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[sfn]

I have my music files on an external HD that I share between by desktop and laptop.  Using MC11 on my laptop I created a new playlist.  Can anyone explain how I can import that playlist file into my MC11 on my desktop?

I'm probably just missing some fundamental operation so thanks in advance for any help.

Steve

[MrHaugen]

Hmmmm... Having a little problem here my self.

To export the playlists is easy. File -> Export all playlists.
Saves them in C:\Documents and Settings\"username"\Application Data\J River\Media Center 11\Library\Playlists

The problem is to import them again.

Options I have tried:

1. I tried to drag the playlists over to MC. That made it import all the lists together with all the tracks in the playlists. NOT a good option.

2. The same happens if you right click -> Media Center -> Import.

3. If you choose Import in MC and find the right directory, only select to import m3u etc (playlists) under advanced,  only the playlists are imported. The counter of files in the library increases with the same numer as the lists you add. Strange....

In all of the tests the smartlists is converted to regular playlists.

Only solution I could find:
Make a backup of your library (possibly have to export "all playlists" before backing up), transfer the backup to the second machine and restore the backup. But this however, requires that you have the exactly same path to your music collection as the original had.

My big problem is that I do NOT have the library saved in the same path. I'm using different copies of the library.

Better solutions are more than welcome!

[Alex B]

My big problem is that I do NOT have the library saved in the same path. I'm using different copies of the library.

You could make them to use the same path(s).

For example share the media file folders on both PCs and map them with the same drive letter (you can map a local shared folder too).

You may want to fix the database before sharing the folder. First you could move or rename the base folder for making the media files offline. Then MC would make the changes quickly only in the database without touching the disk files. Then select all files and use the "Find and Replace" tool for changing for example C:\My Music\ to S:\ in the "Filename (path)" field.

After that share the base folder and map it with the drive letter S:

Alternatively, you can do the same thing without any installed network drivers by using the subst command. Make a text file that contains this text:
SUBST S: C:\My Music
Rename the file as subst.bat and place it in the "C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Startup" folder

[Alex B]

Options I have tried:

1. I tried to drag the playlists over to MC. That made it import all the lists together with all the tracks in the playlists. NOT a good option.

2. The same happens if you right click -> Media Center -> Import.

3. If you choose Import in MC and find the right directory, only select to import m3u etc (playlists) under advanced,  only the playlists are imported. The counter of files in the library increases with the same numer as the lists you add. Strange....

Right-click import is the easiest way to make a playlist appear inside MC. Inside MC the playlists are part of the database and the files that are listed must be imported. MC imports the included files if they are not in the database. The imported playlists can be found under the "Playlists \ Imported Playlists" tree branch.

A "right-click > Media Center > Play" in Windows Explorer or in Drives & Devices inside MC would just play the playlist tracks without importing.

[MrHaugen]

Then select all files and use the "Find and Replace" tool for changing for example C:\My Music\ to S:\ in the "Filename (path)" field.

Thanks alot. That made my day!

Right-click import is the easiest way to make a playlist appear inside MC. Inside MC the playlists are part of the database and the files that are listed must be imported. MC imports the included files if they are not in the database. The imported playlists can be found under the "Playlists \ Imported Playlists" tree branch.

It might be the easiest way, but all my smartlists are converted to plain playlists. That's a huge problem. I guess I could solve that if I change the path name as described above and then export the smartlists. Not sure though.

[MrHaugen]

I tested the Find and replace function in filname(path) and ALL my tracks moved.

I normally have the tracks in
D:\MP3\Albums
D:\MP3\Collections
D:\MP3\Comedy etc etc.

Got a copy of the tracks on my server (my brother is using them)

I replaced D:\MP3 with \\servername\MP3. Then ALL of my files was moved from \\servername\MP3 to \\servername\MP3\MP3.

Why it did that, I have no idea. My heart jumped a bit when I got the question if I wanted to delete about 1/4 of my EMPTY folders in \\servername\MP3\Albums.
Why there was about 1/4 left of the empty folders beats me.

Not 100% sure why this happened or if it was because of the replace thing (I did something else in the process). Pretty sure though.

Would be happy if someone could explain!

[Alex B]

... It might be the easiest way, but all my smartlists are converted to plain playlists. That's a huge problem. I guess I could solve that if I change the path name as described above and then export the smartlists. Not sure though.

