NAME

eyeD3 - displays and manipulates id3-tags on mp3 files

SYNOPSIS

eyeD3 [options] PATH [PATH...]
 

DESCRIPTION

eyeD3 Manipulates ID3 tags in mp3 files and is able to read/write and convert between ID3 v1.0, v1.1, v2.3 and v2.4 tags. High-level access is provided to most frames, including APIC (i.e., images) frames.
 
The eyeD3 command line interface is based on plugins that operates on files. To list the available plugins use the --plugins option and to select a plugin pass its name using --plugin=NAME.
 
The PATH argument(s) along with optional usage of --exclude are used to tell eyeD3 what files or directories to process. Directories are searched recursively and every file encountered is passed to the selected plugin until no more files are found.
 

BASE OPTIONS

-h, --help
Show a brief help string and exit.
--version
Display version information and exit
--exclude=PATTERN
A regular expression for path exclusion. May be specified multiple times.
-L, --plugins
List all available plugins.
-P NAME, --plugin=NAME
Specify which plugin to use. The default is ´classic'
-C FILE, --config=FILE
Supply a configuration file. The default is ´~/.eyeD3/config.ini', although even that is optional.
--no-config
Do not load the default user config ´~/.eyeD3/config.ini'. The -c/--config options are still honored if present.
--backup
Plugins should honor this option such that a backup is made of any file modified. The backup is made in same directory with a ´.orig' extension added.
-Q, --quiet
A hint to plugins to output less.
--fs-encoding=ENCODING
Use the specified file system encoding for filenames. Default is detected from the current locale, overriding is useful for example when reading from mounted file systems.
--no-color
Suppress color codes in console output. This will happen automatically if the output is not a TTY (e.g. when redirecting to a file)

DEBUGGING

-l LEVEL[:LOGGER], --log-level=LEVEL[:LOGGER]
Set a log level. This option may be specified multiple times. If a logger name is specified than the level applies only to that logger, otherwise the level is set on the top-level logger. Acceptable levels are ´debug', ´verbose', ´info', ´warning', ´error', ´critical'.
--profiler
Run using python profiler.
--debugger
Drop into python debugger when errors occur.

`CLASSIC` PLUGIN

This plugin is the classic eyeD3 interface for viewing and editing tags.
 
All PATH arguments are parsed and displayed. Directory paths are searched recursively. Any editing options ( --artist, --title) are applied to each file read.
 
All date options ( --release-year excepted) follow ISO 8601 format. This is ´yyyy-mm-ddThh:mm:ss'. The year is required, and each component thereafter is optional. For example, "2012-03" is valid, "2012--12" is not.
-a STRING, --artist=STRING
Set the artist name.
-A STRING, --album=STRING
Set the album name.
-b STRING, --album-artist=STRING
Set the album artist name. "Various Artists", for example. Another example is collaborations when the track artist might be "Eminem featuring Proof" the album artist would be "Eminem".
-t STRING, --title=STRING
Set the track title.
-n NUM, --track=NUM
Set the track number. Use 0 to clear.
-N NUM, --track-total=NUM
Set total number of tracks. Use 0 to clear.
--track-offset=N
Increment/decrement the track number by [-]N. This option is applied after --track=N is set.
-d NUM, --disc-num=NUM
Set the disc number. Use 0 to clear.
-G GENRE, --genre=GENRE
Set the genre. If the argument is a standard ID3 genre name or number both will be set. Otherwise, any string can be used. Use --plugin=genres for a list of standard ID3 genre names/ids.
-Y YEAR, --release-year=YEAR
Set the year the track was released. Use the date options for more precise values or dates other than release.
-c STRING, --comment=STRING
Set a comment. In ID3 tags this is the comment with an empty description. See --add-comment to add multiple comment frames.
--rename=PATTERN
Rename file (the extension is not affected) based on data in the tag using substitution variables: $album, $album_artist, $artist, $best_date, $best_date:prefer_recording, $best_date:prefer_recording:year, $best_date:prefer_release, $best_date:prefer_release:year, $best_date:year, $disc:num, $disc:total, $file, $file:ext, $original_release_date, $original_release_date:year, $recording_date, $recording_date:year, $release_date, $release_date:year, $title, $track:num, $track:total.

