[Feature Request] Playlist Folders

[abu]

So, my guess is this: The iPod FW simply hides all folders that seem to have 0 songs inside. And as ml_ipod can't know how many songs are in the external SPLs (from iTunes), the folder seems to be empty. I'll try to patch that so that every folder has at least one song, even if it's only external SPLs. Then let's see.

[Nazgulled]

Maybe you don't need to bother with that... I'm doing some testing, comparing Live SPLs created both in Winamp and iTunes with the same criteria and they seem to be equal so. No need for iTunes Live SPLs...

[Nazgulled]

Know something? Now it's working... :S

I mean, I deleted everything, created Live SPLs in iTunes and put them inside a folder using ml_ipod. Ejected and the folder was visible and the song counting was ok too...

[abu]

Ah well

BTW: I asked for help regarding the tree here: http://forums.winamp.com/showthread....45#post2309245

[Stupifier]

OK! I tested the whole Notes workaround feature. Here are my results and my Questions

RESULTS
Primary functions of feature are pleasing and clear. Thankyou SO MUCH! Truly a great feature!

Some Reqeusts/Questions/Concerns
@ABU
A simple Yes, No, or Explain More answer to these is all I really care about. No need to explain why or why not on any these. Frankly, if you just don't wanna do it, just say no. Your time is your time.

1. In Winamp, folders do not remember if they are collapsed or not. After any playlist/folder moving, all folders automatically are expanded.

2. I'm not sure about others...so I'll just throw this out there. Some playlists I have I want to put in MULTIPLE different folders. This currently is not possible as Dubplicate playlists entries are not allowed. This feature would be useful for all those playlists that fit into more than one Playlist Folder organization tree.

As a pretty lame workaround, I just created identical-content playlists with different names and placed them in their suitable folders. The clear problem with this is playlist updating. As new songs are added to the playlist in winamp, that update will not be represented across all the other identical-content playlists.

3. On the iPod, I wonder if this would be good or not. In each folder, have a "All..." listing at the top of each. This would obviously just play ALL songs that are in the folder and sub-folders. I'm just transferring this idea from how the iPod's current tree structure works on stuff. There is always that "All" listing on everything.

[abu]

1. not yet possible, see above. Hope we'll find way
2. Nice idea. Please add this to the feature request list at SF, to insure that it gets tracked. I'm not sure if it's possible at all, though.
3. Yes. On the classic it works that way already, it's just the notes workaround that must be changed.

If you have the time, could you describe this whole new feature in the Wiki? Incl. the workaround, of course.

[Stupifier]

1. Feature Request Added
2. Abu, I sent you a PM regarding Wiki stuff.

[xintron]

First of, Playlist Folders works like a charm on my iPod Classic! Many thanks for this feature!

Another thing a little bit off topic, would this work if you want like Video Folders? And is there the a way so that these folders won't show up in the ordinary music playlist view?

Yet another thing even more off topic, apparently podcasts transfered using winamp show up in a playlist called podcasts on my iPod in the music and video section, but NOT in my Podcast section, why might that be?

Again, nice work on this playlist folders feature!

EDIT:
One thing I just found out is if I double click a playlist in a subfolder, my whole iPod loads in the winamp playlist and not the subfolder-playlist.

EDIT2:
I did some more testing and when having your "iPod" selected and then double clicking a playlist (not only Sub-playlists) will make winamp load the whole iPod to the winamp playlist. Is this a known fact or might it be a bug?

[abu]

Did you read http://mlipod.sourceforge.net/wiki/P...iobook_support about podcasts? Does that explain it?

Please clarify on video folders, what exactly do you expect?

[xintron]

Never mind the video folders. I actually don't know what I was thinking :/

About the podcast problem, apparently winamp didn't download the folders to the folder I'd selected and therefor ml_iPod didn't find the podcasts in that folder and the podcasts was added when doing a normal sync and didn't add themself to the Podcaster playlist so that was (probably) my mistake. Anyhow it works now

[abu]

Originally posted by Stupifier
3. On the iPod, I wonder if this would be good or not. In each folder, have a "All..." listing at the top of each. This would obviously just play ALL songs that are in the folder and sub-folders. I'm just transferring this idea from how the iPod's current tree structure works on stuff. There is always that "All" listing on everything.

That's in patch 04

[Stupifier]

Excellent....


**UPDATE**
Problem Found.
The only way I can check if the "ALL" feature is working properly is to ensure that the "ALL" Playlist has the proper number of songs in it (The sum of all the playlists in the folder. This is not TRUE.

