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[chrisjj]

Anyone know how to import a single playlist?

I tried File | LIbrary | Import Media - it produces a Search dialog with options like "Select the folder to include in the search" but won't show me the playlist files so I can pick the one I want. E.g. like MS WMPs "Add file or folder..."

I tried just dragging the playlist file into Playlists or Imported Playlists but both refuse the drop.

I tried drag to Audio, but this has the undesirable side effect of importing all the media files referenced by the playlist, making a mess of the library by duplicating entries.

Thanks.

[JimH]

Try MC's Help.

Try the advanced options of Import. 

Try right clicking on a folder in Explorer and using the Media Center/Import there.

[chrisjj]

> Try MC's Help.

It offers nothing beyond the procedures I already reported failing.

> Try the advanced options of Import. 

Eh, why? As labelled, none has any bearing on this problem. BTW, in case you weren't aware, half of them are missing from Help.

> Try right clicking on a folder in Explorer and using the Media Center/Import there.

Thanks, but that suffers from the same problem as drag'n'drop.

[chrisjj]

>> I tried drag to Audio, but this has the undesirable side effect of
>> importing all the media files referenced by the playlist, making a
>> mess of the library by duplicating entries.

> drag and drop it onto "media library" in MC's tree.

Thanks, but I thought that what I already tried. If not, can you be more specific? E.g. drop where in the tree? As I said, Playlists and Imported Playlists refuse the drop.

[chrisjj]

Thanks, but nope - just like drag to Audio, that imports all the referenced files, causing duplications in the library.

Are you really sure it is any better for you? This is V11.0.310

[chrisjj]

Marko

Thanks for that info, but I get the opposite... I think.

With installation defaults, I drag in some .WMAs. Then I drag in an .m3u - I see "Importing files" and then Content Pane shows each file in both sets *twice* e.g.

Track #   Name   Artist   Album   Album Artist   Rating   Genre   Duration   Bitrate   File Type   Filename   Date

8   Como las margaritas   Alfredo De Angelis canta Carlos Dante, Julio Martel   Dos En Uno (Con Alma De Tango/Pregonera)   Alfredo De Angelis   4   Vals   2:47   611   wma   D:\Audio\Albums\Alfredo De Angelis\Dos En Uno (Con Alma De Tango-Pregonera)\08 Como las margaritas.wma   

8   Como las margaritas   Alfredo De Angelis canta Carlos Dante, Julio Martel   Dos En Uno (Con Alma De Tango/Pregonera)   Alfredo De Angelis   4   Vals   2:47   611   wma   D:\Audio\Albums\My Playlists\..\Alfredo De Angelis\Dos En Uno (Con Alma De Tango-Pregonera)\08 Como las margaritas.wma   

[chrisjj]

> Have a close look at the filenames though, the paths are different:

True...

> suggesting different files.

False The paths

 D:\Audio\Albums\Alfredo De Angelis\example.wma
 D:\Audio\Albums\My Playlists\..\Alfredo De Angelis\example.wma

refer to the very same file.

I have a hunch. That MC's path comparison is failing to notice such duplicate references to the same file. Perhaps because it doesn.t understand ..\ . Perhaps because it is just a dumb string match.

[JimH]

MC can't assume the files are the same.  For example:

C:\music\album1\track01.mp3
and
C:\music\album10\track01.mp3

[chrisjj]

> MC can't assume the files are the same. 

It can and should, because

>>> D:\Audio\Albums\Alfredo De Angelis\example.wma
>>> D:\Audio\Albums\My Playlists\..\Alfredo De Angelis\example.wma

necessarily refer to the same file.

> For example:
> C:\music\album1\track01.mp3
> C:\music\album10\track01.mp3

That's not an example of the case in question. Those paths refer to different files.

[JimH]

>>> D:\Audio\Albums\My Playlists\..\Alfredo De Angelis\example.wma

Don't do that.

[chrisjj]

I didn't do that. Media Center did that when it read the m3u playlist file. All I did was copy the text from the Media Center Content Pane.

[Alex B]

Why did you make playlists with ..\ paths?

[chrisjj]

I didn't. That's the style used as standard by Windows Media Player. And it's use of relative paths is a good thing, since it keeps the library relocatable.

[Alex B]

I guess MC is not programmed to strip the \path\..\ parts of the filename paths. It seems that Windows explorer can do it when a string is pasted into the Address Bar.

MC handles the filename paths "C:\path\..\x.yyy" file and "C:\x.yyy" as two separate files.

You could request a change.

As a workaround you could mass edit the playlist files with a separate editor before importing (or copies of the files if the originals are needed elsewhere).

MC does not use the external playlist files after importing to the library, so the copies can be deleted.

[chrisjj]

> I guess MC is not programmed to strip the \path\..\ parts

I think you are right. That's a bit of an oversight, given that it is an essential feaure of comparing paths to determine unique files.

> You could request a change.

I will.

> As a workaround you could mass edit the playlist files with
> a separate editor before importing

Thanks for the idea, but actually I don't think importing is going to work for me anyway.

What I want is just to add my playlists to MC's list - effectively as shortcuts, but MCs playlist import always drills down and import the files referenced by the playlist into the library.

I find a browsable list of playlists under My Computer, but oddly the tree stops at the list itself - it doesn't show the file list. Even though << and >> lets me skip through it.

Onward...

[221bBS]

Hey Chris, what does your playlists consist of? I've found that smartlist are alot better and more flexable then normal playlist

[chrisjj]

Well these particular ones are just regular lists of tracks to play (or burn) in a specific order. Tha'ts a job for dumb not smart lists, no?

[221bBS]

play (or burn) in a specific order

Yeah not a smartlist thing...or to much of a trouble to make it a smartlist thing 

[chrisjj]

I guess MC is not programmed to strip the \path\..\ parts of the filename paths. It seems that Windows explorer can do it when a string is pasted into the Address Bar.

MC handles the filename paths "C:\path\..\x.yyy" file and "C:\x.yyy" as two separate files.

You could request a change.

FTR, first impressions of MC18 suggest this is fixed, but I will check.