2135 - Sync to phone (usb)

[Barry4679]

BAA7F359 ... a crash during MM5 restart

I can sync to phone ok, but there are some issues during sync:

error cannot open json (see image below) ... I looked in the phone folder ... the file exists ... replied IGNORE
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ie7h9vzzadkry ... e.png?dl=0

sync ran ok, except for the 2nd issue shown in image below... I ignored that issue also, because I don't have a copy of that album ... I stream it from GPM
https://www.dropbox.com/s/z72o02mr366s6 ... e.png?dl=0

The sync completed OK, but I had requested playlists, and the Playlist folder in the phone remained empty (see my config below)
https://www.dropbox.com/s/5zqzo1mq2ew4v ... g.png?dl=0

I thought that the issue regarding the inaccessible Lindisfarne album may be breaking things before playlists are produced, so i went to the Devices&Services>Pixel2XL auto-Sync->device tab, and de-selected that problem album

I ran sync again, and it white screened ... I terminated MM5 using task manager, and reran with the debug logger, (this time I got a dump ID 97FD58FB) ... and I have also PM'd the log to you


Devices&Service>Pixel2XL Options|SettingsProfile tab ... UI is poor

I am still not sure whether this facility saves just the current device ... I would presume so but the heading says:

Profiles for various devices and storage locations can be imported via the MediaMonkey addons database:

.. and what is the Addons database?

Device profiles contain default settings that allow a device or storage location to sync correctly. They don't include user-settings such as which content will sync.

The above description is too vague to be useful. ... is just annoying really because it seems like a half done job of documentation.

.. what parts of my configuration are saved by export, or restored by import facility?
* auto conversion setting is saved?
* location settings?
* tagging config?
* autoconnect, autodismount, grant rights, etc?

saving & restoring all these items would be expected.

Playlist destination location

It would be clearer if the playlist destination location was (also?) on the Devices&Services>Pixel2XL in Options|FileLocations tab

[Ludek]

Thank you for testing and reporting, I've entered it as https://www.ventismedia.com/mantis/view.php?id=15238 and will look into it

[Ludek]

BAA7F359 ... a crash during MM5 restart

I can sync to phone ok, but there are some issues during sync:

error cannot open json (see image below) ... I looked in the phone folder ... the file exists ... replied IGNORE
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ie7h9vzzadkry ... e.png?dl=0

sync ran ok, except for the 2nd issue shown in image below... I ignored that issue also, because I don't have a copy of that album ... I stream it from GPM
https://www.dropbox.com/s/z72o02mr366s6 ... e.png?dl=0

The sync completed OK, but I had requested playlists, and the Playlist folder in the phone remained empty (see my config below)
https://www.dropbox.com/s/5zqzo1mq2ew4v ... g.png?dl=0

I thought that the issue regarding the inaccessible Lindisfarne album may be breaking things before playlists are produced, so i went to the Devices&Services>Pixel2XL auto-Sync->device tab, and de-selected that problem album

I ran sync again, and it white screened ... I terminated MM5 using task manager, and reran with the debug logger, (this time I got a dump ID 97FD58FB) ... and I have also PM'd the log to you

Thanks, all these issues are fixed in 2137 as https://www.ventismedia.com/mantis/view.php?id=15238

Devices&Service>Pixel2XL Options|SettingsProfile tab ... UI is poor

I am still not sure whether this facility saves just the current device ... I would presume so but the heading says:

Profiles for various devices and storage locations can be imported via the MediaMonkey addons database:

.. and what is the Addons database?

It is the database that is shown upon clicking [Lookup settings...] button.
Unfortunately as Rusty pointed in https://www.ventismedia.com/mantis/view.php?id=15194
Device Profiles have not ended up being used very much--probably because it's a manual process that's somewhat complicated

Device profiles contain default settings that allow a device or storage location to sync correctly. They don't include user-settings such as which content will sync.

The above description is too vague to be useful. ... is just annoying really because it seems like a half done job of documentation.

