VBA Read/write .MP3 & .WMA Properties()

I have had a long-held belief that Excel/VBA methodology is very suited to solving this problem. I have investigated several possible methods noted below and picked one that gives a "quick win". I offer my results so far as a step towards the goal, as well as giving an example of how to manipulate a non-MS Office application using VBA. In this case Windows Explorer - I have used similar code on corporate applications like Oracle and SAP. My 'Write' method uses Sendkeys. Luckily I have been able to do the job without having to use code to simulate mouse functions or using API calls to simulate key presses. Ideally I would like to use something more stable, but there is the bonus that it is simple, as well as changing WMA and both versions of MP3 tag (see below) if present. Perhaps on reading this someone else may have a better method.

Being a ballroom dancer I have a large collection of CDs as well as software to rip to hard drive and enhance the sound quality. Many are quite old. A big problem has been to get a consistent view of the file properties - especially Genre, (eg. Waltz, Foxtrot .. etc.) which, from my own CD burning or external sources, is missing, or incorrect from using the now obsolete ID3v1 tag standard list. Applications such as Windows Media Player and RealPlayer allow functionality to edit tags but become very tiresome when it comes to making bulk changes - such as after burning a new CD. When viewing properties of the same file in various other applications they often show things like Title & Artist switched, and Genre not at all. I have tried software to change MP3 file tags, but find them over-complicated, confusing, and difficult to make the bulk changes I need. With Windows Explorer we can only change 8 properties - but I find these sufficient.

My method is :-

1. READ : Run one macro to put data into a worksheet.....

2. MAKE CHANGES : Make manual changes to the Excel worksheet in the normal way....

3. WRITE : Run another macro to read the worksheet and update the file properties in Explorer.

Part 1 is very simple and robust. Part 3 is difficult because when we use Sendkeys to mimic keyboard entry the code runs too fast to allow time for things to happen on screen, so we have to put Wait statements *depending on how fast the computer runs*. So Slower is better - up to a point.

Properties are added to MP3 files by using a "Tag" - additional bytes of information which form part of the file. WMA files are a Microsoft invention using a similar, but different structure. Interestingly, using my code to make changes via Window Explorer updates BOTH MP3 Tag versions as well as .WMA files. I moan about Microsoft less and less.

MP3 *ID3v1* consisting of 128 bytes always at the end of the file is now 'obsolete' - despite being still in use. This is very easy to read/write using the same code as for Text Files eg.


Open "c:myfile.mp3" For Binary As #1

etc. It is, however, limited to 4 text fields of 30 characters max, 'Year' =4 characters, and 'Genre' is a single character, the Asc() code of which is a lookup to a standard list which contains 125 items - none of which is any good to me. Could have my own lookup I suppose.

MP3 *ID3v2.3* is in the process of being superseded by ID3v2.4. The big problem here is that there are several different versions and the code required is extremely complicated - mainly due to the use of variable length fields. So we not only have to find the property, but read the field length before getting the field contents. Writing would need to change the coded field length. This is further complicated by there being the option to use an "Extended Tag" - *or not* ! Version 2 tag can be at the beginning or end of the file (before ID3v1 if it exists) - or both. The MP3 files on my computer all seem to have both versions - v2 at the beginning and v1 at the end. It is further complicated by the ability to have User Defined fields. I see some of my files have a user defined 'Genre' field, despite having the standard one 'TCON' too. The tag also needs a form of "encryption" so that the mp3 player does not treat it as audio data. Visit here for detailed information http://www.id3.org .

To view an audio file in its raw state open it in a Text Editor. I use 'TexPad' which is very fast and gives a choice of Binary (with Text 'translation' in a column) or Text view. Notepad gives just a Text view with empty space for non-text/binary characters. There is a large number of Null characters Asc(0) in proportion to the overall file length - mainly for "future development" I believe.

I would be interested to hear of any comments, suggestions and code improvements.

READ CODE IS IN THE "REPLY" BELOW