Example:
This is exactly what playlists are inside a folder on the iPod

All (301 songs)
Action (45 songs)
Action Anime (36 Songs)
Hard (Kinda) (202 songs)
Hard Mix (121 songs)
Instant Anime Action (5 Songs)
Pink Floyd Rush (7 songs)

The summation of tracks should equal 416 songs. The All playlist says it contains 301 songs. Something is wrong.

**UPDATE**
Clarified Below. Nothing is wrong.

[abu]

No, it's correct
It's not the sum, but a mathematical "set union". Every song is counted only once, even if it is in more than one of the included playlists.

If you have two playlists:
A song1 song2 song3 song4
B song1 song2 song5 song6
the folder will have 6 songs, not 8:
song1 song2 song3 song4 song5 song6

Makes sense?

[Stupifier]

Ok....OK!!! You are the master. I understand exactly what you did. I was just thinking about that when I posted.

EXCELLENT!!!

[abu]

BTW: The Wiki seems to be up to speed now...

[Stupifier]

Preliminary Wiki added for Playlist Folders.
http://mlipod.sourceforge.net/wiki/U...aylist_Folders

[abu]

Thanks!

Originally posted by abu
...Then you'll need to set the hidden setting "plFoldersAsNotes=1" in the iPod ini file. Run Winamp, eject your iPod inside Winamp, open the notes section on the iPod and marvel at the result
BTW: You can add the notes menu item to the main menu, that eliminates the "Extras" click.

If you use the iPod notes for real notes too, set plFoldersAsNotes to 2 instead of 1 and manually delete the main.linx file from the Notes directory on the iPod, otherwise your regular notes won't show up.

--> Wiki

[Stupifier]

@Abu
Done as wanted.

Playlist Folders wiki done. Make any changes you feel needed.
http://mlipod.sourceforge.net/wiki/U...aylist_Folders

[abu]

Thanks again. Don't have too much time at the moment

[caro02]

I just tried this new feature with my 5G 60Go : it works fine, and it really is a great feature, so thanks a lot Abu (and Stupifier for the wiki).

For me this is also a good way to have the "virtual albums" 5* rated songs by artists, and compilations, that were already discussed on another topic, as it makes it quite easy to access to a lot of different playlists.

[Stupifier]

@Caro02
Yes, it really is a great feature.

@"Virtual Albums" 5* Rate
I too have thought about utilizing this feature in such a way...but decided it would be too bloated. I've got some questions for ya about it below. I may try it out based on your response

I imagine you created a playlist Folder called Artists with sub playlists for each artist in it...playlist contents being the artist's 5* songs. Did you do this to ALL the artists in your library. If so...thats ALOT of playlists. In general, Do you use the real Playlists area on your 5G iPod as well as the "Playlist Folder" (Notes) area? If yes, in using "Virtual Albums" 5*, do you find your Playlist area Bloated? I would most likely chuck the "Virtual Albums" 5* artist stuff at the bottom of the list so it wouldn't bloat plain Playlist area viewing.

"Virtual Albums" would truly be a FULL fledge feature if each 5* artist playlist could be sorted into the proper Artist sub-menu on the iPod. I doubt this is currently feasible though. Interesting though.

[caro02]

I still use the "real" playlist menu but only for the 5 playlists I use the most, and so I put their folder (called "by genre") on the top.
these are playlists in which I have grouped similar genres (1 with french songs, 1 jazz/jazz vocal/world, 1 classical music, 1 pop/rock/electro, 1 "soft" which is the equivalent of your "sleep" playlist ), and with also the condition "lastplay<1 month". Usually I only chose one of these playlist and listen in "shuffle by album" mode.

And I don't want to create the 5* playlist for every artist on my ipod, as you say it will be much too bloated. This is only for my already favorite artists, for which I have many albums, or for artists that my friend love (and so has put on my ipod) but I only like a few songs. That means about 20 artists in the "Favorites" playlists folder.
In fact I use the rating this way : I put 4* to all songs from my favorite artists and 5* for the favorites songs from my favorite artists. (Songs from other artists may also have 4* or 5* rating of course, but they usually don't have their playlist, unless they are at least 10 songs >=4* from the same artist).
In addition to these "5* playlist by artist", I also created 5 "favorites by grouped genres" playlists (similar to these above but with "rating>=4" instead of "lastplay<1 month"). That allows me to have all my favorite songs in this folder.

As for the "compilation virtual albums" : I have only 4 Go left on my 60 Go ipod, so I intend to create playlist for compilations (instead of having duplicated songs on my ipod) when I won't have enough place left... (or perhaps I won't resist buying a Classic )

[Stupifier]

Good stuff, I love to hear about the organizational techniques people use on their iPods. It sounds like you have a really good grip on your iPod and how you want it to function. I may do some similar things from what you posted. Thankyou.