A Tip for Syncing With a Library Larger Than iPod

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keiron99

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OK I'm really stuck with this. Maybe I'm trying to achieve something different and barking up the wrong tree. I have 49 gb of mp3s, but only a 40gb iPod (I think about 37gb in reality). Why can't I just keep deselecting tracks/albums/artists until I reach my target? Isn't there a little counter anywhere? The reading at the bottom always gives the total amount in the library, rather than selected tracks. This also applies if I create a smart playlist, and why would I want to set the limit to 100gb? Shouldn't it be the same as the capacity of my iPod?
 

ashawley

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An alternative, true, but you lose control as to what's actually on the iPod. Not something I like. I like to know what's on there in case I have an urgin' to hear a specific tune.

Adam
 

crabii

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My dilemma: I often listen to the songs in my library using iTunes on my PC. Since my library is bigger than 4GB, I've unchecked a lot of music using the method described earlier in this thread. However, once you've unchecked a song, or specifically, all the songs in an album, you can no longer play the album all the way through. Each song must be started individually if it is unchecked, which is incovenient, to say the least. Any workarounds? Thanks in advance.
 

Ctuchik

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Yes, I have the exact same problem.

That fact alone makes it impossible for me to use the checked/unchecked system for my ipod.

I'm seriously considering switching music player because of this. How are the smart playlists on MC9?
 

leedawg

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Sorting

I was reading over this and I think it addresses a question I have had. Is there a way to make iTunes tell you waht is on your ipod and what is not and then simply select weather you want it to be on your ipod or not and just have it autosync. For instance say im browsin my library and go wonder if that is on my ipod or not do I have to swtich over to the player and serach for it to see if its there or not or can itunes highlight waht songs are either on your player or not on your player. Any way if anybody else has found this frustrating let me know perhaps we can write apple about including some more powerful synchronizing features into iTunes. I love iTunes just wish it could do a better job of managing the player and the library and letting you know what is where and easily moving it back and forth. I thought about this a minute and decided to add some stuff. Basically I want to be able to be browsing my music library in iTunes because I cant always rember everything I have. And while im browsing is there a way to say hum wonder if that is on my player or not and be able to see it withouth switching to the ipod and running a search for that artist or song and just having it displayed in front of you. Its a major pain in the ### to have to flip back and forth should be able to know that information when you are browsing the library any way if anybody understands this and knows another way let me know mabye this meathod does this not sure going ot play with it tonight and see what it does any way thanks for the info this forum is a life saver.
 
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leedawg

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IT works great!!!!

Okay I tried it it works grea tnad basically does what im asking you can tell whats on your ipod or not from whats checked or unchecked basically when your viewing your normal collection thanks for the great tip.

Lee dawg
 

camson

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iTunes 4.5 now has the ability to create nested playlists. Therefore.. all your problems are solved!!!

The NEW procedure is therefore....

1. Create a smart playlist that limits your songs to the capacity of your iPod and call this something like "iPod tunes". If you tick the "match only checked songs" then you can include all the tracks you've previously selected with the old method.

2. In each playlist that you wish to have on your ipod, add a step that matches where Playlist = "iPod Tunes"

3. Select the ipod tunes playlist and any other smart playlist you want to be automatically updated.

4. Update ipod and be thoroughly impressed with the new nested playlists feature!
 

razortag

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Viewing unchecked songs

My goal was to figure out how to view my unchecked songs (since some of my checked albums will be trashed soon - They're just not up to snuff!)

First, I set up a standard "Checked for iPod" smart-playlist for syncing to my ipod. (Uncheck all criteria, except "Match only checked songs", and limit size to 100 gigs) It's great to know exactly how many gigs/megs I have checked!

Obviously, I've set the iPod to sync only the checked songs.

Then, I set up an "Unchecked songs" smart-playlist, with the only condition being "Playlist is NOT Checked for iPod". Simple as that! All my unchecked songs live happily in this playlist, hoping to someday make it back onto my iPod.

This answers a question someone had before about viewing unchecked songs. Could this be done with the older version of iTunes?

