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[Magic_Randy]

Help please.

I'm using MCiS 5.5.5, MC15 and iTunes 9.2.1. My library is located on a WHS. Oh and I have 64bit Win7. I've used this program in the past and love it. It always worked just as needed. I am just now trying it on my newest setup and it is not working. MCiS will start up fine but when I hit the synchronize button it says synchronize unsuccessful and returns the following in the log.

 <MC Version="15.0.73" LibraryName="Default" LibraryPath="C:\Users\the jammawuzzi\AppData\Roaming\J River\Media Center 15\Library\" />
  <Result EndDateTime="2010-07-27T16:42:18">Could not access iTunes. Retrieving the COM class factory for component with CLSID {DC0C2640-1415-4644-875C-6F4D769839BA} failed due to the following error: 800702e4.</Result>

Ive tried everything I can think of. Did it with iTunes running, not running, running as administrator, I've uninstalled iTunes, reinstalled it, tried 5-6 diff versions. regardless of what I try it always ends up doing this.

Any help is GREATLY appreciated.

This may not help at all, but it's the only thing I can think of.

I had trouble with iTunes where it would not properly install or upgrade. I finally figured it out. Unlike most applications iTunes is doing something at a pretty low level when it installs. I'm using backup software that runs all the time in background (Genie Timeline). When the Genie Timeline software is running it prevented a clean install of iTunes. All I had to do was pause the backup software and then install iTunes and everything worked just fine.

Genie Timeline is not the only incompatibility of this nature. Other backup software that backs up all the time - even some of the ones that backup into the cloud, have the same issue.

So, if you are using any backup software like I described, give this a try. Otherwise I wish you luck in resolving your issue. I don't know what I would do if I could not make MCiS and iTunes work together.

[makersjam]

Thanks for your idea but no backup software other than on the WHS and it just runs overnight.

I think you are correct in it being a bad itunes install. I've uninstalled and reinstalled it several times. Even trying older versions. Regardless of how I uninstall it (Revo uninstaller, etc) when I go to reinstall it it always knows that this is a reinstall and 'repairs' the installation instead of a whole new install. I think if I could get a complete deep 100% gone uninstall of it and then reinstall I would be ok.

I fig'd I could save myself and just install MC15, itunes and MCiS on my laptop and sync the MC database over the MC server.
When I installed itunes on my laptop I got MCiS fired right up and working fine. This would work fine I think if it was just a handful of changes but it was going to take days doing an initial 40+k file sync.

Anymore ideas? I'm lost with it.

thanks guys

[Magic_Randy]

I did a Google search for iTunes clean uninstall and found this. Maybe it will help.

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1923

[makersjam]

Hah! You're good. After I posted that I did the same thing and was doing the steps on that page. Wish me luck. :-)

[makersjam]

After trying this and installing again, I am still having the same thing happen.  I don't know what else to try.

[makersjam]

Fixed! I hope.

Spent the better part of this afternoon reading up on Win 7/iTunes issues. In a thread about the install issues iTunes is having with Win 7 I found the tidbit that the iTunes 64bit installer installs iTunes in the \program files (x86) where it should be installed in the \program files directory. Once I saw this I fig since MCiS is having probs locating iTunes then maybe it's cuz it's in the wrong location. So I changed the install location and things went good. MCiS fired up and FINALLY loaded iTunes. My library is being sync'd as I type.

thanks for the help guys and hope this helps anybody having Win 7/iTunes install issues.

[Magic_Randy]

Fixed! I hope.

Spent the better part of this afternoon reading up on Win 7/iTunes issues. In a thread about the install issues iTunes is having with Win 7 I found the tidbit that the iTunes 64bit installer installs iTunes in the \program files (x86) where it should be installed in the \program files directory. Once I saw this I fig since MCiS is having probs locating iTunes then maybe it's cuz it's in the wrong location. So I changed the install location and things went good. MCiS fired up and FINALLY loaded iTunes. My library is being sync'd as I type.

thanks for the help guys and hope this helps anybody having Win 7/iTunes install issues.

Glad you got it sorted out (hopefully). It's amazing that Apple cannot figure out how to properly install on a Windows PC.

[prod]

Glad to hear it's OK, sorry I couldn't have been more help .... funny one that, I have it working, and I'm sure others do too, with Win7 64 (installed in Program Files x86) with no issues. Thanks for posting the solution.

