Live Updates, One More Time

[Bendra]

Live updating of my Sleep smartlist has stopped. I've just restored my 5G 80 gig ipod classic. I've checked and removed all references to Podcasts in all SPLs. I'm using iTunes v 8.01.11.

Very frustrating. Can I fall back to an earlier version?

Also, is there a way to completely refresh a playlist with new songs fitting the same criteria?

[ScoobZ]

Does everything that the Sleep SPL refers to also reside on your iPod?

[Bendra]

Yes. In the play list I have specified a few preferred genres, a BPM or <65, 50 minutes limit, and last played >30 days.

[cjmnews]

ScoobZ was trying to make sure that if you have Smart Play Lists (SPLs) that feed into the Sleep SPL, that they are also sync'd to your iPod.

If any underlying playlist is missing (including the Exclusion playlist) then live updating is disabled on the Sleep SPL.

[ScoobZ]

Originally Posted by cjmnews

ScoobZ was trying to make sure that if you have Smart Play Lists (SPLs) that feed into the Sleep SPL, that they are also sync'd to your iPod.

If any underlying playlist is missing (including the Exclusion playlist) then live updating is disabled on the Sleep SPL.

Yep. You also need to have on your iPod any static playlists that the SPL refers to.

An SPL on an iPod won't live update unless every possible song that it could need is also on the iPod.

For example, if I create an SPL with the criteria "last played not in the last 3 months" and use my entire library as the source, the SPL won't live update on my iPod unless my entire library is also on the iPod. If your library is small enough, or your iPod is big enough, you might be able to do that. Many folks, myself included, cannot do that so we have to get creative if we want SPLs to live update on the iPod.

[brittreid]

Originally Posted by ScoobZ

Yep. You also need to have on your iPod any static playlists that the SPL refers to.

An SPL on an iPod won't live update unless every possible song that it could need is also on the iPod.

For example, if I create an SPL with the criteria "last played not in the last 3 months" and use my entire library as the source, the SPL won't live update on my iPod unless my entire library is also on the iPod. If your library is small enough, or your iPod is big enough, you might be able to do that. Many folks, myself included, cannot do that so we have to get creative if we want SPLs to live update on the iPod.

Not to seem any denser than usual, but does it make any difference if I don't l sync my iPod to my computer library? Basically, I just dump all the music from my computer into my iPod and never sync with the computer at all -- just manually managing new music.

But let's say that I have virtually my entire library in my iPod. Can I make a smart PL the "Music" playlist (i.e., the list of all music), or do I have to use some smaller smart or dumb playlist?

[rockmyplimsoul]

If you manually manage the iPod, you can still "break" a smart playlist if it depends on the contents of another playlist that is missing from the iPod. Otherwise, there should be no problem with live updating on the iPod, even in manual mode. Just make sure that your smart playlists have "Live Updating" selected in their definitions, and remember that the live updating may not show up until you leave the playlist and come back in.

Your last question isn't really clear. Are you asking if you can create a smart playlist that is based on the iTunes "Music" folder? (not the Windows iTunes Music Folder, but the "header" in the iTunes source column that says "Music") You can use "Music" as the basis for smart playlists, but if you use the "Music" folder in your library in a smart playlist, and then drag the smart playlist over to the iPod you will break its Live Updating capability (since the "Music" folder is not on the iPod). I'm not sure why you'd create a smart playlist that contains all music on your iPod though ...

[Bendra]

Originally Posted by cjmnews

ScoobZ was trying to make sure that if you have Smart Play Lists (SPLs) that feed into the Sleep SPL, that they are also sync'd to your iPod.

If any underlying playlist is missing (including the Exclusion playlist) then live updating is disabled on the Sleep SPL.

ALL my music library fits on my iPod. NONE of my SPLs uses any other playlist in the specifications.

Now, I want to fall back to an earlier version. I deleted Version 8 and re-installed version 7.5. Of course, my library won't open. Any ideas on that, anyone?

[ScoobZ]

Originally Posted by Bendra

ALL my music library fits on my iPod. NONE of my SPLs uses any other playlist in the specifications.

Okay. On my iPod my lists that are subject to live updating don't actually show that they are doing so until I leave that list, play something from another list, and then go back to the first list. Have you tried that?

Now, I want to fall back to an earlier version. I deleted Version 8 and re-installed version 7.5. Of course, my library won't open. Any ideas on that, anyone?

If you have your version 7.5 itunes library.itl file all you need to do is go back to using that. On the upgrade to 8.x the itunes library.itl file is changed to be compatible with the new iTunes. As far as I know the version 8.x itunes library.itl file is not backwards compatible with lower versions of iTunes.

[Bendra]

Originally Posted by ScoobZ

Okay. On my iPod my lists that are subject to live updating don't actually show that they are doing so until I leave that list, play something from another list, and then go back to the first list. Have you tried that?

I have played other playlists. The sleep list stays the same. Before I deleted iTunes 8, the sleep playlist was also identical to the iPod playlist.

If you have your version 7.5 itunes library.itl file all you need to do is go back to using that. On the upgrade to 8.x the itunes library.itl file is changed to be compatible with the new iTunes. As far as I know the version 8.x itunes library.itl file is not backwards compatible with lower versions of iTunes.

That means that I have to re-load iTunes 8.x for ripping, and then use Media Center, which I would always use but for their not having live updating. If live updating won't work on iTunes, it is useless except for album art and their huge library.

[ScoobZ]

Hold the phone! Live updating isn't working on your iTunes, on your computer?

Right-click on the SPL name and choose Edit Smart Playlist.
In the window that opens, is Live Updating checked?

[Bendra]

Live updating works on iTunes. I just downloaded a fresh copy of version 8.x. When I synch it to my iPod, we'll see. I almost never play iTunes music on the computer.

[ScoobZ]

On my iPod my lists that are subject to live updating don't actually show that they are doing so until I leave that list, play something from another list, and then go back to the first list. Have you tried that?

[Bendra]

In the past, I would start my sleep list, fall asleep, and wake to an iPod that is turned off. The next time I accessed it, new tunes were in place. Ditto if I stopped it and restarted it, or was still awake after all the tunes played, and I got out and went back in.

That did not happen after the first installation of version 8. I have just synched the iPod with the newest version. We shall see. Will follow up tomorrow.

[Bendra]

OK. We have a functioning live update feature. The first installation of version 8 must have been corrupted.

Now I can go back to living my life.