-Brading Software Message Board
+--Forum: Mp3/Tag Studio Support and Bug Reports
+---Topic: Windows 7...? started by Phampson
Posted by: Phampson on June 12 2009,19:38
I know I am probably being silly asking about an OS that isn't even RTM yet but I wondered anyway, will you be working on up###### the software so that it wil work in windows 7?
I am using the RC1 release of Win 7 right now and the 3.5 (beta 20) works great all except for NO context menu at all.
I am on 32bit.
It's a shame and I miss it too much already as I have my own macros set up and use them so much. I also love the context menu function that enables me to tag from filenames or rename from tags, etc.
Now I have lost it all...well, unless I log in to my XP install instead just to tag some files!( which is what I am doing as I cannot cope without my mp3tag studio!
I just wondered if you plan to release a workng version when the operating system is released?
(or any tester versions you want me to try out for you...?)
Posted by: Magnus Brading on June 18 2009,12:14
As long as I will be able to identify what makes the context menu not work, I will absolutely give it a try.
Posted by: Phampson on June 18 2009,15:02
That is great news. I am already feeling so lost without my macros and ability to tag from filenames etc...how I miss your program!
I will keep watch for any announcements regarding windows 7 then
Posted by: TiQz on Aug. 13 2009,18:23
Hey Magnus, Any news regarding support for Windows 7 yet. I has been released to RTM. The API Code Pack for Windows 7 has also already been released. Here is the link: < http://code.msdn.microsoft.com/Windows....Id=3077 >
Lets Get This Awesome App Working Man..... I need to rename my music, you're killing me...lol
Posted by: TiQz on Nov. 05 2009,17:57
well magnus..... dont know what you did, but I am here to confirm that Mp3/Tag Studio 3.5 (beta 21) works with Windows 7. atlease its working for me
Posted by: Magnus Brading on Nov. 19 2009,23:44
That's good to hear.
Does the explorer context menu (shell extension) work too? Are you using a 32 bit or 64 bit version of Windows 7?
Posted by: robem on Jan. 15 2010,14:55
I'm using Windows 7 64 bit and the context menu (shell extension) doesn't appear I'm afraid.
It's a shame because I used to really find that feature useful.
Hope the reports helpful anyway.
Rob
Posted by: clear_darkness on Feb. 08 2010,00:13
Sadly I am also not able to get the context menu to work correctly. Is the new version supposed to have fixed it for Win7? Is there anything I can do to force it to work. The context menu is the main reason I use mp3tag over other software, I'm practically lost without it...
Posted by: Magnus Brading on Feb. 08 2010,01:57
It is a known problem that the Explorer context menu (shell extension) will not work in 64 bit versions of (any edition of) Windows. This is because Windows requires shell extensions to be compiled as 64 bit code, and Delphi (the language/IDE that Mp3/Tag Studio is created in) does not support this, so there's sadly nothing I can do about that at this point.
Posted by: clear_darkness on Feb. 21 2010,21:56
This saddens me greatly. Since upgrading to Win7 my tagging/renaming time has been multiplied by 10 and that right click menu has made me very impatience. I hate to ask but is there any of other piece of software anywhere that you know of that can add something similar to the context menu? I think your software is one of a kind, do you foresee possibilities in the future of a fix?
Posted by: Magnus Brading on Feb. 21 2010,22:39
I don't know of other programs, I use Mp3/Tag Studio myself.
And as long as Delphi starts supporting 64 bit targets, it is absolutely a good chance for a fix.
Posted by: clear_darkness on Mar. 11 2010,07:16
< http://www.embarcadero.com/rad-in-....lopment >
Are they still not supporting it, even in beta/trials?
Posted by: Magnus Brading on Mar. 11 2010,16:37
I don't see anything mentioned on that page about 64 bit compilation?