[makersjam]

Anybody know what happened to Prod? I purchased this software and was supposed to get a registration key within 24 hrs. It's been a few days and I haven't received one yet. I emailed him but haven't received a reply.

[JimH]

Did you check your junk mailbox?

[makersjam]

Yea. Several times just in case. Nothing there.

[prod]

Sorry problems here meant I was sans-computer (and pretty much everything else) for a week ... I set up an email auto-responder but it obviously didn't work...

Anyway, all sorted now, back to normal, many apologies!

[makersjam]

Not a problem. Hope all is well. Thanks for the great program and service!

[TXgary]

I am having playlist problems.  I am using itunes 10.
synced the MC to itunes.  All of the songs with "(" or ")" will sync to itunes but will not be placed into the playlist.
I have tested this by removing the "(" only from an album title and also from two different song titles to see if that was the problem.
The sync went the same except the 3 items I changed were indeed synced to the correct playlists.

On another matter I continue to get 134 songs synced when nothing has changed. same songs.
I do have a large library and do have many dups of songs by same artist, but different album.

Anyone else seeing these problems?

[prod]

I am having playlist problems.  I am using itunes 10.
synced the MC to itunes.  All of the songs with "(" or ")" will sync to itunes but will not be placed into the playlist.
I have tested this by removing the "(" only from an album title and also from two different song titles to see if that was the problem.
The sync went the same except the 3 items I changed were indeed synced to the correct playlists.

I can't replicate this problem, works fine for me ... tested using iTunes 10 under Win7. Anyone else seen this or any other weirdness with the new iTunes?

On another matter I continue to get 134 songs synced when nothing has changed. same songs.

Try unticking 'Lyrics' and see how many are re-sync'd then. iTunes is probably translating characters it doesn't want to store in its database, causing the two files to perpetually (ever so slightly) not match.

[Magic_Randy]

I also upgraded to iTUnes v10. I tried to quickly verify that I had no sync issue like the one TXgary reported (134 files that always sync). I found an issue and did many tests to try to duplicate the pattern.

Basic findings:
1) I sync everything
2) I sync again - expect nothing will sync (as everything was in sync with step 1)
3) I find tracks that sync again.
4) I delete all tracks that are being sync'd from both the MC library and iTunes library
5) I sync again, and 0 tracks are sync'd (as expected)
6) In MC I select a track and start to play it. I cancel the play.
7) I sync - 1 file is sync'd (as expected)
I sync again - the same file is sync'd again even though I did not play it again.
9) Any additional files I play add to the pattern - e.g. if play 10 files, all 10 will always sync

So something is different in either iTunes 10 or a very new MC release. The files that were showing up that caused me to test further in my 1st test were ripped and imported on September 1. I think I had already upgraded to iTunes 10. Following is an example from my log file.


<MC Version="15.0.105" LibraryName="Default" LibraryPath="C:\Users\Home\AppData\Roaming\J River\Media Center 15\Library\" />
  <iTunes Version="10.0.0.68" />
- <Track Filename="M:\My Music Collection\Janis Joplin\Pearl\Janis Joplin - Cry Baby (Live).mp3">
  <LastSkipped ChangedIn="iTunes" OldValue="2010-09-02T14:18:49" NewValue="2010-09-02T21:18:49" />

EDIT: note that the cool face is not by design - it is parenthesis 8

[Magic_Randy]

Back to TXgary's issue.

I also think your 134 sync issue is because of lyrics. I had the same issue in the past. I ended up replacing the lyrics for the offending tracks and that cleared up the problem.

I cannot duplicate the playlist problem you describe. Please verify the following and I will try again:

1) Is the "(" a left parentheses or a left parentheses with quote marks around it (I assume the former)
2) What field contains the issue (I assume track name)

[TXgary]

Yes, just a ( and it was in one record in the title field and in one record in the Album field.
Surprising thing was that I changed 3 records out of a large number of records that contain the ( and those synced fine.  Here is the gotcha, I have other records with the ( that are syncing, so I am stumped). 
I have reverted back to v5.0.1 and is currently syncing, but all the MC records are being changed again so will see if the playlists are all there then will sync again to see about changes.
Agreed, most of my resyncs are problems associated with lyrics.
But need the playlists to be accurate.
Over the weekend I will build a simple database of a couple of hundred records and try the current version.
Yes, I am running itunes 10 and MC 14.0.165

Thanks for all your help.

