Play tracks similar to...

[sinsemilla]

Hello,
there is a feature in Winamp 5.x which would be great if it worked. It's the "when-I-right-click-on-a-song-in-the playlist-I-get: Play tracks similar to [songname]"-feature.

It just doesn't work here. I get an error message:"playlist generator failed to initialize-OK" that keeps popping up in two-second intervals until I shut Winamp down with Taskmanager.

Why is this, does anybody know?

[apichor]

This happens to me too! I'd like to know what to do to fix it.

[Juanus]

Alas, you need to delete the Playlist Generator database and start a new scan from afresh.

With Winamp closed, delete the following 2 files:

Winamp\Plugins\Gracenote\cddbplm.pdb & cddbplm.idx

The path will either be the %AppData%\Winamp or %ProgramFiles%\Winamp folder.

The error message should not occur again after this.

The bug was caused in 5.5 by starting the scan but not letting it fully complete before exiting Winamp, which resulted in a corrupt PLG database. The error would also occur at Winamp startup if you had "Automatically start background scanning when Winamp launches" checkmarked in: Prefs -> Plugins -> Media Library -> Playlist Generator (ml_plg) -> config.

[sinsemilla]

Originally posted by Juanus
Alas, you need to delete the Playlist Generator database and start a new scan from afresh.

With Winamp closed, delete the following 2 files:

Winamp\Plugins\Gracenote\cddbplm.pdb & cddbplm.idx

Yes, I deleted those two files (they were in the AppData\Winamp...folder) and now I don't get the error message anymore when I right-click...etc., so that's fine. But, after a re-scan, and trying the option, nothing else happens either.
What is supposed to happen, are suggested matches supposed to pop up in the playlist, or what?

[Juanus]

Yes, when you right click, and choose the option, items should appear in your playlist at that point and you should hear music. Now, it has to complete the scan for the forst time before it can make the playlist. So I suggest doing it manually. go into Prefs -> Plugins -> Media Library -> Playlist Generator (ml_plg) -> config
Click on the scan button there and wait till it is done.. Then close all the windows and do the right click option.

[sinsemilla]

Originally posted by Juanus
Yes, when you right click, and choose the option, items should appear in your playlist at that point and you should hear music. Now, it has to complete the scan for the forst time before it can make the playlist. So I suggest doing it manually. go into Prefs -> Plugins -> Media Library -> Playlist Generator (ml_plg) -> config
Click on the scan button there and wait till it is done.. Then close all the windows and do the right click option.

OK, I´ll do that and report back in case someone else might benefit. Meanwhile, thank you!

Santa Monica huh! I used to stay with my bro there; on Ocean Ave, 22:nd st, & San Vicente...nice place

[sinsemilla]

Nope. That didn't do it either. It took two+ hours to scan the 2.400 files, then - no go. Kinda tiresome. MoodLogic next. It works.

[sinsemilla]

I stand corrected. After a reboot it worked! But, I must have a faulty setting somwhere, because if I right-click a song in the playlist generated by right-clicking a song and selecting "Play songs similar to...", then the resulting playlist erases the previous one. And so on. Please bear with me Juanus...

[Juanus]

That is expected behavior. Unfortunately right now when you use this function it erases the current playlist with the new one it creates. However, that would be cool if it could "enqueue" as well. maybe we could write that on the wishlist or something

As for the reboot to make it work... I have never heard of that. But I am glad that it worked for you regardless.

EDIT
Yes, Santa Monica is beautiful. i love it here. Much warmer than Sweden.

[sinsemilla]

Originally posted by Juanus
That is expected behavior. Unfortunately right now when you use this function it erases the current playlist with the new one it creates. However, that would be cool if it could "enqueue" as well. maybe we could write that on the wishlist or something

As for the reboot to make it work... I have never heard of that. But I am glad that it worked for you regardless.

EDIT
Yes, Santa Monica is beautiful. i love it here. Much warmer than Sweden.

Ok, thanks for giving me the lowdown rather than what developers would want it to be like.

Yeah, SoCal...breezin'...so sweet. Lucky you!

Makes me think of Maze feat. Frankie Beverly...that's California in musical form

[khopek]

Originally posted by Juanus
Yes, when you right click, and choose the option, items should appear in your playlist at that point and you should hear music. Now, it has to complete the scan for the forst time before it can make the playlist. So I suggest doing it manually. go into Prefs -> Plugins -> Media Library -> Playlist Generator (ml_plg) -> config
Click on the scan button there and wait till it is done.. Then close all the windows and do the right click option.

When I tried this I just this error "this plugin has no configuration implemented"

I really wish this plugin would work I had a really old version of Winamp with the Predixis thing and never had problems with that one...might just go back to it...

[Juanus]

Make sure you are choosing
Nullsoft Playlist Generator (ml_plg)
and not
Nullsoft Playlists (ml_playlists.dll)

They are two seperate things. If you do not see Playlist Generator, then you did not install it.

[khopek]

Originally posted by Juanus
Make sure you are choosing
Nullsoft Playlist Generator (ml_plg)
and not
Nullsoft Playlists (ml_playlists.dll)

They are two seperate things. If you do not see Playlist Generator, then you did not install it.

Thanks! I am retarded...lets hope it works!

...Works perfect now!!!

[Minci]

Originally posted by Juanus
If you do not see Playlist Generator, then you did not install it.

And how do we install it additionally? Is there a separate way to install it on already installed Winamp?
In fact, my problem is that scan never ends. I stands on "0 of 0 files complete", and that never changes.

[J_Darnley]

Run the installer again or use 7-zip to extract the dll.

