ALAC music file and Rating

[AllanMarcus]

Hello,

I've used exiftool for years with images, but recently tried to use it with music files. I'm trying to set the rating for an ALAC (M4A) file.  Before I try to set the rating with exiftool, there is already a rating there

exiftool -s -listg /media/content/music/ALAC/Adele/Adele\ -\ 21/06\ -\ Adele\ -\ He\ Wont\ Go.m4a | grep -i rating
RATING                          : 6

Then I try this command:

exiftool -RATING=4 /media/content/music/ALAC/Adele/Adele\ -\ 21/06\ -\ Adele\ -\ He\ Wont\ Go.m4a

and the results:

exiftool -s -listg /media/content/music/ALAC/Adele/Adele\ -\ 21/06\ -\ Adele\ -\ He\ Wont\ Go.m4a | grep -i rating
RATING                          : 6
Rating                          : 4

Any ideas how to change the existing tag? When I use Picard, it sees the RATING tag.

[Phil Harvey]

See FAQ 3 for help with this.

Also, it would be useful to see the output of the -v3 option for this file.  Could you post it here?  I would like to see how an all-capitals RATING tag is stored -- this is a bit odd.

- Phil

[AllanMarcus]

 

Code Select Expand

exiftool -V /media/content/music/ALAC/Adele/Adele\ -\ 21/06\ -\ Adele\ -\ He\ Wont\ Go.m4a
  ExifToolVersion = 11.88
  FileName = 06 - Adele - He Wont Go.m4a
  Directory = /media/content/music/ALAC/Adele/Adele - 21
  FileSize = 33335266
  FileModifyDate = 1629242440
  FileAccessDate = 1629242443
  FileInodeChangeDate = 1629242440
  FilePermissions = 33252
  FileType = M4A
  FileTypeExtension = M4A
  MIMEType = audio/mp4
  FileType (SubDirectory) -->
  + [BinaryData directory, 16 bytes]
  | MajorBrand = M4A
  | MinorVersion = .
  | CompatibleBrands = isomiso2
  Free =
  Movie (SubDirectory) -->
  + [Movie directory]
  | MovieHeader (SubDirectory) -->
  | + [BinaryData directory, 100 bytes]
  | | MovieHeaderVersion = 0
  | | CreateDate = 0
  | | ModifyDate = 3712028089
  | | TimeScale = 1000
  | | Duration = 277947
  | | PreferredRate = 65536
  | | PreferredVolume = 256
  | | MatrixStructure = 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 16384
  | | PreviewTime = 0
  | | PreviewDuration = 0
  | | PosterTime = 0
  | | SelectionTime = 0
  | | SelectionDuration = 0
  | | CurrentTime = 0
  | | NextTrackID = 2
  | Track (SubDirectory) -->
  | + [Track directory]
  | | TrackHeader (SubDirectory) -->
  | | + [BinaryData directory, 84 bytes]
  | | | TrackHeaderVersion = 0
  | | | TrackCreateDate = 0
  | | | TrackModifyDate = 3712028089
  | | | TrackID = 1
  | | | TrackDuration = 277947
  | | | TrackLayer = 0
  | | | TrackVolume = 256
  | | | MatrixStructure = 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 16384
  | | | ImageWidth = 0
  | | | ImageHeight = 0
  | | Unknown_edts = .elst..=..
  | | Media (SubDirectory) -->
  | | + [Media directory]
  | | | MediaHeader (SubDirectory) -->
  | | | + [BinaryData directory, 24 bytes]
  | | | | MediaHeaderVersion = 0
  | | | | MediaCreateDate = 0
  | | | | MediaModifyDate = 3712028089
  | | | | MediaTimeScale = 48000
  | | | | MediaDuration = 13341440
  | | | | MediaLanguageCode = 21956
  | | | Handler (SubDirectory) -->
  | | | + [BinaryData directory, 37 bytes]
  | | | | HandlerClass =
  | | | | HandlerType = soun
  | | | | HandlerVendorID =
  | | | | HandlerDescription = SoundHandler
  | | | MediaInfo (SubDirectory) -->
  | | | + [MediaInfo directory]
  | | | | AudioHeader (SubDirectory) -->
  | | | | + [BinaryData directory, 8 bytes]
  | | | | | Balance = 0
  | | | | DataInfo (SubDirectory) -->
  | | | | + [DataInfo directory]
  | | | | | DataRef (SubDirectory) -->
  | | | | | + [DataRef directory]
  | | | | | | URL = .
  | | | | SampleTable (SubDirectory) -->
  | | | | + [SampleTable directory]
  | | | | | AudioSampleDesc (SubDirectory) -->
  | | | | | + [BinaryData directory, 44 bytes]
  | | | | | | AudioFormat = alac
  | | | | | | AudioVendorID =
  | | | | | | AudioChannels = 2
  | | | | | | AudioBitsPerSample = 16
