Something's messing up my File Times

[muckster]

Hey there--

this is a long shot, but maybe someone has an idea:

I've been using Winamp for a looong time, and I care about my music collection's file times because it helps me sort the new stuff etc. Whenever I upgrade to a new external HD etc, I always make sure that the file times stay untouched.

Lately though, I see problems. Any song in an album where one song has been played, either on Winamp or my iPod (which is connected via ml_ipod), is updated to a more recent file time. Actually, they're all updated to almost the same time, as if one process ran through and changed all of these files.

Two questions --

1) any ideas what may be causing this? Obviously it could be a million things and I probably need to try eliminating causes, but maybe someone has seen something similar before.

2) any way of fixing it? is there a way, either in winamp or with another tool, to reset the file times or change them to something in the past so at least the older albums don't show up in "recently added" and similar smart playlists?

Thanks much. It seems like a small thing but this is bugging the hell out of me.

muckster

[muckster]

Ok, did a little test, and the problem seems to be the iPod sync. Whenever I sync the ipod, it somehow updates all files it played in the ML, setting the file time to the current time at sync.

Funny thing is, it doesn't seem to update "last played" correctly -- those still show older times. I also have a feeling I've been losing ratings. Something's very fishy.

Is this an ml_ipod problem, then? Is anybody but me still using that, anyway? Thanks. This is bumming me out.

[DrO]

if you're only seeing it from using ml_ipod (which is a 3rd party plug-in) then you'd need to direct the issue there. however, no one is actively developing that plug-in as things currently stand so i don't know if you've going to get a resolution on the issue.

other than trying Winamp's own ipod handling (though am guessing you prefer ml_ipod's way of doing it), there's not much else which can be suggested.

-daz

[muckster]

Thanks for the response, DrO. I used to prefer ml_ipod to pmp, but I'd give it another try and see if this fixes the issue -- especially if ml_ipod isn't being developed anymore; I wasn't aware of that.

Can you tell me if I have to completely uninstall/reinstall to get pmp_ipod back? ml_ipod removes it upon installation...

[DrO]

you should be able to just re-run the current Winamp installer and make sure it's checked in the portables section to get it back.

-daz

[muckster]

Hey -- just for the record & anyone else searching the forum, it looks like the Winamp "write ratings to file" option messed up my ml_ipod sync. I don't remember selecting the option but I guess I must have since it's turned off by default? Obviously, it changes the filetimes of rated files, but somehow it also caused the ratings sync through ml_ipod to go wrong.

I unselected the option; now I just have a few hundred file date metatags to change. I know ml_ipod isn't supported anymore, but I'll keep using it -- pmp_ipod still lacks too many features as far as I'm concerned.

Whew, looks like I dodged the iTunes bullet once again...