[Minci]

I did, but now I have this "never ending" problem.

[J_Darnley]

And the fix for that is posted above.

[Minci]

?
If you thought on deleting cddbplm.pdb & cddbplm.idx, I did that too and that fixed the error message, but not the scanning one...
Sorry if I'm doing something wrong! I believe I did everything written here - deleting those two files, reinstalling Winamp, reinstalling Playlist Generator only, restarting the computer... As I see, nobody had the problem with actuall SCANNING, only with error messages.
Sorry, I'm total noob for this

[J_Darnley]

Ah I see you edited your first post after I had posed my reply. Now I see what you mean by "never ending". Sorry for the confusion.

Can I ask what step it stays at 0/0? Then can you also see the sticky FAQ thread at the top of this forum for the information we need to help you (http://forums.winamp.com/showthread....d=161361#specs). Specifically the list of plugins.

I used to have problems with some of third-party plugin (well it seemed to be them). They would cause the 4th step (the actual audio scan) to stall when it got to one of the files for this input plugin.

[Minci]

It was on 2nd step. I reinstalled Winamp (clean install, I followed instructions in FAQ) and now it preformed whole scan, but when I click on a song and choose "Play tracks similar to...", nothing happens. And I have no 3rd party plugins, only those which came with Winamp. I attached DxDiag txt file of my system specs and plugin list generated from One For Nunz (or whatever the name was...). My Winamp version is 5.52 Pro.

EDIT: I removed both attachments 'coz the problem was accidentally fixed

[Minci]

Is it possible to have more than one attachment?!

EDIT: People it works now! I only checked "Use multiple tracks from the same artist/album in a generated playlist"! And yes, I tried to delete the post above, but it says "You do not have permission to access this page." 180 minutes haven't passed, so I don't know why, but nevermind. Are multiple posts allowed?

[J_Darnley]

If you need to attach more than one post you can either put them into an archive (zip, rar file) or make two posts but this is usually frowned upon as bad netiquette. Regular users, like you and I can't delete posts, not even our own.

If the generator doesn't appear to do anything, then it either can't find any matches or it hasn't scanned that file yet. If you allow same artists/album files then it increases the number of files it can match ans might 'solve' the first 'problem'.

[sstorm]

I have another problem..also with Similar tracks.
The scanning was done, and it's working well when I add new music to my library (it scans it again), but
when I choose any song and push "Play tracks similar to..." nothing happens.
What should I do?

[sinsemilla]

I posted about this problem too about 10 months ago. I got no replies then - sstorm has gotten none so far so I must assume that there is no answer, the "feature" doesn't work. You'd think that the people responsible for the development and maintenance of Winamp would remove it from the drop-down menu. It seems the responsible thing to do.

[Bishounen]

I'm following up to this post (even though it's rather old) to note that I am having similar problems.

I tried the "Delete the DB files" trick shown above. It rescanned the files (took HOURS with over 4500 files!) and then... nothing. No playlist, no files, no nada.

I figured I had a corrupt install of Winamp, so I uninstalled Winamp, and manually deleted all Winamp generated files leftover from the uninstall process, then I re-downloaded and installed a fresh copy of Winamp (latest version from the website). I let it rescan my library (yay! more HOURS waiting!) and STILL NOTHING. Simply put, this "feature" is BROKEN.

Do not despair, I found the solution! Music IP, the same people that created "Predixis Music magic" that used to be part of Winamp and ACTUALLY WORKED PROPERLY have turned their software into a plugin that can be added into Winamp! You can get it HERE. it's called "Music IP Mix" and it works just like Predixis used to, only better.

Just download it and install. Select "Resume Processing" and it will process your music library for you (Unfortunately this will take several hours, but then, so does the "play similar to" thing.) Once it's done processing your tracks you can "right-click -> Send to: -> Music IP Mix" and it will create a fresh playlist for you. You can even modify the playlist "Pandora" style by right-clicking a song in the Music IP plugin window and selecting "More like this" or "less like this". It works GREAT and is a HUGE improvement over the crappy broken "Play Tracks Similar To" junk.

So go get it, and get back one of the best features of an older version of Winamp, with all the updated security and interface of the new Winamp!


EDIT: For some reason my links are showing up as an unclickable "URL submitted by user" line, that is wiping out the link text as well. I have no clue why. But if they don't show up, you can get the plugin from www DOT musicip DOT com.

[Extrabine]

Hi guys,

I know, an old problem.. but I'm still having it, because I actually struggeling with the very first part of the solution:

Originally posted by Juanus
Alas, you need to delete the Playlist Generator database and start a new scan from afresh. With Winamp closed, delete the following 2 files: Winamp\Plugins\Gracenote\cddbplm.pdb & cddbplm.idx

Those two files don't exist on my computer! Really, I navigated to the Gracenote folder and there are only dll's in there. I also used the Filesearch of Vista and it can't find it either.
I'm using Vista Home Premium 64 bit. Is there something different here? The error message "Playlist Generator failed to initialize" is still the same...

I'm really looking forward to some input. I NEED this feature man.. I just need it eyh... ;-)

cheers,
Sabine

[Eindringling]

look at: c:\users\[username]AppData\Roaming\Winamp\Plugins\Gracenote

Maybe the Dir "users" is different in your installation.
[username] is your loged in account name

[Extrabine]

Thankxalot! You are right... really strange that this bugger didn't find it. btw. I just installed another plugin, opened winamp again and stated the Scan again just for fun. And suddenly it worked! The new plugin must have deleted them automatically... anyway.

It works, and it works extraordinary.. I love it! Thanks guys!


Sabine