Since the smartlists are rule based they are only usable as a part of the database. The playlist export function makes possible to export the current result of the smartlist search in a standard playlist format. The only way to backup smartlist rules is to make a library backup. Besides the library backups I have kept a text file that contains my smartlist rules. Each time I add a new smartlist I copy-paste the rule to that text file.

Why this behaviour and WHERE does MC import the files from if it can't find them in the library???

Actually, MC does not import a playlist or the listed files if the links inside the playlist are orphaned.

In case the links are correct then the complete resulting filenames (including the paths) are used for differentiating individual files (as always inside an MC library). It does not matter if you have other files with more or less similar tags. If the actual filenames (including the paths) are different then the files are separate files and MC imports the unimported files.

As I said, to just play a playlist you don't need to import it.

[Alex B]

OMG! I tested the Find and replace function in filname(path) and ALL my tracks moved.

I normally have the tracks in
D:\MP3\Albums
D:\MP3\Collections
D:\MP3\Comedy etc etc.

Got a copy of the tracks on my server (my brother are using them)

I replaced D:\MP3 with \\servername\MP3. Then ALL of my files was moved from \\servername\MP3 to \\servername\MP3\MP3.

Why it did that, I have no idea. My heart jumped a bit when I got the question if I wanted to delete about 1/4 of my EMPTY folders in \\servername\MP3\Albums.
Why the hell there was about 1/4 left of the empty folders beats me.

Not 100% sure why this happend or if it was because of the replace thing (I did something else in the process). Pretty sure though.
Would be happy if someone could explain!

If you change the path then MC moves the file. That's why I wrote this:

First you could move or rename the base folder for making the media files offline. Then MC would make the changes quickly only in the database without touching the disk files.

[marko]

filenames, and their paths are not 'metadata', they're the real deal, so when you make a change, treat it the same as if you were making the change using explorer.

When working with the actual filenames/paths within MC, always keep the following in mind:

1. If you have already moved the files, resulting in broken links in the library (red 'X's'), editing the filename/path to correctly point to the files' new location will fix the broken links..

2. If the links in the library are not broken, editing the filename/path will cause MC to attempt to rename/move the file to the filename/path you specify.

-marko.

Were the folders left behind really empty?
If they were, then it's likely they were not removed because they were locked (in use) by another program or the OS itself.

[Alex B]

In general a qood advice is

"Try a few files first"

I should have remembered to add it, as I usually do.

I hope you didn't do the changes to a complete library without testing first.

[MrHaugen]

Thanks Alex. That explained a bit.

Now I will make a new partition on my HTPC and name it X:. I'll map the directory on my server to x: on the klient. That way I should be able to use the 2 different libraries and make backup on my server and restore on the second client to get the smartlists on both.

Were the folders left behind really empty?
If they were, then it's likely they were not removed because they were locked (in use) by another program or the OS itself.

Yes they were empty. But there might be a good explanation for that. I replaced D:\MP3 with \\servername\MP3 and the made a playlist export long before the saving moving process was complete. I then renamed and moved it back.

I did this in the hope that the playlists would be made with the right path thingy. Bah. I guess that was a stupid idea.

What REALLY troubles me though is this. If what you tell me is right the files whould have been moved from my HTPC (D:\MP3) to my server (\\servername\MP3).
What really happend was that it got moved from my E: drive on my server to a MP3 subfolder on the same drive. From the drive root, e:\MP3, it was move to e:\MP3\MP3. The empy folders was on the server. My backup library!

I don't really understand why it moved the backup library. I'll be up all night scratching my head I guess.

Next time I WILL try a few files first, yes.

[hottuna]

Right-click import is the easiest way to make a playlist appear inside MC. Inside MC the playlists are part of the database and the files that are listed must be imported. MC imports the included files if they are not in the database. The imported playlists can be found under the "Playlists \ Imported Playlists" tree branch.

What are you right clicking on that allows you to import? I don't see import on my right click menu in MC.

[MrHaugen]

What are you right clicking on that allows you to import? I don't see import on my right click menu in MC.

You have to go to tools -> general and Enable shell integration under Shell Options. The you can right click and import. The same thing with amny programs like Winrar etc...

[hottuna]

Thanks for the tip, I've never noticed that before.