This issue is still on our radar, but is only going to be looked at after we complete bi directional synchronization planned for 4.1. Bi-di sync is complex enough on its own, and adding this to the mix is one more item that we felt should be done subsequent to the initial implementation.

Tracked at: http://www.ventismedia.com/mantis/view.php?id=9444

I'm sorry that MM 4 disappointed you with respect to this functionality, but it's sometimes tough to balance all competing requirements without some items falling by the wayside

-Rusty

Hi,

Any news about this feature that disappeared in MM4 ?

Thx

Hi Jiri,

Thanks for the reply. I'm convinced a lot of work has been done for MM4, one can see that. It's a nice and good working program.

I'm glad to hear the problem is going to be looked into, and really hope we'll get the functionality of MM3 back (the more some of the coding still seems to be there --> the edit-button and default-location per playlist which shows up when an upgrade from MM3 is done). In fact, both could co-exist, if nothing is specified for the playlist, the default specified in the "by type" is used, otherwise it overrules (as it was in MM3)

As I and also GSV3MiaC wrote : being able to define how playlist-synchronisation should be done (towards weird devices) was a strength of MM3.

Thanks

Hi Jiri, thanks for the input.

For me the whole point of MM is that it is programmable to the n-th degree, and can synch all sorts of weird devices. if I want to synch an iPod, or use MTP mode, I have plenty of options already.

Different synch formats by 'type' would have been OK, if the =types= were user programmable .. but they are not. We're in danger of heading back to the Mp3 genre definitions .. i.e. if it isn't pre-specified, you can't have it. 8<. (I LIKE "symphonic Celtic rock"). Yes, it is simpler, but afaik MM isn't for simple people. 8>.

The 'by playlist' option already had a few snags (e.g. songs can be in more than one playlist, in which case how/where they get synched onto the device is a bit of a crapshoot .. if they're already synched as part of the 'favourites' playlist, they don't get synched again as part of the 'beatles' playlist, or vice versa) but it was still more flexible that what we have now.

Also, as mentioned, it (the 'by playlist' facility) has not been cleanly removed from MM4 .. it is still pretending to be there (but broken), and the documentation didn't mention it at all, as far as I can see.

Hi,

I'm sorry that this feature is missed by some of our users. When planning interface changes for MM 4.0, we decided that that its usage would be pretty limited due to the new per-Type Destination configuration. However, it seems that there are some users who are used to the way it was implemented in MM 3.x. We are looking into the issue and will try to come with a solution for MM 4.1.

Note that there was an enormous effort put into MM4 development and so we definitely don't want our users not to be satisfied with the release.

Thanks,
Jiri

Sure, I appreciate your help but always forget your not one of the devs, meaning I should not argue about this with you. From your support point of view it's no longer there, that's it. I fully agree with that.

I can only hope the devs also follow this forum and take into consideration the user-remarks.

MM is a great tool, mainly not intended for the mainstream user. Simplifying things is always a good thing, but it shouldn't impact functionality. If going mainstream is the goal, something like a MMlight, having an opening screen with large flashy buttons (very important) and some automation scripts, would be the way to go. I don't think the "real" MM-users are looking for that, IMHO they like MM for it's capabilities, even if this takes some configuration.

Thanks again, and have a nice day

Look, I'm not saying that this was my decision or that it was the right one to make. In my understanding the devs were just trying to simplify the device config screen. I am just trying to help you out here by presenting the facts - the feature was removed, this is possibly another way to achieve what you are trying to do. But clearly I don't understand your use-case and I guess I should just stop posting here.

nohitter151 wrote:$if(<Playlist>=Collection one 1980 hits,Path 1\,Path 2\)

Come on, that was an example. And the $if is even not correct.

To continue into the same .... , let's make it 50 years out of 5 collections to go into one folder per 5 years, and the year of the source-folder can be any notation of digits or characters. Go ahead with $if, I won't

I give up.

A feature giving flexibility was left out of MM4, there is no workaround to get back that flexibility by other means, although it seems difficult to admit.

Sad to see that MM got into the iTunes (or M$) way-of-thinking : We decide what's good for you, how you, the user, should behave

in other words, you can:
of course you can nest them:
But perhaps I still am still misunderstanding.

nohitter151 wrote:Sure, you could just use the <Playlist>\ mask. So each file would be copied to a folder the same name as the playlist it is in. Or is this different from what you are referring to?

Sure, under circumstances the <playlist> mask might be an option, but certainly not always as being a 1-N relation (one setup for many -all- playlists) instead of N-N (many setups for many playlists)

As an example, assume the following :

- I have two mp3-collections from cd's, one cd of hits per year, each being in its own directory and with it's own playlist
- assume I want to have the mp3's (playlist) out of the folder "Collection one 1980 hits" and those out of "1980 hits collection two" in a single folder "\Music\1980Hits" in the portable device
- assume the naming of the first collection also need to be modified for technical reasons, the second collection being ok

In MM3 that all was possible. In MM4 (without the edit-button) none of above are possible

wquatan wrote: - to determine/create the destination (folder) per playlist, independant of any tag in the files, but based on the users functional needs / wishes or technical restrictions of the device
- nor is it possible to apply a different file-name mask per playlist which can be necessary if the files for one playlist need to be modified due to naming conventions (limitations) of the portable device and not at all for another playlist.

Sure, you could just use the <Playlist>\ mask. So each file would be copied to a folder the same name as the playlist it is in. Or is this different from what you are referring to?

Maybe the devs intended to remove it as seen in http://dl.dropbox.com/u/14013341/MediaMonkey/MM%204.gif, this doesn't mean it's a good idea.

It's not possible anymore
- to determine/create the destination (folder) per playlist, independant of any tag in the files, but based on the users functional needs / wishes or technical restrictions of the device
- nor is it possible to apply a different file-name mask per playlist which can be necessary if the files for one playlist need to be modified due to naming conventions (limitations) of the portable device and not at all for another playlist.

If that feature is removed, a lot of flexibility is gone out of MM.

No good at all.
I really hope this decision will be undone, otherwise MM4 is unuseable for me.

wquatan wrote: And the button should be there and working, as completely different functionality than the Destination section.

No, the devs intended it to be removed. See:
http://www.jirihajek.net/MMwiki/index.p ... evice_Sync
http://www.ventismedia.com/mantis/view.php?id=6490

I got the EDIT-button by upgrading MM3 to MM4. Apparently it was foreseen but not finished or abandoned

And the button should be there and working, as completely different functionality than the Destination section.

The Destination section allows to specify an overall destination for that device for a specific type of files, ex : music
The Edit-button allowed to specify a location (and file naming) on the player for a specific playlist.

Without that I'll have to go back to MM3 (and have again a problem with the missing mask <length>)

I don't know how you got this Edit button to show in MM4, but I do know it should not show there. The edit button was removed in MM4 because the whole device layout was changed, and you can achieve the same results via the "Destination" section.