.. what parts of my configuration are saved by export, or restored by import facility?
* auto conversion setting is saved?
* location settings?
* tagging config?
* autoconnect, autodismount, grant rights, etc?

saving & restoring all these items would be expected.

I think that autoconnect, autodismount, grant rights is user settings -- so it shouldn't be saved/restored.
Currently (same as in MM4) only the settings on the Options tab (and sub-panels) is saved / restored.

Playlist destination location

It would be clearer if the playlist destination location was (also?) on the Devices&Services>Pixel2XL in Options|FileLocations tab

I am afraid that having the playlists default folder in two locations would be rather confusnig.
And I would say that it is clearer to have it under the Playlists panel.

[Barry4679]

I think that autoconnect, autodismount, grant rights is user settings -- so it shouldn't be saved/restored.
Currently (same as in MM4) only the settings on the Options tab (and sub-panels) is saved / restored.

? .. for whom am I saving this profile? .. it is for me, right? ... so why wouldn't I expect it to save all my settings for the device? ... and if I re-imported my settings I think that I would expect that it restored all of my settings for that device. ... otherwise, what's it's purpose?

[Ludek]

? .. for whom am I saving this profile? .. it is for me, right? ... so why wouldn't I expect it to save all my settings for the device? ... and if I re-imported my settings I think that I would expect that it restored all of my settings for that device. ... otherwise, what's it's purpose?

No, the original purpose wasn't that saving the profile should be for you, but for setting up a device (e.g. supported formats, auto-conversion) to be shared with others users with the same device via the MM addons database.

I guess it is also clear from the description texts, isn't it?

Profiles for various devices and storage locations can be imported via the MediaMonkey addons database
Device profiles contain default settings that allow a device or storage location to sync correctly. They don't include user-settings such as which content will sync.


More at https://www.ventismedia.com/mantis/view ... 194#c51497

[Peke]

Hi,
In addition to above for example Car head units usually sort files by folders and filename or by order of saving to SDcard/USB Flash drive and purpose of specific profiles in those cases is to allow new users with same or similar device to get predefined paths/formats like Ludek pointed so that new user could easily just import profile and select content that he/she wants to sync to it.

NOTE: When you create new library IDs for songs are changed and there is no way that profile even if it includes what to sync would be able to pair/find same tracks and most likely would sync wrong tracks.

[Barry4679]

I guess it is also clear from the description texts, isn't it?

Profiles for various devices and storage locations can be imported via the MediaMonkey addons database
Device profiles contain default settings that allow a device or storage location to sync correctly. They don't include user-settings such as which content will sync.

I did read that, but while it said (vaguely) what it did ... it didn't say why that it did it.

From my user perspective every device that I have ever plugged into MM, has just connected and worked w/o special configuration.

So you have done such a good job, that I haven't understood the complexities which may exist. And from that POV the instructions that you have quoted did not add to my understanding.

[Peke]

Hi,
What do you suggest to clear the descriptions and not to make it over complicate for Novice users?

[Barry4679]

What do you suggest to clear the descriptions and not to make it over complicate for Novice users?

To be honest I would seriously think about removing the facility from MM5.

I looked at the online database that comes with MM4, and apart from the one device uploaded by yourself, there has been just one community submission in the last 6 years. ... This doesn't make MM look good IMO. It resembles a heritage or abandoned product.

If you did keep it, I would change it so that is saved the whole of a user's device specification .. ie. all settings. ... that way we could use it when experimenting with settings, and restore safely ... or transmit our settings to another PC.

And if we submitted our specification for consideration for your online database, you could just strip off personal settings before publishing.

But if you did want to keep things as the are, you could provide a useful description ... something which explains the aim, rather than just vague implementation details. Something like:

Contribute to the community Addon Database for MediaMonkey .... save the settings which work best for your device, and then email the file, and a brief description, to us for review. ... thanks for helping make MediaMonkey better.