Can I build a database externally, and transfer it to my iRIVER?

[RoyBlumenthal]

Hiya Rockboxsters...

I see I'm not the only person who has the 'initialise database' problem. My H340 iRIVER gets to 3247 songs when it's initialising the database, and then hangs. Requires a reset to get it running again.

The closest I've gotten to some advice on the matter is that one of my files might be corrupted.

But that doesn't help me. Cos I have no idea how to search for that corruption. What would make a file corrupt in such a way that it hangs the database?

---

A thought I've had that would make sense is to allow my pc to do all of the hard work... to create the database OFF the iRIVER, and use the brute power of a proper processor to get past the difficult bits. And then transfer the already-built database to the player.

Does such a piece of software exist?

Is there a way of doing this?

---

Failing this, is there something I need to look for in my files to make them compatible with the database?

Thanks very much.

Blue skies
love
Roy

[Llorean]

I do believe there's a script for it, though I honestly don't know whether it's compatible at the moment (it used to work, but may not any more).

For testing your files, try using a binary search. You have 3247, let's pretend it's 3248. Remove half, then half again, until the crashes stop. Then take that last group of removed files, and just put them on, removing the other ones. Start halving some more, and repeating the swap, until you're down to one file. Should be roughly 11 attempts to build the database total, and you'll have isolated your file.

[j6h5gfrty]

I'd also be interested in such a script, as at present with over 11,000 tracks on my Iaudio X5L it can take upwards of 30mins to initialise the database at times. (updates are quicker)

I have found this http://forums.rockbox.org/index.php?topic=6513.0 thread about the script and it states that it was updated on 15/09/2006.

As well as been outdated the script appears to be only for mp3's which us of no use to me and I'm sure quite a few others who use other formats.

If there is an interested developer I'd be most grateful if a new app/script etc could be created. A Foobar plugin would be better

[RoyBlumenthal]

I also have quite a few songs on my machine. Not as many as you though!

I've got about 30 gigs of stuff on mine. So the solution of removing half and then half etcetera isn't actually possible for me.

I'm going to check out the script that's been mentioned. Cos all of my music is in MP3 format.

But I'd still like to know what exactly Rockbox is stalling on. Surely there must be some kind of fingerprint that identifies a corrupt file?

I know that when I update the database on my pc, using the iRiver software, it finds around 100 songs that can't be updated, and around 200 that have no data.

But sadly, Rockbox doesn't seem able to use the iRiver db file.

Is there perhaps some software that would convert the iRiver file to Rockbox format?

Or could I maybe open the iRiver db in something like MS Access and convert it myself?

Blue skies, love, Roy

[RoyBlumenthal]

Another related question... Is it possible to only add certain directories to the db?

It would be really useful to do it that way. Cos then I'd be able to build it up bit by bit, and find the offending songs that way.

Any hack available to be able to do this?

Blue skies, love, Roy

[mehtadone]

Did anyone get this script updated to the latest DataBase format?

If not, I think I'll start work on it soon!

[nls]

There is a stand-alone tool for the database. Run 'make database' in your tools dir and the database.c file in that dir will be built. It uses the rockbox metadata parsers and database code so it will likely have the same problem as a regular update. database.c is very much a skeleton at the moment but I'm sure you can make it output some info if it fails.

[ell1ps1s]

Have you tried building the database with all other settings at their default values?

My H340 can't build a database with modified settings (although when I tried to go through one setting at a time to isolate one, the problem wouldn't appear), but it works fine if I reset all settings first.

This may not be the same issue (and the symptoms you describe are not identical), but it could be worth a shot. Not a fix, I know, but a useable workaround?