[iPod 5G] Read iPod native playlists in Rb database

[Chronon]

There are other, more peripheral, ways to contribute as well.  Keeping the wiki and manuals up to date is certainly welcomed.  And contributing advice to new users on these forums also lightens the load.  

[bluebrother]

RB is designed for end-users, what you are actually saying is that the end-users are the devs themselves.

Developers are quite different from end users. For example, while devs probably also would use Rockbox Utility there is absolutely no need for them. End users frequently have trouble installing Rockbox without a graphical tool ...

If not then why not have a private forum opened only to devs? That would nicely sort out your problem of being inundated with requests i¬/

That would defeat the way open source works: it's open, and this also implies discussion about features and the development process.

[AlexP]

If not then why not have a private forum opened only to devs? That would nicely sort out your problem of being inundated with requests i¬/

That would defeat the way open source works: it's open, and this also implies discussion about features and the development process.

Also, very few of the developers even read the forums.

[polygonal]

For those of you still trying to find a solution, I suggest trying foobar2000 with a plugin calls foo_dop. It should read the itunes database fine and converts all playlists into foobar playlists (and I think recently it starts to support smart playlist converting to foobar2000's autoplaylist as well). And from that you can easily save those playlists to m3u or m3u8, which will be understood by rockbox.

Additionally, foo_dop lets you have your own folder structure (instead of the F00, etc. folders) and build a itunes database with that as well. That means that you can save your music in logical format, i.e. something like \music\artist\album\trackname and can still use the original firmware when you want to. It is worth a try - and you can't go much wrong since foobar2000 is one of the best audio players around.

EDIT: spelling and grammar : )

[etien]

1) Donations are accepted, visit the front page of rockbox.org

My bad, I had missed it ! Donation made, I am glad to be able to contribute at least something.

There are other, more peripheral, ways to contribute as well. Keeping the wiki and manuals up to date is certainly welcomed.  And contributing advice to new users on these forums also lightens the load.

I will duly have a look at the wiki and see what I can do at that early stage. I probably need a few more weeks of using RB to start giving advice to others though.

For those of you still trying to find a solution, I suggest trying foobar2000 with a plugin calls foo_dop.

Unfortunately I'm one of those darn macusers so sadly no Foobar for me... Might try it in Parallels Desktop though, if anything just to try the playlist export. Thanks for the pointer.

[EDIT] having trouble finding foo_dop, the page of the dev doesn't open, hopefully this has not been abandonned. If someone had an alternative link (ie not starting with www.yuo.be), would appreciate, thanks.

[polygonal]

[EDIT] having trouble finding foo_dop, the page of the dev doesn't open, hopefully this has not been abandonned. If someone had an alternative link (ie not starting with www.yuo.be), would appreciate, thanks.

foo_dop is not abandoned. Don't think "www" should be in the link - try http://yuo.be/ipod.php
The support thread at hydrogenaudio forum is here http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?s=d4a6ec70bca940d7722e9ca395fc1b1e&showtopic=45160

[etien]

I was indeed trying to access yuo.be (with no www), but it was probably maintenance that kept it offline. It's back on now, Cheers!

[ell1ps1s]

Unfortunately I'm one of those darn macusers so sadly no Foobar for me...

If you're on a Mac, pretty much everything within iTunes is accessible to AppleScript. It shouldn't be too difficult to write a script to get the pathnames of the files on an iPod and write a text file of those.

This site has a number of useful AppleScripts for iTunes. I don't see one that converts iTunes playlists to m3u, but the code of all the scripts there is available, so you can use them as tutorials towards one that does what you want.

I've been playing with something similar, but right now it's too specific to my own environment to be of much use to anyone else. If there's interest out there I could look at making it more general, and maybe posting it on the wiki.

--

EDIT: After further investigation, 'not too difficult' is probably an overstatement. If you're simply using an iPod as a hard drive, then getting pathnames of the files on it is simple. However, if you're using iTunes to manage the music on the iPod, and the music files are therefore stored in the secret Apple directory structure, that appears to be trickier. I'm still looking into it, but I'm not promising results at this stage.

[ashvash]

For those of you still trying to find a solution, I suggest trying foobar2000 with a plugin calls foo_dop. It should read the itunes database fine and converts all playlists into foobar playlists (and I think recently it starts to support smart playlist converting to foobar2000's autoplaylist as well). And from that you can easily save those playlists to m3u or m3u8, which will be understood by rockbox.

Additionally, foo_dop lets you have your own folder structure (instead of the F00, etc. folders) and build a itunes database with that as well. That means that you can save your music in logical format, i.e. something like \music\artist\album\trackname and can still use the original firmware when you want to. It is worth a try - and you can't go much wrong since foobar2000 is one of the best audio players around.