I will report back

[Magic_Randy]

I tried again and cannot duplicate the playlist issue.

I'm guessing, but maybe there is a problem with the tag similar to what's been discussed with lyrics.

Here is what I suggest.
1) Take a track where the playlist will not sync.
2) Change the name to something else eliminating the (
3) Make sure this track is in the playlist you want to sync (or use a test playlist)
4) Do a sync to see if it shows up - it should show up
5) Change the name back to add the (
6) Do a sync and see if it shows up - if it does it suggests there is some problem with the data in the tag

[TXgary]

Thanks for your suggestion, I will try this but probably not before the weekend.
It certainly could be the mp3 header.
The songs do sync to itunes 10, but they do not sync to playlist.
I will make the changes and test.

[prod]

I have an idea about this bracket thing, and normal behaviour that is mistaken for strange behaviour.

So, imagine you have a smartlist that lists every 4-5 rated track, with duplicates of name and artist removed. Each and every time MC recalculates the contents of this smartlist (i.e. every time you look at the smartlist and also every time you run MCiS) some of these duplicate tracks disappear from the smartlist, and others are added to it, quite at random. So, in other words, you sync using MCiS, then view the smartlist in MC ... immediately the smartlist in MC does not match the playlist created in iTunes, because these duplicate tracks have been swapped in and out, seemingly at random.

I got sick of this constant adding and deleting of tracks from the smartlists due to "duplicate" rules, so I designed my smartlist to prioritise certain tracks (e.g. only remove dupes that had a lower rating or were part of a mixed album), meaning the contents of the smartlist would not constantly change every single time it was recalculated.

If this is happening, you would expect the playlist in iTunes to have the same number of tracks in it as your smartlist in MC, though the contents may be slightly different (if the MC smartlist has been recalculated since MCiS sync).

[TXgary]

Prod, good idea, would you mind sharing how you did that?

Also, no luck so far, I would say it is in the header, but the songs do sync to itunes, just not to the playlists.

[Magic_Randy]

I also upgraded to iTUnes v10. I tried to quickly verify that I had no sync issue like the one TXgary reported (134 files that always sync). I found an issue and did many tests to try to duplicate the pattern.

Basic findings:
1) I sync everything
2) I sync again - expect nothing will sync (as everything was in sync with step 1)
3) I find tracks that sync again.
4) I delete all tracks that are being sync'd from both the MC library and iTunes library
5) I sync again, and 0 tracks are sync'd (as expected)
6) In MC I select a track and start to play it. I cancel the play.
7) I sync - 1 file is sync'd (as expected)
I sync again - the same file is sync'd again even though I did not play it again.
9) Any additional files I play add to the pattern - e.g. if play 10 files, all 10 will always sync

So something is different in either iTunes 10 or a very new MC release. The files that were showing up that caused me to test further in my 1st test were ripped and imported on September 1. I think I had already upgraded to iTunes 10. Following is an example from my log file.


<MC Version="15.0.105" LibraryName="Default" LibraryPath="C:\Users\Home\AppData\Roaming\J River\Media Center 15\Library\" />
  <iTunes Version="10.0.0.68" />
- <Track Filename="M:\My Music Collection\Janis Joplin\Pearl\Janis Joplin - Cry Baby (Live).mp3">
  <LastSkipped ChangedIn="iTunes" OldValue="2010-09-02T14:18:49" NewValue="2010-09-02T21:18:49" />

EDIT: note that the cool face is not by design - it is parenthesis 8

OK, I think I figured out the pattern.  This is with iTunes 10 and the latest version of MC.

The last played date and last skipped date cannot be successfully sync'd from MC to iTunes. MCiS will try to sync these over every time.

If the last played and last skipped dates are updated in iTunes, they are sync'd to MC successfully (e.g. MCiS will not try to sync them again).

[prod]

Prod, good idea, would you mind sharing how you did that?

Sure, when the "remove duplicates of..." is set in a smartlist, MC always takes the first in the list and discards the rest. So, if you setup a smartlist that lists all your tracks ordered in a certain way, you can then control exactly which tracks are discarded. For example, if you have a smartlist that lists all tracks removing duplicates of name and artist, sorted by name a-z, artist a-z and rating z-a, then tracks with a lower rating are discarded. You can then reference this smartlist in your other smartlists.

[prod]

OK, I think I figured out the pattern.  This is with iTunes 10 and the latest version of MC.