Do note that Windows 7 development and 64 bit compilation is in no way the same thing. Windows 7 come in 32 bit versions too, and can even run 32 bit programs in its 64 bit versions. Windows shell extensions are an exception to the latter though, since they are DLL files that are loaded directly into the process space of the 64 bit Explorer process, and the same process cannot mix 64 bit and 32 bit code.
Posted by: dsperber on Mar. 27 2010,22:02
Interestingly, I have surprisingly NO problem using the shell extension of MP3 Tag-studio in my own Win7 x64 environment. In fact while previously I had trouble under WinXP 32-bit with loss of the top few items (most notably "INSTALL") in the popup context menu when Tag-studio's "shell extension" was checked on, I have exactly the same other programs installed in my Win7 x64 world and I no longer have these problems.
In other words, Win7 x64 seems (for me, anyway) to be a bit "wiser" in determining exactly what items to present in the RMB popup menu list. So, for example, when right-clicking on an INF in Win7 I only see the appropriate items in the menu (including INSTALL, but NOT including MP3 Tag-Studio). And when right-clicking on an MP3 file I see the appropriate items for that file type... including MP3 Tag-Studio's item (which I can then get into and it works perfectly) but not INSTALL.
I had reported the shell extension problem years ago under WinXP, but I must say it does seem (for me anyway) to have resolved itself with no change to the application!
===> MP3 Tag-Studio 3.5 beta 20 works perfectly for me in my Win7 x64 environment, installed as however it got installed automatically.
NOTE: I do NOT have the "preserve dates on tagged/renamed files" checked, because I actually DO want to see the dates changed if I update the ID3 data. Actually, I would prefer that simply renaming the files does NOT change the date. So this desire would seem to be in conflict with the checkbox option offering. Anyway, just yesterday I had an opportunity to do a "mass rename from tag" (not individual file rename using F2), and surprisingly the file dates were retained! Actually this is just what I'd wanted to occur, but thought it would not happen because of the wording of that checkbox option.
So... does the checkbox option only affect F2 renames, whereas "mass rename from tag" does not change the date no matter what the checkbox option shows?
Posted by: Magnus Brading on Mar. 30 2010,01:32
As far as I know, it should be theoretically impossible for a 64 bit Windows system to run 32 bit shell extensions (at least as long as you didn't do something along the lines of < http://extended64.com/blogs/bhpaddock/archive/2005/05/22/539.aspx >).
Are you completely sure you aren't just running a 32 bit version of Windows 7 on an x64 machine?
And about that checkbox, it should apply to all situations, very strange.
Where did you buy your computer anyway, the Twilight Zone?
Posted by: dsperber on Mar. 30 2010,11:40
Well, time for some specifics.
(1) It IS a 64-bit Win7 Pro system.
But what I didn't realize is that I did not use Windows Explorer and then RMB to get the popup menu on which MP3-Tag Studio appeared. In fact, when I do try Explorer (64-bit) and RMB the shell extension item for MP3-Tag Studio definitely is NOT shown:
In fact, what I actually was using for File Management (and which I did the RMB which DID show the MP3-Tag Studio shell extension) is a program named "FreeCommander", which is a terrific substitute for Explorer and is far more flexible, capable, and easy to use than Explorer (or other file manager products I've tried). I am guessing that this must be a 32-bit program, if you insist that it's simply impossible to get the MP3-Tag Studio shell extension any other way:
(2) Again, using the "(auto) rename from tags" tab functionality of the MP3-Tag Studio program, I really do confirm that the renamed files did NOT get their dates changed to current, even though I do not have that option checked (because I really did want dates changed when I alter any ID3 data).
The top half of the following shows the original file names and dates. The bottom half is a second folder, populated originally by copying the files from the top folder. Then I used "(auto) rename from tags" to change the names to "title - year". Note that the dates did not change, though the names changed.
Here are my settings... with the "preserve dates" item UN-CHECKED.