EDIT: spelling and grammar : )

hi i have a 5.5g 80gb..not getting the foobar plugin to work. i want to be able to drop folders into the ipod's root directory with my mp3 in them.  but i want the native OS to have access to that stuff as well, because rockbox will not work with my ihome system or my phillips ipod dock.

thanks

[GodEater]

Yeah, I never got foo_dop to work like that either.

Apparently later versions of the Ipod firmware refuse to load music from folders outside the Ipod_Control\Music directory, even if the itunes database on the ipod says the files are elsewhere.

[BillyPrefect]

Hi... frequent reader, first time writer... I too was reading this whole 5 page mess, looking for something that would let me sync playlists somehow, anyhow.

I am not sure what I did right, but that foobar with the foo_dop component worked like a charm, playlists work perfectly, update whenever I tell them to, telling it to download directly to the ipod makes life easy, and the ipod working like a charm with RockBox reads them and plays them with no muss or fuss.

Ipod 5G video - 30 gig.  Running the pen and scissors (?) theme, which I think is freaking awesome!!

[mrmimis06]

The more I read the more I realize this software isn't for me. The only reason I decided to install was because the guy from CNET made a video about it a few days ago. It seemed pretty interesting. But not being able to create playlists on your pc and only on the player is absolutely ridiculous. The guys who responded on the first pages were simply asking a question nicely and all they got was some rude and snobby responses from some rockbox geeks.

Its great that there is people out there willing to sacrifice time to create software for people out there to use.  But to come in to a forum, ask a simple question, and get bombarded with snobby remarks, are not cool.  

Its obvious, this software isnt for the masses.  

Include the ability to create playlists on my pc's or better yet, export playlists from itunes on to rocbox and the ability to see album artwork on rockbox EASILY PEOPLE, AGAIN, EASILY with no need of me becoming a pc freak and spend 20 hours a day on my computer so I can create it myself, and you will win me back. Would even consider donating some cash.

For now, uninstalling rockbox as we speak. It really isnt all that.

[Llorean]

M3U playlists can be made with nearly any program on a PC, including notepad or the "dir" command in Dos. As well, how can we add the ability for iTunes to export playlists in M3U? We don't have access to the iTunes source code. Surely you meant "the ability to import playlists from iTunes"?

But honestly, why should we try to win you back? You've said "Do this for me, and I MIGHT give you money." The usual process is "You give money, someone gives you software" but obviously we're offering it for free. What we want is help. Instead of saying "Rockbox should do this" pitch in and help make it do the things you want it to do. That's what we've all done, every single person who's worked on Rockbox decided he wanted it to do something, and so worked on it.

But as you can't be bothered to actually learn about the software before putting it down (as about 30 seconds of research will show you that M3U playlists are a standard format), I'm not expecting a very interesting or at least well thought out response, as it's clear from your first post the quality we can expect from you.

Yes, this is a snobby remark, but if you're not willing to show a little respect in actually verifying your facts before posting, I'm not sure you warrant any respect from me, especially since you've already stated you've little to no interest in using our software.

[mrmimis06]

LLoren. Lloren.  You must not be able to read or something. As I mentioned previously. Those are just a few features that would be great to add to rockbox, and if they do exist, than all you can do is direct me to it, but all you keep saying is how WE should contribute and stop requesting add on's with out assisting. All you do is keep hammering people. Absolutely ridiculous. This software is obviously intend for those who are willing to spend countless hours contributing by creating plug-ins etc..and not for those who can contribute by word of mouth or trial and error.  

That paypal button you have on your home page for donating. No way.After those types of responses. Hope you have a great day or evening. LLoren. I appreciate your friendliness.

[Llorean]

You can't be bothered to read well enough to spell my name, can't be bothered to learn about the features the software has before complaining about their lack, and I'm supposed to want your word of mouth support? What are you going to do, spread around misinformation about what our software can't do so we have even less users? Am I supposed to want that?

Trial and error? If a manual's too much for you, if a single word, my name, is too much for you, how can I expect you to fill out a useful bug report, or better yet follow instructions for providing useful information?

I'll more than happily donate whatever necessary to match the surely staggeringly huge donation I've lost the other members of the project by offending you. I'm truly sorry you can't be bothered to understand how open source software works before complaining about it. You are entitled to NOTHING, not even politeness, because you have paid nothing. Anything you are given is by the goodwill of others. If you give respect you will be shown respect, and your very first post in this thread showed none whatsoever, so surely you can't expect respect from people you give none to.