  | | | | | | AudioSampleRate = 48000
  | | | | | + [AudioSampleDesc directory]
  | | | | | | Unknown_alac = ..(...@..p..
  | | | | | TimeToSampleTable = ......
  | | | | | SampleToChunk = .....|..x..t..r..n..f..e..b..e..h..b..^.._..V..X..Y..b..^..[snip]
  | | | | | SampleSizes = ..  .0..#K.................q.......R.m.'..#."F...H...<.v....$[snip]
  | | | | | ChunkOffset =  ....8 .$0p.@R.P:.`&qp.l.....:.._.....;.....S.jo.Z0..>...3../[snip]
  | UserData (SubDirectory) -->
  | + [UserData directory]
  | | Meta (SubDirectory) -->
  | | + [Meta directory]
  | | | Handler (SubDirectory) -->
  | | | + [BinaryData directory, 25 bytes]
  | | | | HandlerClass =
  | | | | HandlerType = mdir
  | | | | HandlerVendorID = appl
  | | | | HandlerDescription =
  | | | ItemList (SubDirectory) -->
  | | | + [ItemList directory]
  | | | | Title = He Won't Go
  | | | | Artist = Adele
  | | | | Album = 21
  | | | | Genre = Pop/Rock
  | | | | TrackNumber = ..
  | | | | DiskNumber = ..
  | | | | ContentCreateDate = 2011
  | | | | BeatsPerMinute = 162
  | | | | Encoder = Lavf58.20.100
  | | | | + [iTunesInfo directory]
  | | | | | Mean = com.apple.iTunes
  | | | | | Name = HDCD
  | | | | | Data = .0
  | | | | + [iTunesInfo directory]
  | | | | | Mean = com.apple.iTunes
  | | | | | Name = RATING
  | | | | | Data = .6
  | | | | + [iTunesInfo directory]
  | | | | | Mean = com.apple.iTunes
  | | | | | Name = Dynamic Range (DR)
  | | | | | Data = .7
  | | | | + [iTunesInfo directory]
  | | | | | Mean = com.apple.iTunes
  | | | | | Name = MEDIA
  | | | | | Data = .CD
  | | | | + [iTunesInfo directory]
  | | | | | Mean = com.apple.iTunes
  | | | | | Name = initialkey
  | | | | | Data = .Cm
  | | | | + [iTunesInfo directory]
  | | | | | Mean = com.apple.iTunes
  | | | | | Name = MusicBrainz Album Release Country
  | | | | | Data = .ZA
  | | | | + [iTunesInfo directory]
  | | | | | Mean = com.apple.iTunes
  | | | | | Name = originalyear
  | | | | | Data = .2011
  | | | | + [iTunesInfo directory]
  | | | | | Mean = com.apple.iTunes
  | | | | | Name = ~length
  | | | | | Data = .4:40
  | | | | + [iTunesInfo directory]
  | | | | | Mean = com.apple.iTunes
  | | | | | Name = SCRIPT
  | | | | | Data = .Latn
  | | | | + [iTunesInfo directory]
  | | | | | Mean = com.apple.iTunes
  | | | | | Name = replaygain_track_gain
  | | | | | Data = .-8.38
  | | | | + [iTunesInfo directory]
  | | | | | Mean = com.apple.iTunes
  | | | | | Name = replaygain_track_peak
  | | | | | Data = .1.000
  | | | | + [iTunesInfo directory]
  | | | | | Mean = com.apple.iTunes
  | | | | | Name = ARTISTS
  | | | | | Data = .Adele
  | | | | + [iTunesInfo directory]
  | | | | | Mean = com.apple.iTunes
  | | | | | Name = MusicBrainz Album Type
  | | | | | Data = .album
  | | | | + [iTunesInfo directory]
  | | | | | Mean = com.apple.iTunes
  | | | | | Name = Tool Version
  | | | | | Data = .27.0.85
  | | | | + [iTunesInfo directory]
  | | | | | Mean = com.apple.iTunes
  | | | | | Name = MusicBrainz Album Status
  | | | | | Data = .official
  | | | | + [iTunesInfo directory]
  | | | | | Mean = com.apple.iTunes
  | | | | | Name = CATALOGNUMBER
  | | | | | Data = .CDJUST439
  | | | | + [iTunesInfo directory]
  | | | | | Mean = com.apple.iTunes
  | | | | | Name = originaldate
  | | | | | Data = .2011-01-19
  | | | | + [iTunesInfo directory]
  | | | | | Mean = com.apple.iTunes
  | | | | | Name = ISRC
  | | | | | Data = .GBBKS1000353
  | | | | + [iTunesInfo directory]
  | | | | | Mean = com.apple.iTunes
  | | | | | Name = Tool Name
  | | | | | Data = .Media Center
  | | | | + [iTunesInfo directory]
  | | | | | Mean = com.apple.iTunes
  | | | | | Name = BARCODE
  | | | | | Data = .6009143461239
  | | | | + [iTunesInfo directory]
  | | | | | Mean = com.apple.iTunes
  | | | | | Name = LABEL
  | | | | | Data = .XL Recordings
  | | | | + [iTunesInfo directory]
  | | | | | Mean = com.apple.iTunes