The last played date and last skipped date cannot be successfully sync'd from MC to iTunes. MCiS will try to sync these over every time.

If the last played and last skipped dates are updated in iTunes, they are sync'd to MC successfully (e.g. MCiS will not try to sync them again).

Thanks Randy I'll look into this.

[prod]

The last played date and last skipped date cannot be successfully sync'd from MC to iTunes. MCiS will try to sync these over every time.

I've had a quick look and everything is sync'ing from MC to iTunes (inc Last Played, Last Skipped) fine for me ?

I'll have a longer look at this during the week.

[Magic_Randy]

I've had a quick look and everything is sync'ing from MC to iTunes (inc Last Played, Last Skipped) fine for me ?

I'll have a longer look at this during the week.

I think I figured out what is happening. It looks like a GMT time zone offset issue. I'm in Los Angeles. The date/time in MC is correct. When it goes to iTunes, it is not correct. That's why future sync's always show the difference.

Here are some examples from the log.

<MC Version="15.0.106" LibraryName="Default" LibraryPath="C:\Users\Home\AppData\Roaming\J River\Media Center 15\Library\" />
  <iTunes Version="10.0.0.68" />
- <Track Filename="M:\My Music Collection\Booker T. & The MG's\The Definitive Soul Collection\Booker T. & The MG's - Green Onions.mp3">
  <LastPlayed ChangedIn="iTunes" OldValue="2010-09-04T00:52:23" NewValue="2010-09-04T07:52:23" />
  </Track>
- <Track Filename="M:\My Music Collection\Booker T. & The MG's\The Definitive Soul Collection\Booker T. & The MG's - Behave Yourself.mp3">
  <LastPlayed ChangedIn="iTunes" OldValue="2010-09-04T00:56:13" NewValue="2010-09-04T07:56:13" />
  </Track>
- <Track Filename="M:\My Music Collection\Booker T. & The MG's\The Definitive Soul Collection\Booker T. & The MG's - Jellybread.mp3">
  <LastPlayed ChangedIn="iTunes" OldValue="2010-09-04T00:58:17" NewValue="2010-09-04T07:58:17" />
  </Track>
  <Result EndDateTime="2010-09-04T08:06:32" Analyzed="19063" Synchronized="3" Imported="0" Removed="0">Successful</Result>
  </MCiS>

[Magic_Randy]

I've had a quick look and everything is sync'ing from MC to iTunes (inc Last Played, Last Skipped) fine for me ?

If you are in the GMT time zone, that is why you cannot duplicate it. See my posting 1 above.

[TXgary]

Prod
Thanks for the info on Smartlists

[Magic_Randy]

prod,

I decided to clean up my system and uninstalled MC14. I had both MC14 & MC15 installed before.

Now I get the following message when I launch MCiS:

"An error occurred filling the playlist tree. Try loading MC manually first."

I tried loading MC manually, but I get the same message. Should MCiS work with just MC15 installed?

[prod]

Yeah this is a known issue caused by MC deregistering its public interfaces on uninstall, meaning all other MC installations are also affected.

All you need to do is run the MC15 install .exe, that'll re-register the interfaces.

Thanks for the info regards the dates I'll have a good look at it in the week.

[prod]

Randy,

Disregarding what it says in the log for a moment, when the date goes across what is the effect? That is, say the Last Played date in MC is "2010-09-04 11:12:22", what is the Last Played date for the same file, after syncing, in iTunes?

[Magic_Randy]

Randy,

Disregarding what it says in the log for a moment, when the date goes across what is the effect? That is, say the Last Played date in MC is "2010-09-04 11:12:22", what is the Last Played date for the same file, after syncing, in iTunes?

The data matches the log.

The date and time in iTunes is exactly 7 hours earlier than the date and time in MC.

To me it looks like a change in iTunes 10. It looks like they are now supporting multiple time zones. e.g. you can specify the time zone for the date and it will convert it to the correct time zone on your PC. They may now be expecting a GMT offset as part of the API or they default to 0.

[Magic_Randy]

Yeah this is a known issue caused by MC deregistering its public interfaces on uninstall, meaning all other MC installations are also affected.

All you need to do is run the MC15 install .exe, that'll re-register the interfaces.

Thanks for the info regards the dates I'll have a good look at it in the week.

Thanks... Everything is working fine now.

