Steve,
I've still got problems... I will explain exactly what happens during the sync process :
Problem 1
I started off with a re-initialized iPod. Selected a few (static) playlists to sync (about 200 files), all the files were analyzed, transferred okay. So far so good.
Quit MC, opened it again. On selecting 'Handheld' from the action menu, the analyzing message appeared again, and analyzed all files on the iPod (should it do this?). I selected a few extra playlists to sync, and when it started I was faced again with 'analyzing' for all files on iPod as well as those in the transfer queue. Not so much of a problem with a few files, but very annoying with a nearly full iPod!
Problem 2
I sync'ed iPod, and before sync there was 35Gb free, and the 'amount after sync' was 30Gb. Without closing MC, I then sync'ed again, and the 'amount remaining' went back up to 35Gb. My guess is that the free space is only recorded during the first 'Initializing' message after opening MC, and anything after that is not updated.
I have the 'Delete not in sync' option selected, and I'm not using 'auto-sync' at all.
Hope this all makes sense. It's sometimes hard to explain, so please let me know if more details would help.
Thanks,
Mark.