Embed option

README.md

@@ -47,18 +47,22 @@ alternatives:
     paths:
       default: $album/$title
     formats: aac mp3
+    embed: true
     query: "onplayer:true"
     removable: true
 ```
 
 The first two options determine the location of the external files and
 correspond to the global [`directory`][config-directory] and
-[`paths`][config-paths] settings.  The `format` option specifies the
-formats we transcode the files to (more on that below).  Finally, the
-`query` option tells the plugin which files you want to put in the
-external location. The value is a [query string][] as used for the
-beets command line. In our case we use a flexible attribute to make the
-selection transparent.
+[`paths`][config-paths] settings.  The `formats` option specifies the
+formats we transcode the files to (more on that below). The `embed`
+option specifies that album art should be embedded in the transcoded
+files. The `query` option tells the plugin which files you want
+to put in the external location. The value is a [query string][] as used
+for the beets command line. In our case we use a flexible attribute to
+make the selection transparent. Finally, the `removable` option tells
+the plugin that that target directory is on a removable storage (details
+see below).
 
 Let’s add some files to our selection by setting the flexible attribute
 from the `query` option. (Since we use boolean values for the
@@ -104,7 +108,7 @@ $ beet modify composer="Johann Sebastian Bach" artist:Bach
 $ beet alt update myplayer
 ```
 
-After going for a run you mitght realize that Bach is probably not the
+After going for a run you might realize that Bach is probably not the
 right thing to work out to. So you decide to put Beethoven on your
 player.
 
@@ -247,6 +251,14 @@ following settings.
 
   By default no transcoding is done.
 
+* **`embed`** If set to `true`, album art is embedded in the external
+  files. Updates to cover images in the main collection are synced. No
+  embedding takes place if `embed` is set to `false` (except if the
+  transcoder embeds the album art).
+
+  This option is optional and defaults to the value of the `embed`
+  option of the convert plugin (default: `true`)
+
 * **`removable`** If this is `true` (the default) and `directory` does
   not exist, the `update` command will ask you to confirm the creation
   of the external collection. (optional)

beetsplug/alternatives.py

@@ -162,6 +162,7 @@ def __init__(self, log, name, lib, config):
         self.name = name
         self.lib = lib
         self.path_key = u'alt.{0}'.format(name)
+        self.convert_plugin = convert.ConvertPlugin()
         self.parse_config(config)
 
     def parse_config(self, config):
@@ -174,6 +175,10 @@ def parse_config(self, config):
         self.query, _ = parse_query_string(query, Item)
 
         self.removable = config.get(dict).get('removable', True)
+        self._embed = config.get(dict).get(
+                'embed',
+                self.convert_plugin.config["embed"].get(bool)
+                )
 
         if 'directory' in config:
             dir = config['directory'].as_str()
@@ -196,9 +201,9 @@ def item_change_actions(self, item, path, dest):
         item_mtime_alt = os.path.getmtime(syspath(path))
         if (item_mtime_alt < os.path.getmtime(syspath(item.path))):
             actions.append(self.WRITE)
-        album = item.get_album()
 
-        if album:
+        album = item.get_album()
+        if self._embed and album:
             if (album.artpath and
                     os.path.isfile(syspath(album.artpath)) and
                     (item_mtime_alt
@@ -334,9 +339,7 @@ class ExternalConvert(External):
 
     def __init__(self, log, name, formats, lib, config):
         super(ExternalConvert, self).__init__(log, name, lib, config)
-        convert_plugin = convert.ConvertPlugin()
-        self._encode = convert_plugin.encode
-        self._embed = convert_plugin.config['embed'].get(bool)
+        self._encode = self.convert_plugin.encode
         formats = [f.lower() for f in formats]
         self.formats = [convert.ALIASES.get(f, f) for f in formats]
         self.convert_cmd, self.ext = convert.get_format(self.formats[0])