MM 2.4 Alpha 3- misleading error when syncing iPod

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moloch
Posts: 11
Joined: Tue May 03, 2005 9:19 pm

MM 2.4 Alpha 3- misleading error when syncing iPod

Post by moloch »

Environment:
Windows XP Pro SP2
512Mb RAM
1.8 GHz Intel P4- no hyperthreading
Ipod G4 40Gb w/clickwheel
Ipod OS 3.0.2

Windows Explorer Reports 1932 Files/12.9 GB
MM Library Reports 1927 Files/13.0 GB
Ipod (From MM and Ipod device) Reports 1927 Files/13.0 GB
What's the deal? No other visible file types are within my one big MP3 directory, and I have viewing of all file types turned on in Windows. What's missing?

Sync Operation Issues:
Even if the library and the device report the same stats, MM still asks me to delete files when syncing my iPod. As far as I can tell, this situation occurs when you have the "When synchronizing, limit path & file name length to:28" setting turned on, (checked) on the Device Configuration tab. This is very confusing and time consuming. MM will delete the cropped, 28 character files, and then will put them right back on. SUUUUUCK!

Repetable Process:
- Get library cleaned up and ready. (no dead links, no unsynchronized tags, no dups, compacted)
- Format iPod (Restore)
- Set Sync Options: ensure that 28 character limit is turned on, no iPod style folders, update on all changes, sync entire collection
- Perform sync from PC to iPod with the 'Synchronize with portable/audio device' button on the toolbar.
- compare file number and size between MM and iPod. They should match.
- run sync again
- You are prompted that certain files are found on the iPod, but not in the Library, and they can be deleted. (NO, No to All, Yes, Yes to All)
- The files to be deleted seem to have cropped names (28 characters), that differ from those stored in the library, and MM doesn't get it, even though it did the cropping.
Why include this option? This was VERY confusing? Is this the default, or did I check this on accident? Please clean up the Sync options interface, and add greater detail to the available options.

Suggestion:
Create a routine that would replace the over used, and sometimes misleading 'device' term, with the name of the particular device. The device name could be derived from the name that appear's in the explorer tree of MM. (e.g. IPOD, or Mike's Ipod) This would be a very nice touch, and would greatly decrease in some of the interface learning curve.

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paradroid
Posts: 31
Joined: Fri Feb 11, 2005 10:06 am
Location: Germany

Post by paradroid »

Hi moloch,

as far as I know, the cropping is a limitation of the ipod ! If you store files with filenames longer than 28 characters, the ipod won't play them any more !
moloch
Posts: 11
Joined: Tue May 03, 2005 9:19 pm

Post by moloch »

Nope. My iPod plays all of my songs, and some of them have very long names.
rusty
Posts: 9043
Joined: Tue Apr 29, 2003 3:39 am
Location: Montreal, Canada

iPod synch bug

Post by rusty »

Moloch,

I can't reproduce this problem (the only time I observe this bug is if I use iTunes to synch and then subsequently use MediaMonkey).

Can you generate a log using the debug build? (see the reporting bugs announcement at the top of this forum, and use the debug build that's in the Alpha 3 announcement). That'll allow us to see exactly what's going on.

Thx.

-Rusty

p.s. by default MM isn't configured to delete files that are on the device but not on the Synch list. You must have enabled this option.
moloch
Posts: 11
Joined: Tue May 03, 2005 9:19 pm

Post by moloch »

It happened again. Here's what went down:

My sync settings:

Auto-Synchronization List Tab:
sync entire library

Synchornization Tab:
delete tracks the aren't on the auto sync list
confirm deltion
the rest is blank

Device Configuration Tab:
NO iTunes folders
NO 28 character limit
Update DB on ALL changes
Allow device filesystem browsing

sync library from HDD

sync library to iPod

Message Prompt: File X is on the device, but not in the sync list. Do you wish to delete the file from the device? (yes, yes to all, no, no to all)

What?!? The last time I sunc the device, it did not ask this? Same collection...The only thing that I have done since then was rip CD's using MM. Yet songs that were not a problem before, are now being reported as not in the sync list. This is a nasty problem, because now I have to resync 566 files.

So I try to reproduce the error right away:

sync library from HDD

sync library to iPod

files on each= 2380
same tags, same names
all the misrepresented songs play fine on the iPod. (even those way over 28 characters)

unplug iPod

reboot

re-open MM, and connect iPod

sync library to iPod

no bad prompt

rebuild DB

no bad prompt

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I can't reproduce it!!!!!!!!
The problem has happened twice now, and is, apparently, interrmittant.

I'll try to find the time to install the debug version this week.

iTunes has been uninstalled. :)

Any further ideas?
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