Winamp Library: Are ID3 Tags 'safe'?

[zOnk.oNe]

Hello folks.

I've done searches and haven't found a specific answer to my question...which is a little surprising since Winamp has been around since ever since.

Anyway, I want to ask about the library/manager aspect of Winamp. I've always used Winamp (since pre 2000), but recently, I've been wanting to use a library/manager so I could rate tracks and keep track of # of listens, etc. One thing that used to happen within Winamp, was when you used the rating system, it actually added that rating to the file, which altered the original tags of that file.
I didn't use Winamp's library for that reason. Yesterday, I decided to see what the 'new' library looked and operated like...and tested the rating system and saw that it didn't change anything within the file. Before I load my whole library, I just want an official answer: Does the Winamp library change or edit anything about a file, without my specific instruction to do so? Like, on import, assign tags, or when rating files, etc.

I've read many a horror story about folks having issues loading their libraries into music managers and having the manager wreak havoc on their files/tags.

My apologies if this is a repeat question. Thanks in advance for reading/commenting.

peace,
zOnk.oNe

[DrO]

the default behaviour (which quite a few people don't like) is to not mess with the tags unless you tell Winamp to do so i.e. via the edit file info dialogs. additionally ratings, playcounts and other values not stored in the id3 format will not be saved (there is an ini setting to allow for saving of ratings into the files but that is off by default).

as for having it happen on a prior version, i can only guess it was possibly with Winamp3 as that had a different design and philosophy on how it handled file metadata (though i really don't remember it intentionally messing with the tags).

so you should be safe and there aren't many plug-ins which will mess with the tags (unlike some of the ones i've seen for other players).

-daz

[zOnk.oNe]

Racical. Thanks for the response, daz.

I'm currently using a little bit older version of Winamp at home, due to the fact that "I need" to use VolumeLogic, but I believe it's still 5.something. Newer versions of Winamp and VolumeLogic didn't get along well...especially when paired with AdvancedCrossfading.

I've yet to find a DSP as quality as VolumeLogic. Even the creators new version (can't remember the name) isn't as good IMHO.

Thanks again.

*Edit: : Forgot to ask: So ratings, playcounts, etc. are stored in a separate database file?

[DrO]

Originally Posted by zOnk.oNe

Forgot to ask: So ratings, playcounts, etc. are stored in a separate database file?

yup, they are in main.idx/main.dat in the settings folder.

you can use http://forums.winamp.com/showthread.php?t=317153&page=4 to backup the database incase of something going wrong with Winamp.

-daz

[zOnk.oNe]

Cool. thank again