# Copy Metadata

Many people are re-ripping lo-quality versions of albums to higher quality versions. It is possible to completely copy the tagging information from the lo-quality versions to the hi-quality versions so that you do not have to re-tag your music.

In order to use the Action>Copy Metadata function to facilitate this, you must open both copies of the albums. Typically the Open Mode would be Album, Add. Album mode because the default album sort is more than likely what you want. Add mode because it makes it easier to successively open two albums. It is advisable to display the Path column so that you can see which files are in which folder.

There are six variants of the function:

Copy Metadata Top to Bottom
  Copy all metadata in files at the top of the list of loaded files to files at the bottom of the list. While it may seem obvious, in order for this function to work, both copies of the albums must contain exactly the same number of tracks. Remember that you can drag and drop files in the main window if you want to change the order. There is a canned sort called Sort by Path Extension available on the main window's table's column header context menu. This sort will assist you if the files already have the same Album metadata. The Default Sort sorts by Album, Disc Number, Track Number and File Path. Sort by Path Extension sorts by the path extension followed by the default sort.
Copy Metadata Bottom to Top
  Copy all metadata in files at the bottom of the list of loaded files to files at the top of the list. The Copy Top to Bottom description applies to this function as well.
Copy/Configure Selected Metadata...
  A panel will open allowing you to select which metadata you wish to copy. You can can select any of Copy Top to Bottom, Copy Bottom to Top or Copy One to Many as the function. The table displaying the fields has a context menu which allows you to set, clear or invert all items. More information on how selected files are processed can be found in Field Selection Modes in Tables.
  The items selected in this panel are retained and are considered the Configured items when a Copy Configured Metadata menu item is selected. For this reason, the panel can be opened even when the chosen copy function is invalid due to the number of loaded or selected files. ie. the function can be used to configure even when not appropriate for a specific copy mode. If not appropriate, the Copy button will display the reason. All configurable values on the panel are retained, even when Cancel is selected.

  # Excluding UDTIs

  The gear button is used to specify the names of UDTIs which are to be excluded from a copy whenever UDTIs are being copied. Items in the exclusion list are not copied and are not removed. Items can be entered one per line or separated by commas. Common UDTIs can be inserted from the menu displayed by the disclosure button. As an example this could be used to copy all UDTIs except the Apple App PIDs.
Copy Configured Metadata Top to Bottom
  The metadata last selected in the Copy/Configure Selected Metadata... panel will be copied top to bottom.
Copy Configured Metadata Bottom to Top
  The metadata last selected in the Copy/Configure Selected Metadata... panel will be copied bottom to top.
Copy Configured Metadata One to Many
  This function copies metadata from the first (topmost) item in the list of selected files to all other selected files. The metadata last selected in the Copy/Configure Selected Metadata... panel will be copied. Unlike the above two functions which work on loaded files, this function works on selected files.

example: Copy Metadata>Top to Bottom and the following list of files:

- file1.mp3
- file2.mp3
- file3.mp3
- file1.flac
- file2.flac
- file3.flac

- metadata will be copied as follows:

- file1.mp3 -> file1.flac
- file2.mp3 -> file2.flac
- file3.mp3 -> file3.flac

example: For the same list of files and Copy Metadata>Bottom to Top:

- file1.flac -> file1.mp3
- file2.flac -> file2.mp3
- file3.flac -> file3.mp3

Note that the copy operation never copies Unhandled metadata or track variables.

Note also that when copying a metadata field which supports multiple items, all items will be copied. This incudes Artwork, Comments, Lyrics, Ratings, User Defined Text Info, User Defined URLs, and more. You can find a complete list here.