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[mavhass]

I have searched and experimented my head off, but dear people, I'm stuck!

While an avid PC user, for music I do (still) use my trusted 160 GB iPod Classic, and plan to continue to do so for a long time to come yet.
I have fairly recently switched to JRiver on my PC in an attempt to (finally!) get rid of iTunes.
And for the most part I am VERY happy with it. I have set up the iPod to sync as a handheld, and it works beautifully

However, there are a few niggles I just can't get my head around, and any help or advice would really be appreciated!

1) No Playlist folder structure on iPod any more
While I am able to -like in iTunes- create Playlist folders in JRiver, this structure won't actually sync to my iPod.
It did/does in iTunes.
(See attachment 1a_JRiver_structure for how the structure looks in JRiver, and 1a_iPod_structure how it syncs over to my iPod)

2) Article (the, a , le, la, das, ...) sorting for albums not copied over to iPod
Same principle: I can easily set this up in JRiver proper (it's a direct setting)...but it will not copy over to my iPod!
So now I have slew of albums under T, simply because the title starts with "The"...
(See attachments 2a_JRiver_articles for the view in JRiver and 2b_iPod_articles for how it looks on my iPod after syncing.

I have searched the Wiki religiously (including the Handheld Wiki), and gone through the forums with a fine toothcomb...but I found absolutely nothing! 

Can anyone shed some light on this?
Am I missing something? Doing something wrong?
Do I need plug-ins/3rd party tools?
Is it even possible at all?

Any tips or suggestions would be immensely welcomed!

iPod: Classic 160 GB 7th gen.
JRiver: Media Center 27.0.13 (64 bit)
PC: Windows 10 Pro (64 bit)

(Edited to reduce attachments in size)

[mavhass]

Quick update: tried adding the TSOA (album sort) tag through DBPoweramp to an album of which the title starts with "The"... but while MC picks it up in the tag dump, it doesn't make a lick of difference: on syncing, my iPod still lumps the album under "T"

Dammit! 

[mavhass]

So...I guess this is not the major well-known issue with the very easy to implement solution I hoped it would be then? 

[mavhass]

I had -for no realistic reason as it was never mentioned anywhere- some slight hope this might be addressed in vs 28, but it's not, sadly (but not unexpectedly :-) ).

So can I make this a feature request?
...and HOW do I make this a feature request? Amend the title?

1) Playlist folder structure carried over to iPod on syncing
2) Album article sorting carried over to iPod on syncing

[Outlaw Audio]

mavhass,
Sorry to say that JRiver pretty much shuns any native sync capabilities with Apple products, the only reason you can get your iPod to sync is because its based off a hard drive and is not walled to the extent the touch systems are.  This is why I'm not surprised that in over three months, you have not garnered any response.  Like you, I carry my portable music around in an iPod touch or on my iPhone.  I purchased each device with 128GB of memory so there is plenty of space for a great deal of music even in non-lossy format.  However, I have given up using JRiver to sync my Apple products in favor of MediaMonkey.  I don't have any specific suggestions to solve your problem nor am I suggesting another bit of software since you don't really need it given your iPod Classic but wanted to give you additional background on your dilemma. 

[mavhass]

mavhass,
...the only reason you can get your iPod to sync is because its based off a hard drive and is not walled to the extent the touch systems are.  ...However, I have given up using JRiver to sync my Apple products in favor of MediaMonkey.

Many thanks for your extensive and informative response, Outlaw.
I really appreciate the background info!

So while it's a bit saddening to see that JRiver has a track record (or, I dunno, a priority setting, I guess?) that would preclude this ever being addressed, it IS good to know I should stop keeping my hopes up.

It's not a  deal breaker per se. I like JRiver a LOT.
And the way the sync works as it does now is I guess workable enough (and for sure any step away from iTunes has already felt like a huge sigh of relief).
But you've at least given me enough of a  handhold to slowly start having a  look at alternatives -if only for syncing-, as long as I will be using my iPod, which, as generally unhappy as I am with Apple products, I am hoping and expecting will be a LOOOONG time. I have in twenty years not found any type of media/mp3 player that even touches the iPod in user friendliness.

Again: many thanks!!!

[Bob007]

I use J River to sync an iPod classic albeit I'm on an earlier version of MC (v18).  I've not upgraded as this combination works almost flawlessly for me. 

Issue 2 above (artist sorting) is a feature of MC 18 - in the Handheld options, there's checkbox that to allow articles (a, an, the) to be ignored.  Works fine - I have The Beach Boys, The Beatles nestled alongside Bob Dylan, Buzzcocks on my iPod.  I guess they've removed this feature in later builds.

If you're looking at alternative software solutions for managing your iPod, an earlier build of MC could be an option albeit with some consideration around the risks of doing so.

[mavhass]

If you're looking at alternative software solutions for managing your iPod, an earlier build of MC could be an option albeit with some consideration around the risks of doing so.

Many thanks, Bob007, I will give that a try, although I fear it may not work: I was looking for this option for albums rather than artists (for which it is a feature I think is in fact still there in new builds). But I'll try and report back!

[Bob007]

Ah, apologies.  I need to learn to read properly   

Yes, all my 'The ...' albums are grouped under 'T'.  I don't tend to navigate by albums so not an issue for me.