Windows kid3-cli syntax

Question

I'm trying to tag some mp3 and ogg files from the windows command prompt. However, I need to do the files one at a time. Try as I might, I can't seem to get the right syntax. I'm using kid3-cli, but I'd be willing to use something else. It just has to run on Windows command line.

Given the following:

audio.mp3 audio.ogg

• id3, vorbis: tag = example value
• TIT2,TITLE: Title = Two words
• TPE1,ARTIST: Artist - mighty cpa
• TALB,ALBUM: Album = up
• TCON,GENRE: Genre = complete
• COMM,COMMENT: Comment = now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their countrymen
• TYER,DATE: Date = 11/01/2014 (or year 2014 is fine, inevitable I guess)
• TRCK,TRACKNUMBER: Track Number = x12345 (can this be done? I need an x or a - or something other than a digit)
• APIC,METADATA_BLOCK_PICTURE: Picture = x12345.jpg
• TENC,ENCODEDBY: Encoded-by = gg
• WOAR,WEBSITE: Website = http://www.example.com

1) what is the correct syntax for the command line to tag each (meaning one) file with this information?

2) how can I get rid of all other tags?

3) how do I choose which encoding scheme to use?

4) can that track tag have anything other than a digit in it?

5) what goes on with that picture? is it just a name? a link? an embedded image?

I just can't seem to figure it out. Please help! Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

The author/developer of the software was kind enough to get back to me. I'll share their guidance here:

kid3-cli -c 'set title "Two words"' -c 'set artist "mighty cpa"' -c 'set album "up"' -c 'set comment "now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their countrymen"' -c 'set date 2014' -c 'set track 12345' -c 'set genre "complete"' -c 'set picture "/path/to/x12345.jpg"' -c 'set encoded-by "blahblah"' -c 'set Website "http://www.example.com"' audio.mp3

and the same for ogg.mps

Note that the track only allows digits, and ID3v1.1 maxes out at 255.

For the "date" tag, according to the author/developer, while the ISO format should allow YYYY-MM-DD, the kid3 software doesn't. He's going to look into that.

The kid3-cli software also discloses this when you crank it up in HELP mode:

Usage: kid3-cli [-c command1] [-c command2 ...] [path ...]

However, it was not evident to me that the command syntax is

-c 'SET TAG "new value"'

Answer 2

Mightcpa's answer is largely correct but it may assist others if I make explicit three details in respect of the set picture command string. I note that my observations were made upon testing on my installation of kid3-cli version 3.9.3 on a Windows 10 desktop so the differences (given the passage of time) could be version related.

First, there needs to be a colon between the set picture command and the path to the picture, not a space as appears in mightcpa's answer.

Secondly, the sample path "path/to/x12345.jpg" might usefully be explained. In Windows, the path typically exposed by the operating system would be (for example) 'D:\Everclear\World of Noise\Folder.jpg'. That should be expressed as 'D:/Everclear/World of Noise/Folder.jpg' in the command string. That is, backslashes become forward slashes and the path is surrounded by single quotes. The same substitution is required for the path to the audio file that is to be placed at the end of the entire command line but note that this is surrounded by double quotes e.g. "D:/Everclear/World of Noise/08 Sparkle.flac".

Thirdly, at the risk of labouring the point, the precise use of single and double quotes as shown in mightcpa's answer appears mandatory. That is: (1) double quotes around the command string that follows -c but (2) parameters within the command string should be surrounded by single quotes. (3) Finally, double quotes should surround the last parameter, being the path to the audio file.

So, the final working command line that worked for me (typed at the Windows cmd prompt) is as follows.

kid3-cli -c "set picture:'D:/Everclear/World of Noise/folder.jpg' 'Front cover'" "D:/Everclear/World of Noise/08 Sparkle.flac"