Note that even when I use F2 to manually rename a file using the program, the date is STILL preserved... even though that settings option is not checked. Sure seems like both the automatic and manual file rename functions are always preserving the file data... even though you say renaming should be under the control of that settings option (which I do NOT have checked).
On the other hand, if I actually DO change the ID3 data then now, finally, the date on the file IS changed (and not preserved).
Posted by: Magnus Brading on April 10 2010,13:54
That is actually a good workaround for the shell extension, i.e. to use a 32 bit file manager program that uses the Windows Explorer shell extension menu.
And about the dates, you are correct, they are not changed when simply renaming files, this is standard behavior in Windows.
If you really want them changed anyway, perform a dummy tagging operation on the files afterwards, i.e. e.g. set a field to its own value in the Direct tag manipulation tool.
Posted by: dsperber on April 10 2010,18:50
---------------------QUOTE BEGIN-------------------
And about the dates, you are correct, they are not changed when simply renaming files, this is standard behavior in Windows.
---------------------QUOTE-------------------
I'm actually perfectly satisfied by the fact that the rename (either manually with F2, or mass) does NOT change the date.
However your English wording describing the first "General tagging and renaming settings" implies that the option is supposed to control whether or not file dates are preserved for both tagging and renaming.
In fact, it is really only an option for tagging... not renaming.
I'm just suggesting you remove that last extraneous phrase ("and renamed") in that text, to avoid confusion (such as I had).
Posted by: Magnus Brading on April 11 2010,01:24
Well, if you do select that option, it does preserve the file dates for renamed files, right? It doesn't say what will happen if you don't select it though.
Jokes aside, I see your point. On the other hand, a lot of people would ask me why it doesn't preserve dates for rename operations if I left that out from there, so I guess both alternatives suck approximately equally.
Posted by: bjorn.stenborg on April 13 2010,22:53
Ah, this was an interesting thread indeed. I would like to contribute a couple of observations:
If I remember correctly, I had to run MP3 Tag Studio as administrator to be able to enable the shell context menu. This of course makes sense. I use 32-bit Total Commander so the lack of Explorer integration matters little to me.
My more serious problem is that I don't get my custom macros in the shell context menu. After some investigation, this seems to be because when Total Commander attempts to write them into
---------------------CODE SAMPLE-------------------
<program files>\Magnus Brading Software\Mp3-Tag Studio 3.5\Macros
---------------------CODE SAMPLE-------------------
, they actually end up in
---------------------CODE SAMPLE-------------------
c:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files (x86)\Magnus Brading Software\Mp3-Tag Studio\Macros
---------------------CODE SAMPLE-------------------
instead, where Mp3/Tag Studio doesn't look for them. If I move the .mtm files to the previous folder, the macros appear in the context menu. Microsoft have apparently done a little trick here in Windows 7 (Vista?) with a shadow file structure to prevent the need for applications to muck around in the Program Files directory.This does sound like a good idea, but evidently causes trouble in this situation.
This also affects configuration and undo files, so is a symptom of a more general problem. I would say that the correct solution is definitely to move all user data from Program Files into the proper user application data folder. This shouldn't be overly complicated.
Do you think that this is something that we my look forward to in a future release?
Posted by: Magnus Brading on April 14 2010,00:02
It might be problematic to support all special cases created by using third-party Explorer clones, but I will at least look into it anyway, thanks for the info.
Posted by: bjorn.stenborg on April 14 2010,13:15
Ah, but the VirtualStore stuff is standard Vista/Win7 functionality, part of UAC Virtualization Services a quick Googling reveals.
Where user data is stored is not related to which explorer is used to start Mp3/Tag Studio - this will be the same regardless of how Mp3/Tag Studio is invoked (including from the start menu of course).
I think the Windows programming guidelines are quite clear on where user data should be stored, and that the installation folder is not the correct place. Retrieving the appropriate path is usually a simple Win32 API call.
Posted by: Magnus Brading on April 14 2010,16:21
Ok, I see your point, thanks for the suggestion.
