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Author Topic: Playlist help please....  (Read 5309 times)

goose2

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Playlist help please....
« on: October 15, 2015, 08:48:30 pm »

I have re-installed MC17 on a new computer successfully...mostly.  Here's the setup:  Win7, MC17 on C drive, standard install except media files are on D drive after previously residing on an F drive (external). After much fiddling around I have been able to restore everything to its original state except for my playlists, by importing the media files and then restoring my old library backup. The drive letter change resulted in duplicate library entries but solved that by sorting by file location and deleting the redundant entries from library. The remaining problem is with playlists. The restore repopulated the actual lists as they appeared before, but they are empty. I suspect this is because of the file path change for the media files from F to D. Perhaps I could edit the playlist files individually in Notepad, but there are hundreds of them. There must be an easier solution. Can anyone help me with this....Please?
Many Thanks
RW ;D
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marko

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Re: Playlist help please....
« Reply #1 on: October 16, 2015, 12:26:25 am »

There is, but a lot depends on where you are on the MC curve, and what the differences are between the file paths in your library backup containing F: addresses, and their new homes on D:

If it had been me, I would have done like so... (assuming that the only change to the path was the drive letter)

Restored from the library backup. All files are now 'missing' because MC is looking for them on "F:"
Select all those files. (If you were unsure, start with just a few)
Right click on the selection and choose "Library Tools > Rename, Move and Copy Files"
The tool for this job now opens...

Preview of tool below, though note that my files are already on D:, so I simulated an update to F: so you could see what I am talking about...


From the top...

Set the drop menu to "Update library to point to a new location"
Uncheck filename
Uncheck dirctory
In "Find and replace"
Find F:
Replace with D:
After checking you're happy with the before/after preview, press OK.

Job done.
All values for play counts, date imported, last played, any library tags not saved in file tags... and playlists, are preserved from your old library.

Shout if you need any assistance with the above.

-marko

goose2

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Re: Playlist help please....
« Reply #2 on: October 16, 2015, 10:36:13 am »


Set the drop menu to "Update library to point to a new location"
Uncheck filename
Uncheck dirctory
In "Find and replace"
Find F:
Replace with D:
After checking you're happy with the before/after preview, press OK.

Job done.
All values for play counts, date imported, last played, any library tags not saved in file tags... and playlists, are preserved from your old library.

Shout if you need any assistance with the above.

-marko

Thanks for the speedy reply Marko. This makes sense, I'll try it and let you know how it works out.
RW
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goose2

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Re: Playlist help please....
« Reply #3 on: October 16, 2015, 11:04:59 am »

More on this after thinking it through a bit.  Marko, Since my files are now on D and my playlists are looking for files on F, my playlists are empty. So in the remove and replace dialog I should enter find F and replace with D, right? I have already reconciled the file locations to D but only missing the playlist file locations. Does this make sense?
Thanks again
RW
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marko

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Re: Playlist help please....
« Reply #4 on: October 16, 2015, 11:48:31 am »

Perfect sense, yes.

That's why I recommended going all the way back to square one, and restoring from the library backup.

That should clear your current library and put you back at the beginning, with all files, and playlist entries, pointing to F:
Now do the find/replace thing, which should reconnect the library with the files, thus preserving playlists and all other library specific data.

It might also be a good idea to turn off auto import as soon as you have restored, in case it starts automatically removing the broken links. You can safely turn it back on again once the reconnect job is done.
"Tools > Options > Library and folders > uncheck "run auto import in the background"

goose2

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Re: Playlist help please....
« Reply #5 on: October 16, 2015, 02:20:52 pm »

Yes!.. the deed is done and it worked perfectly. I'm truly grateful for your help Marko. This forum is great!
Many Thanks...RW
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