ID3 options

-1, --v1 Only read and write ID3 v1.x tags. By default, v1.x tags are only read or written if there is not a v2 tag in the file.
-2, --v2
Only read/write ID3 v2.x tags. This is the default unless the file only contains a v1 tag.
--to-v1.1
Convert the file's tag to ID3 v1.1 (Or 1.0 if there is no track number).
--to-v2.3
Convert the file's tag to ID3 v2.3.
--to-v2.4
Convert the file's tag to ID3 v2.4
--release-date=DATE
Set the date the track/album was released
--orig-release-date=DATE
Set the original date the track/album was released.
--recording-date=DATE
Set the date the track/album was recorded
--encoding-date=DATE
Set the date the file was encoded
--tagging-date=DATE
Set the date the file was tagged
--publisher=STRING
Set the publisher/label name
--play-count=[+]N
Set the number of times played counter. If the argument value begins with ´+' the tag's play count is incremented by N, otherwise the value is set to exactly N.
--bpm=N
Set the beats per minute value.
--unique-file-id=OWNER_ID:ID
Add a unique file ID frame. If the ID arg is empty the frame is removed. An OWNER_ID is required. The ID may be no more than 64 bytes.
--add-comment=COMMENT[:DESCRIPTION[:LANG]]
Add or replace a comment. There may be more than one comment in a tag, as long as the DESCRIPTION and LANG values are unique. The default DESCRIPTION is ´' and the default language code is ´eng'.
--remove-comment=DESCRIPTION[:LANG]
Remove comment matching DESCRIPTION and LANG. The default language code is ´eng'.
--remove-all-comments
Remove all comments from the tag.
--add-lyrics=LYRICS_FILE[:DESCRIPTION[:LANG]]
Add or replace a lyrics. There may be more than one set of lyrics in a tag, as long as the DESCRIPTION and LANG values are unique. The default DESCRIPTION is '' and the default language code is 'eng'.
--remove-lyrics=DESCRIPTION[:LANG]
Remove lyrics matching DESCRIPTION and LANG. The default language code is 'eng'.
--remove-all-lyrics
Remove all lyrics from the tag.
--text-frame=FID:TEXT
Set the value of a text frame. To remove the frame, specify an empty value. For example, --text-frame="TDRC:"
--user-text-frame=DESC:TEXT
Set the value of a user text frame (i.e., TXXX). To remove the frame, specify an empty value. e.g., --user-text-frame="SomeDesc:"
--user-url-frame=DESCRIPTION:URL
Set the value of a user URL frame (i.e., WXXX). To remove the frame, specify an empty value. e.g., --user-url-frame="SomeDesc:"
--add-image=IMG_PATH:TYPE[:DESCRIPTION]
Add or replace an image. There may be more than one image in a tag, as long as the DESCRIPTION values are unique. The default DESCRIPTION is ´'. If PATH begins with ´http[s]://' then it is interpreted as a URL instead of a file containing image data. The TYPE must be one of the following: OTHER, ICON, OTHER_ICON, FRONT_COVER, BACK_COVER, LEAFLET, MEDIA, LEAD_ARTIST, ARTIST, CONDUCTOR, BAND, COMPOSER, LYRICIST, RECORDING_LOCATION, DURING_RECORDING, DURING_PERFORMANCE, VIDEO, BRIGHT_COLORED_FISH, ILLUSTRATION, BAND_LOGO, PUBLISHER_LOGO.
--remove-image=DESCRIPTION
Remove image matching DESCRIPTION.
--remove-all-images
Remove all images from the tag
--write-images=DIR
Causes all attached images (APIC frames) to be written to the specified directory.
--add-object=OBJ_PATH:MIME-TYPE[:DESCRIPTION[:FILENAME]]
Add or replace an object. There may be more than one object in a tag, as long as the DESCRIPTION values are unique. The default DESCRIPTION is ´'.
--remove-object=DESCRIPTION
Remove object matching DESCRIPTION.
--remove-all-objects
Remove all objects from the tag
--add-popularity=EMAIL:RATING[:PLAY_COUNT]
Adds a pupularity metric. There may be multiples popularity values, but each must have a unique email address component. The rating is a number between 0 (worst) and 255 (best). The play count is optional, and defaults to 0, since there is already a dedicated play count frame.
--remove-popularity=EMAIL
Removes the popularity frame with the specified email key.
--remove-v1
Remove ID3 v1.x tag.
--remove-v2
Remove ID3 v2.x tag.
--remove-all
Remove ID3 v1.x and v2.x tags.
--remove-frame=FID
Remove all frames with the given ID. This option may be specified multiple times.
--max-padding=UM_BYTES
Shrink file if tag padding (unused space) exceeds the given number of bytes. (Useful e.g. after removal of large cover art.) Default is 64 KiB, file will be rewritten with default padding (1 KiB) or max padding, whichever is smaller.
--encoding=latin1|utf8|utf16|utf16-be
Set the encoding that is used for all text frames. This option is only applied if the tag is updated as the result of an edit option (e.g. --artist, --title, etc.) or --force-update is specified.

Misc options

--force-update Rewrite the tag despite there being no edit options.
--preserve-file-times
When writing, do not update file modification times.

OTHER PLUGINS

Execution of a plugin other than ´classic' is possible through the --plugin option.
 

art

This plugin manages art files and tags for albums, artists, etc...
 
Options --update-files and --update-tags are mutually exclusive.
--update-files
Write art files from tag images.
--update-tags
Write tag image from art files.

fixup

Performs various checks and fixes to directories of audio files.
 
Operates on directories at a time, fixing each as a unit (album, compilation, live set, etc.). All of these should have common dates, for example but other characteristics may vary. The --type should be used whenever possible, ´lp' is the default.
 
