The ideal music library application

Here is what an application that organizes my music collection should be able to do (and that iTunes currently can't do):

• Import tags from MusicBrainz
• Normalize song volumes using Replay Gain
• Work well together with iTunes:
• Exchange selection and playlist info
• Access the files at their current location, i.e. the iTunes library
• Export low res versions to a folder
• Work on all platforms (or at least on the Mac)

I don't believe that I'll ever get around to implement all this, but who knows, hope springs eternal :-)

PS: For the export task, I have found this script

"Archive and Next" in Gmail

True timesavers among Gmail's keyboard shortcuts:
'[': Archive and move to the next newest message
']': Archive and move to the next newer message

Open MacVim tabs from command-line

Change the mvim script as follows to open files in new tabs instead of new windows when starting MacVim from the command line:

1. Add the following line to the top of the file, below the commented section:

   tabs=true

   
   
2. Replace the if structure at the bottom of the file with the following:
   

   # Last step:  fire up vim.
   if [ "$gui" ]; then
   if $tabs && [[ `$binary --serverlist` = "VIM" ]]; then
     exec "$binary" -g $opts --remote-tab-silent ${1:+"$@"}
   else
     exec "$binary" -g $opts ${1:+"$@"}
   fi
   else
   exec "$binary" $opts ${1:+"$@"}
   fi

Tip'o'the hat to Web Expose for this information.

Moving the shell cursor around

• ctrl-a: move to front of line
• ctrl-e: move to end of line
• ctrl-w: delete word before cursor
• ctrl-r: search past command history
• up/down arrow: page through previous commands
• alt-b / alt-f: move backward/forward one word (without deleting)

More details can be found in the bash reference.

Bash remove non-empty directory

rm -r foo

Using xmllint in (Mac)Vim

To reformat XML documents in Vim:

:%!xmllint --format --encode UTF-8 -

More details here.

Shell script for replacing multiple partial strings in multiple files

I wrote a very simple script to handle a complex replacing in a lot of files. Use with care!


#!/bin/bash

# This script replaces multiple partial strings in multiple files

for n in strpart1 strpart2 strpart3
do
exec perl -pi -e 's/firstpart${n}secondpart/newfirstpart${n}newsecondpart/g' *.htm
done