How to extract POPM (Popularimeter) tag from MP3 files

[ryerman]

I cannot extract the ID3v2.3 POPM (popularimeter) frame from MP3 files by writing it to a file.  I've tried txt, bin, and dat.
( eg. exiftool -U -b -ID3v2_3:ID3POPM -w txt "X:\test.mp3")

Exiftool shows it as binary data but I don't know which file extension to use with the -w option to display it in the original readable form (eg. email address | 0-255 rating value | playcount #).

I am confused because the documentation does not include this tag, but it's existence is displayed by a command line. (see Code below)

Also, this command:
exiftool -U -ID3v2_3:ID3POPM "X:\test.mp3"
gives no response describing it as binary data, unlike the PICTURE tag which is also binary data.

Code Select Expand

C:\Windows\system32>exiftool -U -ID3v2_3:all "X:\test.mp3"
ID3 POPM                        : (Binary data 23 bytes, use -b option to extract)
Picture Mime Type               : image/jpeg
Picture Type                    : Front Cover
Picture Description             :
Picture                         : (Binary data 43399 bytes, use -b option to extract)

C:\Windows\system32>exiftool -U -ID3v2_3:picture "X:\test.mp3"
Picture                         : (Binary data 43399 bytes, use -b option to extract)

C:\Windows\system32>exiftool -U -ID3v2_3:ID3POPM "X:\test.mp3"

C:\Windows\system32>

How can this tag be extracted?

Jim

[Phil Harvey]

Hi Jim,

Send me a sample (philharvey66 at gmail.com) and I'll add the ability to convert this tag to a readable value.

- Phil

[ryerman]

Thanks Phil.

I sent a sample file at 10:40 AM, Jan. 10.

Jim

[Phil Harvey]

Great, thanks.  ExifTool 9.14 will decode this information.  I just have to decide on the exact format I want for the output.  Right now I'm thinking about this:

Code Select Expand

Popularimeter   : rating@winamp.com Rating=128 Count=0

- Phil

[ryerman]

Hi Phil.

Thanks for adding the ability to decode POPM frames in ID3v2 tags.

While testing, I found 2 MP3 files where Exiftool warns "Invalid POPM frame".
Although the POPM frames are useable in other applications (Winamp, Windows Explorer), Exiftool finds them unacceptable.
I tried to investigate with a hex editor but I don't really know what I'm looking at, what to look for, or even how to properly use a hex editor. 

Please look at the files.
I will email the 2 offending files, along with 2 others where ExifTool does decode the POPM frame.

I assume ExifTool is handling them correctly.
Would you give me a short lesson about how the writing applications have screwed up?

Jim

[Phil Harvey]

Hi Jim,

Send me the files and I'll take a look at them first thing tomorrow.

I'm guessing the problem is on my side because I only had one file to test this with.

- Phil

[Phil Harvey]

Thanks, I got the samples.  The problem is that the counter in the POPM is missing in 2 of the files.  Re-reading the specification, I see that this is allowed by the ID3 specification.  I had missed this.

I'll patch ExifTool to be able to read these POPM frames.

- Phil

[ryerman]

Thank-you Phil.

ExifTool is probably best known in the Digital Photography world, but I appreciate your expertise and support for a wide variety of file types.

And thanks for the fast response time in this forum (as usual  ).

Jim