Posted by: 3Z Duzzit on April 30 2010,02:24
Hi -- I just installed b21 in a new setup of 64-bit Win7. I could do without the context menu for now if need be, but the custom About dialog doesn't even appear. Even if I use a third-party program to conclusively make it the front-most window, there's still nothing visible -- the existing window I'm using simply loses focus.
Is there anything you can recommend to make it visible?
Posted by: dsperber on April 30 2010,10:52
---------------------QUOTE BEGIN-------------------
Hi -- I just installed b21 in a new setup of 64-bit Win7. I could do without the context menu for now if need be, but the custom About dialog doesn't even appear. Even if I use a third-party program to conclusively make it the front-most window, there's still nothing visible -- the existing window I'm using simply loses focus.
---------------------QUOTE-------------------
I confirm these results. ABOUT does bad things on Win7 x64
Actually, it's really worse. The primary MP3TS window disappears (perhaps minimizing to the taskbar) and the ABOUT dialog does not appear. And you can't get the program window back to be visible.
Plus, it (or Win7) seems to be stuck in some kind a very busy CPU usage mode, because it impacts other apps that are also running at the time.
Furthermore, Windows Task Manager shows "not responding" for MP3TS. It can be killed, and then everything returns to normal.
Posted by: 3Z Duzzit on April 30 2010,18:21
Yep, sorry about that -- I didn't mention the main window disappearing because I think that's actually its normal behavior. I didn't notice the extra CPU, though. I finally just had to end the TS task since there was nothing else that could be done.
Posted by: Magnus Brading on April 30 2010,18:45
The reason for this is that some of the graphics APIs used to paint the about box have become a LOT more resource hungry in the new Vista/7 GUI.
It will get done eventually though (after 0-5 minutes, depending on how fast your computer is), if you just wait without clicking anything or pressing any button.
I'm sorry about that.
Posted by: 3Z Duzzit on May 01 2010,20:05
Aha, thank you -- it does eventually cooperate.
Posted by: Phampson on July 18 2010,04:56
I have just the Windows 7 32 bit version and for some reason it won't even start up after I install.
I assumed it still did not support windows 7.
Are you all saying that it does now?
Or it does on 64-bit but not 32-bit?
surely that's not right?
I'm confused!
Posted by: Magnus Brading on July 18 2010,20:25
Are you using the latest beta of Mp3/Tag Studio? It should indeed work on Windows 7 (apart from some problem with the shell extension that some people are experiencing).
Posted by: 3Z Duzzit on July 18 2010,20:47
BTW, what's happening with the shellex? I'm pretty sure Delphi released their 64-bit compiler -- anything in the works? Maybe a mod of the About dialog that doesn't hang the program?
Posted by: Phampson on July 20 2010,19:25
Aaah so it DOES work with Windows 7.
Nice
Posted by: Magnus Brading on July 21 2010,19:44
Yep.
And no, there is no Delphi 64-bit yet.
Posted by: 3Z Duzzit on July 22 2010,22:35
Thanks for the reply, Magnus. I must have misunderstood -- they announced "expanded variant support for Int64" so that might be what I'm thinking of. I sure do appreciate mp3ts, though!
Posted by: dsperber on Dec. 06 2010,13:30
Just one more post on this subject...
Had occasion to reinstall Win7 Pro x64 on two separate machines over the past month. And unfortunately I must report that the previously "working" RMB on an MP3 file shell extension using Free Commander no longer works... on either machine.
However RMB on a folder still does work, and still produces the MP3/Tag-Studio item on the popup menu.
Using standard Windows Explorer, neither RMB works to generate the MP3TS popup menu item (i.e. not on a folder, nor on a file), just as it didn't do before.
So that means whatever previously allowed this mechanism to at least work using Free Commander on an MP3 file has seemingly been changed by some recent updates by Microsoft to Explorer (whose services Free Commander uses). This is no longer the case, although RMB on a folder still does work to present the MP3TS popup menu item.
