Metadata Import/Export & Burn In
Standard & Ultra Versions
It is now possible to import/export metadata for your files using standard CVS/TVS text files to allow export/backup of your metadata or to import data into BaseHead to burn into your files.
Import/Export Text File (F7)
- Imports and Exports these file formats now. (.tsv, .csv, .txt) as Tab Delimited or Comma separated, Semi-colon separated.
- Importing can either “Merge and Update” with exiting Records or “Create a new Import”
- Exporting has many options to choose from also that are self explanatory.
- Also…..it imports the main two “rival” programs text files also so you can ditch their dated closed format program and migrate over to BaseHead and never look back and live in happy happy free land now….;-)
Requirements to re-link files back into BaseHead are the [folder] and [filename] fields for PC and [path] for macOS
There is an option to try and link to [filenames] only if you pulled a text file off the internet from someone like BOOM Library.
This option will appear if you select the “Merge and Update” option, but make sure you import the files into the database first be attempting to use this option.
Field names in the current 5.x Database format
IMPORTANT: they are case sensitive
filename
folder (PC Path w/o filename)
path (Mac Path w/o filename)
start
length
hide_me
bitdepth
channels
date_added
sample_rate
type
cd_title
artist
coding_history
description
original_date
originator_ref
originator
timecode
subcategory
category
index
comments
frame_rate
library
location
project_name
tape
scene
take
publisher
track_title
composer
designer
genre
episode
rating
sync_point
copyright
recordist
keywords
manufacturer
microphone
notes
directory (auto-created)
So if you want to modify a .csv, .tsv or .txt file exported from a different program then change the header of the column to one of the above values to route them into BaseHead’s database.
Not all fields are able to be imported (such as bit depth, samplerate, date created etc) as these attributes are read direct from the file. Any fields you try to import that are “read only” will be ignored (or will throw a warning that the field cannot be imported). All available fields will be exported tho.
Keep in mind it’s case sensitive and we never use capital letters in our text file headers. 😉
Import Template
Need a template to Copy/Paste your data into using Excel or Google Sheets?
Grab this ONE HERE. and save it off as a .tsv and Import this file via the top Import Section on this panel.
[Video] Importing \ Exporting Text Files
An overview of importing data into basehead from Text Files.
FAQ
How to Import a database from a certain “rival” program that starts with an “S”?
First go to said program and choose the “Dump Search Query as Text File” function.
Make sure to include [FilePath] in the dump. This file must also include [RecID] but that should be included by default “in theory”.
The select this dump file in BaseHead and choose either to ‘Create New Import’ or ‘Merge and Update’ to try and link with files in the current database.
How to Import a database from Netmix into BaseHead:
Make sure to export the text file with [Path] and [FileID] in the dump from Netmix
Then import this text file in BaseHead and choose either to “Create New Import” or “Merge and Update” to try and link with files in the current database.
How to Import a Netmix Lite database into BaseHead:
Right click their Results List and choose the option “Export Database”
The lite version gives you no options and will export all needed columns. The file needs to have [hash1] and [path] for detection FYI.
Then select this newly created .txt file in BaseHead and choose either to “Create New Import” or “Merge and Update” to try and link with files in the current database.
External Editing:
If I want to edit one of these rival text files before importing into BaseHead what is the best way to do this?
I’d personally copy/paste the tab-spaced data to a Google Docs spreadsheet and download the files a .tsv file.
These rival text files can only be .txt or .tsv tab spaced files.
NOTE: Comma spaced .csv’s are NOT supported for rival file importing.
My .tsv file has lots comma’s in them and displaying wrong in Google Sheets. How to Fix?
Sheets seems to have a problem auto-detecting if you drag and drop a .tsv to it.
So instead choose the “Import Option” and manually select the separator as ‘TAB”
FAQ:
It’s painfully slow to Import my text file into a large Database. How to Fix this problem?
In the ‘Database’ menu run the “Rebuild Indexes” command and this should speed it up massively 8)
Burn In Metadata (F6)
Ultra Version
After you import a text file you can use this panel to inject all the new values into the metadata.of the files. This new Action Panel would usually be used after Importing a Text File that has been edited in a spreadsheet editor OR was from a “rival” program.
This Panel will help you burn the newly imported values into the files Physically or if you set BH to not write into files always you can use this panel to burn in all your changes.
The options on this page should be self explanatory for the most part.
Chose what records your want to burn in, choose the chunks to go it and set the world a Blaze!
“The Roof….The Roof….The Roof is On Fire!” name that tune! 8)