  | | | | | Name = Volume Level (ReplayGain)
  | | | | | Data = .-8.3822898864746094
  | | | | + [iTunesInfo directory]
  | | | | | Mean = com.apple.iTunes
  | | | | | Name = Dynamic Range (R128)
  | | | | | Data = .11.1847496032714844
  | | | | + [iTunesInfo directory]
  | | | | | Mean = com.apple.iTunes
  | | | | | Name = Volume Level (R128)
  | | | | | Data = .-13.3822898864746094
  | | | | + [iTunesInfo directory]
  | | | | | Mean = com.apple.iTunes
  | | | | | Name = Peak Level (Sample)
  | | | | | Data = .+0.0 dB;+0.0 Left;+0.0 Right
  | | | | + [iTunesInfo directory]
  | | | | | Mean = com.apple.iTunes
  | | | | | Name = Peak Level (R128)
  | | | | | Data = .+0.7 dBTP;+0.5 Left;+0.7 Right
  | | | | + [iTunesInfo directory]
  | | | | | Mean = com.apple.iTunes
  | | | | | Name = MusicBrainz Track Id
  | | | | | Data = .4dd209b9-80fd-4e11-8093-3bab2db810fc
  | | | | + [iTunesInfo directory]
  | | | | | Mean = com.apple.iTunes
  | | | | | Name = MusicBrainz Release Track Id
  | | | | | Data = .58580c2f-2d44-330a-97f7-06d80c60a373
  | | | | + [iTunesInfo directory]
  | | | | | Mean = com.apple.iTunes
  | | | | | Name = Acoustid Id
  | | | | | Data = .6caee767-1412-49ca-af97-9e70d2ceecf2
  | | | | + [iTunesInfo directory]
  | | | | | Mean = com.apple.iTunes
  | | | | | Name = MusicBrainz Album Id
  | | | | | Data = .70c6a7dd-9f01-428a-a89e-ce843bcf9432
  | | | | + [iTunesInfo directory]
  | | | | | Mean = com.apple.iTunes
  | | | | | Name = MusicBrainz Album Artist Id
  | | | | | Data = .cc2c9c3c-b7bc-4b8b-84d8-4fbd8779e493
  | | | | + [iTunesInfo directory]
  | | | | | Mean = com.apple.iTunes
  | | | | | Name = MusicBrainz Artist Id
  | | | | | Data = .cc2c9c3c-b7bc-4b8b-84d8-4fbd8779e493
  | | | | + [iTunesInfo directory]
  | | | | | Mean = com.apple.iTunes
  | | | | | Name = MusicBrainz Release Group Id
  | | | | | Data = .e4174758-d333-4a8e-a31f-dd0edd51518e
  | | | | + [iTunesInfo directory]
  | | | | | Mean = com.apple.iTunes
  | | | | | Name = MOOD
  | | | | | Data = .Acoustic
  | | | | | Data = .Not aggressive
  | | | | | Data = .Electronic
  | | | | | Data = .Not happy
  | | | | | Data = .Not party
  | | | | | Data = .Relaxed
  | | | | | Data = .Not sad
  | | | | + [iTunesInfo directory]
  | | | | | Mean = com.apple.iTunes
  | | | | | Name = Waveform
  | | | | | Data = ..0073;.0035;.0472;.0352;.0061;.0325;.0362;.006;.0511;.0402;.0064;.0[snip]
  | | | | CoverArt = .....JFIF......C..................................................[snip]
  | | | | AlbumArtist = Adele
  | | | | SortAlbumArtist = Adele
  | | | | SortArtist = Adele
  | | | Free =
  XMP (SubDirectory) -->
  + [XMP directory, 2781 bytes]
  | XMPToolkit = Image::ExifTool 11.88
  | Rating = 2
  MediaDataSize = 33291796
  MediaDataOffset = 43470
  MediaData =  ........................... ........................... ...............*[snip]

[AllanMarcus]

oh, the way I got this file was a FLAC rip of the CD, then used MediaHuman Audio Converter to convert to ALAC. Oh, forgot to mention I ran the file through Picard after converting to ALAC

[Phil Harvey]

Unfortunately ExifTool doesn't yet write these iTunesInfo tags.  There are a number of tags in this file that I have never seen before.  Would it be possible to send me the file so I can analyze it further?  My email is philharvey66 at gmail.com

- Phil

[AllanMarcus]

Unfortunately ExifTool doesn't yet write these iTunesInfo tags.  There are a number of tags in this file that I have never seen before.  Would it be possible to send me the file so I can analyze it further?  My email is philharvey66 at gmail.com

- Phil

sent (via Google Drive). I did a little more checking, and the iTunes tags are all added by Musicbrainz Picard. 

[Phil Harvey]

I got the file, thanks.

I'll add better support for reading these tags, but unfortunately the ability to write them isn't something that would be easy to do.

- Phil

[AllanMarcus]

ok, thanks. It was worth a shot.