reflect the accurate path to taglib-sharp.dll

$null = [System.Reflection.Assembly]::LoadFrom("E:\mp3tools\taglib-sharp.dll")

$basedir = Read-Host -Prompt 'Enter the base dir'

$artist = Read-Host -Prompt 'Enter the Album Artist'

$files = @(Get-ChildItem $basedir | Where-Object { $_.Extension -eq ".mp3" -or $_.Extension -eq ".m4a"} )

foreach ($file in $files) {

$file.fullname

if ($file) {

try {

$prop = Get-ItemProperty -literalpath $($file.fullname) | Select-Object IsReadOnly

} catch {

# Handling for situations like invalid path characters, which prevent properties from being read

Write-host "Cannot detect readonly $($file.fullname)"

}

if ($($prop.IsReadOnly)) {

# Remove Read-Only

$file.IsReadOnly = $false

}

try {

$f = [TagLib.File]::Create($file.fullname)

} catch {

write-host "Error on $f " $file.fullname

}

$f.Tag.AlbumArtists = $artist

$f.Save();

}

exit