Looks like only a true 64-bit solution by Magnus will ever get this to return.
Posted by: noddy on Feb. 06 2011,10:05
Magnus,
I have recently done a clean install of Win7 64 bit, and have tried to install MP3TS about 4 times.
Every time I try and run it, I get an error msg as per the attached jpg.
The error text message is pasted below:
Problem signature:
Problem Event Name: APPCRASH
Application Name: mp3tag_s.exe
Application Version: 0.0.0.0
Application Timestamp: 2a425e19
Fault Module Name: StackHash_4e5d
Fault Module Version: 0.0.0.0
Fault Module Timestamp: 00000000
Exception Code: c0000005
Exception Offset: 7efde000
OS Version: 6.1.7600.2.0.0.256.48
Locale ID: 3081
Additional Information 1: 4e5d
Additional Information 2: 4e5d5dc6aabf76cc679d707f73217047
Additional Information 3: c3f4
Additional Information 4: c3f4f21ff0efa95302412e4fece51da2
Read our privacy statement online:
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=104288&clcid=0x0409
If the online privacy statement is not available, please read our privacy statement offline:
C:\Windows\system32\en-US\erofflps.txt
Interestingly though, I have successfully run MP3TS under Win7 64 bit in the past.
This problem has only occurred since this most recent reformat.
I've also tried running as administrator, but to no avail.
Any ideas?
Posted by: noddy on Feb. 06 2011,10:07
Ah crap, can't attach a jpeg for some reason.
Oh well, you'll just have to take my word for it!
Posted by: Magnus Brading on Feb. 07 2011,00:27
My guess would be that you are not using the most recent 3.5 beta?
Posted by: noddy on Feb. 07 2011,10:04
well, no... i am trying to install 3.05, and then apply the 3.5 b21 update patch over the top of that.
can i not do that any more?
Posted by: noddy on Feb. 07 2011,11:27
Ahhh, apparently not!
I downloaded the full v3.5 b21 and t worked fine.
Thanks Magnus!
Posted by: Magnus Brading on Feb. 07 2011,13:07
Strange, maybe some files were locked or similar, because it should work? Glad it could be solved either way!
Posted by: 3Z Duzzit on Feb. 10 2011,08:51
Hi, all -- is there by any chance going to be a fix for the about dialog? I opened the latest version's (from about 17 months ago, before the current OS was out) to remind me of the URL for this site, and ended up waiting around for awhile until it finally got going. It doesn't seem to be related to system resources -- I've got a quad core with 6 gigs ram (Win7 Pro x64) and it still takes several minutes to display or go away.
It struck me, though, that if the Delphi people aren't ready with 64-bit code for the context menu, what would you think about a way to pass the current dir to TS via the SendTo menu? That would make things seem less, uh, unwieldy.
Posted by: Magnus Brading on April 27 2011,13:58
It is possible to use command line parameters, yes, please see this thread:
< http://www.magnusbrading.com/cgi-bin....2;t=514 >
Posted by: Guest on June 11 2011,11:32
I confirm it seems there are some problems with windows 7 !
I used for ages WinXP and I move recently to Win7 Pro 32 bits.
Never had pb with XP but with Win7, shell extension is a pb.
No macro appear in contect menu and when using editing mp3 files by shell extension I get "...shlext.und" error message.
I also tried .reg to grant privileges as written in 3.5beta21 issues but no success.
I am not using Total Commander or Directory Opus yet.. install W7 is fresh so there is no corruption in windows system files nor MP3 files since all of my mp3 were working so far.
Hope there will be a new version for Win7 fully compatible.
Good soft... just the best for advanced tagging ! I also used MP3-Info Shell extension more basic to complete tagging stuff.
Thanks
Posted by: gavind on Feb. 23 2013,21:22
Sorry for bumping this old thread but has someone ever got this to work on a Windows 8 environment?
end