The following tests and fixes always apply:
 
1.
Every file will be given an ID3 tag if one is missing.
2.
Set ID3 v2.4.
3.
Set a consistent album name for all files in the directory.
4.
Set a consistent artist name for all files, unless the type is ´various' in which case the artist may vary (but must exist).
5.
Ensure each file has a title.
6.
Ensure each file has a track # and track total.
7.
Ensure all files have a release and original release date, unless the type is ´live' in which case the recording date is set.
8.
All ID3 frames of the following types are removed: USER, PRIV
9.
All ID3 files have TLEN (track length in ms) set (or updated).
10.
The album/dir type is set in the tag. Types of ´lp' and ´various' do not have this field set since the latter is the default and the former can be determined during sync. In ID3 terms the value is in TXXX (description: ´eyeD3#album_type').
11.
Files are renamed as follows:
•
Type ´various': ${track:num} - ${artist} - ${title}
•
Type ´single': ${artist} - ${title}
•
All other types: ${artist} - ${track:num} - ${title}
•
A rename template can be supplied in --file-rename-pattern
 
12.
Directories are renamed as follows:
•
Type ´live': ${best_date:prefer_recording} - ${album}
•
All other types: ${best_date:prefer_release} - ${album}
•
A rename template can be supplied in --dir-rename-pattern
 
Album types
 
•
´lp': A traditinal "album" of songs from a single artist. No extra info is written to the tag since this is the default.
•
´ep': A short collection of songs from a single artist. The string "ep" is written to the tag's ´eyeD3#album_type' field.
•
´various': A collection of songs from different artists. The string "various" is written to the tag's ´eyeD3#album_type' field.
•
´live': A collection of live recordings from a single artist. The string "live" is written to the tag's ´eyeD3#album_type' field.
•
´compilation': A collection of songs from various recordings by a single artist. The string "compilation'"is written to the tag's ´eyeD3#album_type' field. Compilation dates, unlike other types, may differ.
•
´demo': A demo recording by a single artist. The string "demo" is written to the tag's ´eyeD3#album_type' field.
•
´single': A track that should no be associated with an album (even if it has album metadata). The string "single" is written to the tag's ´eyeD3#album_type' field.
 
-t TYPE, --type TYPE
One of the album types. How to treat each directory. The default is "lp" although you may be prompted for an alternate choice if the files look like another type.
--fix-case
Fix casing on each string field by capitalizing each word.
-n, --dry-run
Only print the operations that would take place, but do not execute them.
--no-prompt
Exit if prompted.
--dotted-dates
Separate date with ´.' instead of ´-' when naming directories.
--file-rename-pattern FILE_RENAME_PATTERN
Rename file (the extension is not affected) based on data in the tag using substitution variables: $album, $album_artist, $artist, $best_date, $best_date:prefer_recording, $best_date:prefer_recording:year, $best_date:prefer_release, $best_date:prefer_release:year, $best_date:year, $disc:num, $disc:total, $file, $file:ext, $original_release_date, $original_release_date:year, $recording_date, $recording_date:year, $release_date, $release_date:year, $title, $track:num, $track:total
--dir-rename-pattern DIR_RENAME_PATTERN
Rename directory based on data in the tag using substitution variables. Available substitution are the same as in --file-rename-pattern

genres

Display the full list of standard ID3 genres.
 
ID3 v1 defined a list of genres and mapped them to to numeric values so they can be stored as a single byte. It is recommended that these genres are used although most newer software (including eyeD3) does not care.
 
 

itunes-podcast

Adds (or removes) the tags necessary for Apple iTunes to identify the file as a podcast.
 
--add
Add the podcast frames.
--remove
Remove the podcast frames.

lameinfo

Outputs lame header (if one exists) for file. The ´lame' (or xing) header provides extra information about the mp3 that is useful to players and encoders but not officially part of the mp3 specification. Variable bit rate mp3s, for example, use this header.
 
For more details see <http://gabriel.mp3-tech.org/mp3infotag.html>.
 
´xing' is an alias for this plugin.
 

nfo

Create NFO files for each directory scanned. Each directory scanned is treated as an album and a NFO (<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.nfo>) file is written to standard out.
 
NFO files are often found in music archives.
 
 

stats

Computes statistics for all audio files scanned.
 
--verbose
Show details for each file with rule violations.

xep-118

Outputs all tags in XEP-118 XML format.
 
See: <http://xmpp.org/extensions/xep-0118.html>
 
 

CONFIGURATION FILE

Command line options can be read from a configuration file using the -C/--config option. It expects a path to an Ini (<http://docs.python.org/2/library/configparser.html>) file contain sections with option values. For a sample config file see /usr/share/doc/eyeD3/examples/config.ini.
 
If the file ´${HOME}/.eyeD3/config.ini' exists it is loaded each time eyeD3 is run and the values take effect. This can be disabled with ´--no-config'.
 
 

SEE ALSO

http://eyed3.nicfit.net/
 

AUTHOR

eyeD3 was written by Travis Shirk <[email protected]>.