Searching Tags

October 21, 2007 12:49 PM

How can I search a directory for mp3 tags? (Win 2000/XP)

I have a directory that contains a large amount of tagged mp3 files. The directory sits on a network drive.

Is there a way to search the files for tags (something akin to hitting ctrl-f in the directory window)? iTunes is not an option as it requires the files to be moved into different directories.

I tried WMP but it won't search the composer tag.

The solution has to be compatiable with 2000 and XP, and it should be IT department friendly too (they're never to keen about installing new software).

I would have thought there was a program out there, but I'm yet to find it.

posted by popcassady to Computers & Internet (5 answers total)

iTunes does not require you to allow it to move the files around.
posted by mmascolino at 12:52 PM on October 21, 2007

Response by poster: Ummm... I knew that.
posted by popcassady at 1:00 PM on October 21, 2007

Foobar2000 does what you want.
posted by tracert at 2:28 PM on October 21, 2007

Best answer: You might want to check out the Microsoft Windows Desktop Search, or Google Desktop Search with this music tag indexer plugin, both should allow you to search mp3 files by tags. There are many great tag editors and music libraries out there, but if you want to work from within the file system I think these would be the best bet. Microsoft's search will be particularly easy for your IT department to deploy, and I actually think it works a lot better than their default search once you have your necessary folders indexed.
posted by sophist at 3:13 PM on October 21, 2007

Winamp also allows you to search tags, but I think you need the Media Library plug-in.
posted by Mr. Gunn at 3:37 PM on October 21, 2007