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[glynor]

Back when the Conversion Cache was first introduced, we had a cool feature to limit it to a certain size.  This was useful because you could set that size to be 2-3 times the size of your handheld, and it would just manage itself.  Helping you to quickly transfer the most popular files over, while still allowing you to use the High Quality Profile MP3 setting and automatically convert higher bitrate files.

Since the Cache was converted over to the new Stacking functionality, we lost this ability.  I'd really like it back.  I use a number of smartlists to automatically pull "radio-station-like" sets of files out of my master library for our iPods.  The Cache works well for this, but I will eventually "cache" nearly all of my files on the system.  I don't need that much cached!

I can certainly appreciate that some people would prefer to just cache everything eventually, and always have 2 copies of every file.  Especially with video files, I just don't have the drive space for that.  I'd rather have a manageable-sized cache, whether the cache is stacked with the files or in a manually-defined cache location, of 2-3 times the size of my handheld devices.

Any chance the size limit option could make a triumphant return?

[DarkPenguin]

I wouldn't know what to do with it.  The files are in the library now.  Plus I might have stacked existing files.

The advantage of the old cache was that the files were truly throwaway.  Now, not so much.

I wonder if we can setup some kind of up front rule to decide whether a file should be stacked or not.

[glynor]

The advantage of the old cache was that the files were truly throwaway.  Now, not so much.

It would be ultra-cool if it could somehow know that these particular stacked files are special and keep track of their total size (separate from any other stacked files) and dealt with it.  However, that is probably difficult (I'm obviously not sure of the underlying architectural constraints).

A simple alternative might be to bring back the size limit, but only if the cache is set to a manual location.  Then just manage that location on a First-In-First-Expired like basis.  So, when you run out of "room" in the cache, it automatically deletes the files that came in the longest ago in order to make room (or perhaps were USED the longest ago like a real cache).  You wouldn't be able to use it when the files are stacked and stored with the originals, but that's not as big of a deal.  Or effectively make the Manual Location Conversion Cache NOT stack the files (though it would be better to still have them stacked if possible).

Right now though, I can't use the Conversion Cache at all (and I suspect I'm not alone).

[DarkPenguin]

That seems like a good idea.

I did put the HHCache (or similar) tag on the files but I'm not sure I didn't end up tagging every cache file I used for or if it was just the ones I converted.

I won't have a chance to do much with this for a while so think about it and post back if you've other ideas.

I think I like the "Only cache conversions that match this rule: played over 50 times" style of filter, too....

[Alex B]

It would help if you could configure a view scheme to show only the stacked files. Then you could actually go there and delete excess files.

I do it now by using MC12 and MJ12. I have only a single HD folder configured as a handheld in MC. I use this virtual handheld as a cache. I have set MJ to auto-import the cached files and use MJ for syncing a couple of physical handhelds and burning MP3 CDs. If I have created a sync playlist in MC I can use the generated handheld playlist in MJ for easily syncing the same files. From time to time I delete a bunch of old cached files from the MJ library and disk.

[glynor]

I know I can do it manually (and I already built some Views that would help), but with I'm syncing my phone almost every night.  We're talking about having to manually maintain it a LOT.

Your description is similar to how I have to use it with my iPhone, since MC can't sync directly to the phone.  I need the ONLY files in the "generic handheld" (folder on the disk) to be the ones I am going to sync.  I have iTunes set up to scan (via a 3rd party utility) that folder and update itself, and then set to sync it's entire contents to the phone.  It works, but it means that I have to either A) use the conversion cache, or B) re-convert the files each time I want to sync them over (because removing them from the "handheld" is the only way to get them out of the iTunes list to sync without manually browsing and unchecking the files in iTunes, which would be a nightmare).

Right now, I just have to manually reconvert them each time.  That's a pain when it comes to Videos especially because they take a long time to convert, and often I want the same video to sync to my phone and my wife's iPod.  But I can't enable the conversion cache if there is no limit because I'd pretty quickly have 100's of GB of extra space used (10-16GB per day, effectively).  And my time is too valuable to maintain it manually.