- Dave

P.S. I manage my "Checked for iPod" playlist to be 37.2 gigs. The 100 gig limit is just there to satisfy iTunes' silly requirement to have SOMETHING determining the playlist, besides it just being your checked songs.
 
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sanderton

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For what it's worth, I do it like this:

I give one star to all the tracks I always want to be on my iPod no matter what, and have a playlist to select >=1 star - so my core tracks are always there.

I have a size-limited playlist selecting on added in the last three months, which excludes the first one, set to select by order added most recent first - this makes sure all my new tunes are always there.

I have a size limited playlist selecting on play count = 0, excluding the above two - this makes sure that unplayed songs bubble to the surface.

Finally I have a size limited playlist exclusing the above three on random selection - which fills up the iPod with old, played non-favourites!

Works well once set up; the sizes need twaeking from time to time to keep the iPod at capacity
 

tensionrev

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FWIW, thanks for keeping this as a sticky, even though the last post was 5 months ago. I have been trying to figure out how to uncheck multiple things at a time, as opposed to unchecking each song on a cd in itunes, and the <ctrl> <click> is the key. Saved me a bunch of time and hassle, especially since those check boxes are really small on my screen. Now I don't always have to have the kids music on my ipod.

:)
 
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GatorDeb

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I had tried everything to uncheck all songs by artist for a looooong time. THANK YOU!! That's the one step I was missing. You rule :)
 

g272366

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Thanks mucho, I had been trying to figure out the best way to do this and you just saved me a bunch of time.
 

stalevel

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A similar idea!

I handle this thing the following way... I think others have done close to the same. I'm not sure I understand how this is better or worse than other ideas in this thread, but here goes:

1. Create a regular playlist... I called it "on the pod"...Leaving all music in the itunes library checked

2. Using the Browse function I added the 35GB or so that I wanted included on the ipod (40GB) to this "on the pod". IT doesn't take as long as you'd think, sometimes I'd throw entire Genres in.

3. With the ipod connected, I set the options for "Automatically update selected playlists only" and checked this "on the pod" playlist as well as any others that include music within the "on the pod" list. Leave the "only update checked songs" box unchecked.

4. For any smartlists that I already had tha I wanted on the ipod, I went in and included a condition <Playlist><is><"on the pod">. This made sure tha no extra music was included on the ipod "accidentally".

As an afterthought I made a new Smartplaylist called "Not on the pod" with the condition <Playlist><is not><"on the pod">. This gives me an exact list of what I do not have on my ipod. This is not checked in the options window so that nothing in here gets to the ipod.

The benefit of this as I see it is that I don't deal with checked and unchecked songs. (I'd likely control click them all sooner or later, and wreck all of my settings and have to reselect them all). This also allows itunes to playback as normal.

The only downside I see is that I do have to throw anything new into the "on the pod" list myself. There is nothing "smart" about what's getting synced. I do this occasionally by just sorting by "date added". I throw some out and add the new, always keeping around 35-37GB.

Let me know if I'm missing something. I'm always trying to make it easier!
 

slicky

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OMG, I can now scratch "not being able to do multiple checkboxes at once" off my list of things I hate about iTunes. What were they thinking? Thanks, ashawley!!

~slicky
 

john030477

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This is exactly what I needed to know. Another tip, instead of creating a playlist to only copy checked songs, you can do this

To automatically update your iPod with only certain songs, check the boxes next to songs you want to transfer in the iTunes window (by default, all songs are checked). Then choose Edit > Preferences and click the iPod tab. Click the Music tab and make sure "Automatically update all songs and playlists" is selected. Then select the "Only update checked songs" checkbox.
 

Mandos

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Yeesh.

I've read almost every post in this thread and I am still completely baffled.

I know what I want is somewhere in here - just ain't finding it. I want to "see" all the songs that aren't on my iPod.

I'm using iTunes 4.7.1.30 and an iPod mini. I want to "see" what songs in my library aren't on my iPod (I guess a smart playlist) and oh...oh.

Duh, NM, I just needed to make a playlist that doesnot contain songs on my iPod playlist.

Yeesh, thank God I can lift heavy things.
 
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