1164 Auto-sync fails to notice change to Sync tracks to:

[chrisjj]

If I change 'Sync tracks to:' Auto-sync fails to notice - i.e. fails to update the device file set accordingly.

[jiri]

We chose to do it this way in order to prevent unnecessary syncing (it isn't always possible to just rename the target tracks). User can always relatively easily delete tracks from device in order to apply a newly chosen 'Sync tracks to:' mask.

Jiri

[chrisjj]

> We chose to do it this way in order to prevent unnecessary syncing

Well unfortunately it also prevents necessary syncing. And it fails to accord with the docs.

Jiri, I have to say I think MM device sync really is already very hard for the user to get right without MM making secret exceptions like this. What with the current problems of the implementation (not saying they are due to MM - perhaps due to WMDM) and the incompleteness of the MM documentation, it is really important for MM to stick to the rules in order that a user be able to make sense of it.

And if you don't mind me saying, a big consideration often overlooked in such projects is that if a complex program like MM makes too many secret exceptions, soon the user cannot tell a bug from intended behaviour, so stops reporting bugs. One of MM's great strengths is a community that reports bugs, so it would be really sad to see that diminished.

[chrisjj]

User can always relatively easily delete tracks from device in order to apply a newly chosen 'Sync tracks to:' mask.

How, please? 'Remove' fails (reported at http://www.mediamonkey.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=28829).

[jiri]

Well unfortunately it also prevents necessary syncing. And it fails to accord with the docs.

I'm not sure whether docs explicitely says one or the other way. In any case, imagine a case of another user who makes just a small tweak to the sync mask and all tracks (1000s?) are resynced.

How, please? 'Remove' fails (reported at http://www.mediamonkey.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=28829).

I see, that's a problem then - I'll reply in the other thread.

Jiri

[chrisjj]

imagine a case of another user who makes just a small tweak to the sync mask and all tracks (1000s?) are resynced.

That's me Jiri, following the Help:

in case of synchronization problems try:
In Windows Explorer, check where Tracks are stored on the device. Change 'Sync Tracks to:' to the same location. See: Configuring Directory and Filename Formats.

except /not/ getting the all-tracks-resync expected by docs, UI and myself alike.

Surely "Sync tracks to:" for real is better. The current "Sync tracks maybe to:" ;) gives a mixed device state which I can't see being useful to anyone...

And I think caused sync problems here - including the one I was trying to fix above! I'm guessing MM holds some hidden info on past "Sync tracks to:" values - please correct me if I'm wrong Jiri - and this confuses one device going between PCs.

I'll reply in the other thread.

Thanks.

[chrisjj]

Workaround on 1166: add a single track to the autosync list - on the next autosync, MM asks to remove all items in the old Sync To directory.

[chrisjj]

Jiri, has this behaviour been changed?

I ask because on 1248 I changed the "Sync tracks to" folderpath and upon sync was surprised to get the deletion confirmation dialog to delete all the tracks on the previous folderpath.