[TXgary]

My problem with smartlists appear to be worked out.
The issue appears to have been the MP3 headers. 
I simply altered one character to force the header to be saved and then reloaded into MC and itunes playlist is updated correctly.

This is under MC 14, itunes 10 and win 7.

Thanks to everyone for your help.

I still have lyrics issues, but am working on that.

[prod]

Thanks to everyone for your help.

Cheers Gary, glad you got that sorted.

To me it looks like a change in iTunes 10. It looks like they are now supporting multiple time zones. e.g. you can specify the time zone for the date and it will convert it to the correct time zone on your PC. They may now be expecting a GMT offset as part of the API or they default to 0.

You're bang on the money there Randy, unfortunately their implementation seems to be a little over-enthusiastic with daylight savings, so its taking a little longer than I expected - seems I'll have to convert all dates to UTC before sending them to iTunes. Anyway, expect a fix by the end of the week.

[Magic_Randy]

You're bang on the money there Randy, unfortunately their implementation seems to be a little over-enthusiastic with daylight savings, so its taking a little longer than I expected - seems I'll have to convert all dates to UTC before sending them to iTunes. Anyway, expect a fix by the end of the week.

Thanks prod. Once you make a change all of my last played dates will self correct. I suspect people who are in a GMT+ time zone will be impacted more.

[prod]

v5.6:

• Fixed: iTunes 10 now applies time zone information; this was causing non-GMT dates to be incorrectly sync'd

[Magic_Randy]

v5.6:

• Fixed: iTunes 10 now applies time zone information; this was causing non-GMT dates to be incorrectly sync'd

Thanks prod...

All tested and verified.

[Magic_Randy]

MCiS works fine with the new version of iTunes.

This is iTunes 10.0.1.22.

[mesue]

Just wanted to bump this request... it would really help me out if it's not too much trouble to add this option.

Would it be possible for you to add an option to export Ratings from iTunes to MC instead of aggregating them?

[prod]

Hi Sue, I've been very busy lately with, amongst other things, my brand new baby daughter! I intend to make a few tweaks here and there, but it's taking me a while to get round to it - just to say I've not forgotten your request... it'll make its way in there at some point.

[JimH]

... my brand new baby daughter!

Congratulations, prod!  One of the happiest aspects of life.

[mesue]

Hi Sue, I've been very busy lately with, amongst other things, my brand new baby daughter! I intend to make a few tweaks here and there, but it's taking me a while to get round to it - just to say I've not forgotten your request... it'll make its way in there at some point.

Awww, congratulations! Take your time on my silly request.

[prod]

Thanks!

[winniew]

I just tried the last version v5.6 with MC15.0.132 and Itunes 10.0.1.22 64 Bit on Windows 7 Pro 64bit.
I get the following error after starting MCiS:
"An error occurred filling the playlist tree. Try loading MC manually first"
with all options greyed out.

The same with an already running MC15.

What can I do?

[prod]

I just tried the last version v5.6 with MC15.0.132 and Itunes 10.0.1.22 64 Bit on Windows 7 Pro 64bit.
I get the following error after starting MCiS:
"An error occurred filling the playlist tree. Try loading MC manually first"
with all options greyed out.

The same with an already running MC15.

What can I do?

Have you uninstalled another version of MC recently?

Try re-running the MC15.0.132 .exe, that will force MC to re-register its interface - it looks like MCiS can't find MC.

[winniew]

Thank you for your quick reply.
Just reinstalled MC15. But again it doesn't work.

Then I started the MCitunesSynchronizer.exe as Administrator: it works, but it loads an empty library (for the admin).
Could it be an issue of restriction of my normal user account?

On my Laptop under Win XP it also works (with the same version of MC15 and itunes 32bit)!

I can't understand it...

[prod]

Yep that is indeed quite strange. Make sure you have full access to the folder you're running MCiS in... you shouldn't need any privileges beyond that though. I take it you're set up as a "Standard" user account?

[winniew]

Yes, I am a "Standard" User.
And have full access to the folder.

Tried to move the MCiS-exe to "Program Files (x86)" (to do that I use admin-rights). But again, no luck.
Is it possible that MCiS searches for the library under "Default" User?

c:\Users\Winnie\AppData\Roaming\J River\MyLib
c:\Users\Administrator\AppData\Roaming\J River\MyLib
c:\Users\Default\AppData\Roaming\    : no \J River\ and no lib

??