default play list location? changeable?

[Moxey]

I was having trouble with winamp claiming that my playlists were all suddenly locked, preventing me from adding a song to some of them. Following advice from this forum, I created a new version of the playlist file, which i did in Winamp by right-click the playlist / send to / new playlist. It worked! -- the new playlist is just like its original, only now magically editable. Problem is... where is the new file on my computer?? There was no option to choose where it would save, and it did not save it to the folder where i keep all my playlists. So, i assume there must be a default play list location, though i cannot find it nor how to modify that default. I'd like to change the default to the folder i actually use for my playlists, and also would like to know where to look for the new one that's just been created. I've not been able to find it via standard windows search. thanks!

[ryerman]

User created Library Playlists are M3U8 files, found here:

code:
%APPDATA%\Winamp\Plugins\ml\playlists

You can't change this default location.

As you'll see, the file names do not reflect the names used in the Library.
But the playlists.xml file, which can be opened with Firefox or Internet Explorer, gives the correspondence.

[ryerman]

.....I'd like to change the default to the folder i actually use for my playlists, and also would like to know where to look for the new one that's just been created....

Playlists can be either created within Winamp or imported from the file system.
When they are created within Winamp, they are filed only in the default location. (%APPDATA%\Winamp\Plugins\ml\playlists)
If you want to keep playlist files in some other location and still manage them from within Winamp, they must be imported:
Right click "Playlists" in the navigation pane of the Library > click "Import playlist from file..." or "Import playlist from folder..."

When playlists are imported, there is an option to prevent copies being made.
If copies are not created, any modifications made using Winamp will cause the originals to be edited, wherever they are located.
And any external editing done to these playlist files will be shown in Winamp.
If such a playlist is deleted from within Winamp, the file is permanently deleted from the file system.

If copies are made, any edits will be applied only to these copies, not the originals.
The copies are filed in the default location.
The originals will be ignored by Winamp: they could be treated as a back-up.

To choose whether or not copies are made:
Check-mark or clear "Use original playlist instead of a Winamp managed copy" when importing.
If the option is checked then copies will not be made.

So if you want an 'all Winamp' solution to managing Library Playlists in a non-default location, here's the process:
1. Add tracks to Library Playlists via the "Send to:" menu or by drag & drop.
2. Edit playlists until satisfied.
3. Export playlists to the desired location.
4. Delete playlists from the Library.
5. Import playlists with a check-mark at "Use original playlist instead of a Winamp managed copy"

But it is not necessary to create the original playlists within Winamp: any externally created playlist can be imported.

[Aminifu]

You can also use the "Save playlist..." command to make external playlists with Winamp. Select the files you want from a listing in the Playlist Editor or the Media Library and then press the "Ctrl" and "S" keyboard keys at the same time.

This opens the "Save playlist" dialog window. This window lets you browse to the folder you want to save the playlist in and give it a name.

If you want any of the external playlists created in this way to be listed in the media library, you must use one of the import playlist commands (in the current version of Winamp) to create a copy of, or a link to, those you want listed. The import playlist commands are in the media library's "Playlists" header's (in the library window's/panel's left-hand column) right-click context menu.