Newbie Playlist Question

[Chaz34]

Hi,
I am in the process of ripping a large collection to FLAC and have the Playlist Writer DSP function selected. The issue is, when I drag the newly created M3U playlist to VOX or Apple Music for playback, the track names will load but the files will not play.

In opening the M3U file in a text editor, I see the album and file names fine, just no paths are indicated to the FLAC files themselves so the audio player cannot play them. The reason why I would like a playlist file is because the car I drive needs them in order to play an album off of a USB thumb drive. Plus, instead of dragging each file into VOX, I would like to drag the playlist file and have all of the tracks load and start to play.

I am missing something huge or my thinking is off on how playlists work. Can anyone offer advice on why there aren't paths to the files in my playlist? Thanks very much in advance!

[mville]

Re: Newbie Playlist Question

Try editing the the Playlist Writer option Titles, to include the full path and filename.

[Chaz34]

Re: Newbie Playlist Question

Thanks mville for the idea. That makes sense but just gotta figure out how to indicate that in a tag. Will let you know how it goes.

[mville]

Re: Newbie Playlist Question

Try replacing [Title] with [origpath].

[Chaz34]

Re: Newbie Playlist Question

Hi mville, First I tried adding [origpath]\[origfilename] to the Playlist Titles box but that did not work. Then I tried just the [origpath]as you suggested but that did not work either but I appreciate the suggestions.

In case it helps, here is an example of the M3U file when I open it as a text file. No paths, just the titles.

*EXTM3U
*EXTINF:259,Big Audio Dynamite II -
01 Big Audio Dynamite II - Rush.flac
*EXTINF:486,Big Audio Dynamite II -
02 Big Audio Dynamite II - Rush Dance.flac
*EXTINF:464,Big Audio Dynamite II -
03 Big Audio Dynamite II - City Lights.flac
*EXTINF:344,Big Audio Dynamite II -
04 Big Audio Dynamite II - Rush (live).flac

[Chaz34]

Re: Newbie Playlist Question

The playlist is being created using relative paths. If as you say that "no paths are indicated" then it's assuming that the playlist and the flac files are being stored together. Relative paths are important as they enable you to use the files on different systems, as long as the relationship between the playlist and the files themselves remains. If you were to add the current path to the filename then the playlist will only work on that one desktop.

Ignoring the *EXT lines for now, is the filename in the m3u file correct, and is the playlist and the FLAC file in the same folder?
Do the filenames contain only ascii characters?
You could try adding ./ to the beginning of the filenames in the m3u to see if that helped, but it shouldn't matter.
I assume in the DSP Settings you've left 'Write To:' as 'Same Folder as First Track'.
The value of Titles and Filename shouldn't matter.

Thanks simbun. I understand your logic regarding the relative paths. Totally makes sense.

The M3U files are landing in the same folder as the tracks. "Same folder as first track" is selected and everything looks good inside of the folder regarding correct track names and artist.

I just realized that when I drag the M3U to VOX (for example), the tracks load in the correct order with correct names. They just don't start playing. They are greyed out like VOX cannot find the file itself. With other playlists I have made in Kid3, VOX or Apple Music will play them just fine. Thats why I thought CD Ripper wasn't adding a path but I think I am wrong.

[Chaz34]

Re: Newbie Playlist Question

Are you sure VOX supports relative paths? The playlists you've created with Kid3/VOX/Apple Music do they contain relative or fully qualified paths?
You can obviously put the paths in, but then the playlists won't be portable.

When creating a playlist in Kid3, I do have the "use relative path for files in playlist" button checked.
I can drag them into VOX, the tracks come over and the first song starts playing automatically. Same with Apple Music.

I did some further testing after your questions. With FLAC files I have downloaded from the internet, I can drag them to Kid3 and make an M3U that works fine. If I drag FLAC files I created in db poweramp to Kid3, the playlist will not work. I can play files ripped from db individually and they sound great, its just the playlist doesn't work. And now that I cannot make a playlist from the db files in Kid3, I think there is something else going on with ripping?

Thanks for your help!
External CD drive, Mac iOS, Accurate Rip setting

[mville]

Re: Newbie Playlist Question

Are you running CD Ripper on a Mac? What options have you set in the Playlist Writer DSP?

I ask because I've just tested CD Ripper for windows (R17.7), using the default values for the Playlist Writer DSP:



The resulting m3u playlist, has relative paths and I can open and play it in all my audio players/software.

If possible, can you rip a popular CD in CD Ripper with default options, and post the resulting m3u playlist contents here?

[Chaz34]

Re: Newbie Playlist Question

Hi simbun and mville. I appreciate your ongoing assistance here.

mville - I am using dBpoweramp on a mac (os Big Sur) and here is a picture of the Playlist writer settings. They are exactly as you have them on your system:



I ripped Dire Straits "Brothers in Arms" with the default settings and the m3u file worked perfectly. Weird. I then immediately put in Genesis "Invisible Touch" and it ripped accuraclty but the m3u file will not work. I have no explanation as to why as I literally took out one CD, put in the next and hit "rip". Both m3u files are here and look identical to me:



I then tried to replicate the Dire Straits success with some other rips but I couldn't get an m3u to work.

Simbun- I renamed a few interntet tracks as suggested and made a successful playlist in Kid3 which played as expected. I then took a few tracks from a ripped CD I made, renamed them and they will not play. I also tried removing the EXIF lines from a ripped playlist but it had no affect.

I also tried ripping an m3u8 file but had the same results.

Maybe my naming scheme is screwing it up? Would not explain the Dire Straits above.

[mville]

Re: Newbie Playlist Question

Hmm... the Invisible Touch playlist looks ok to me. Can you copy and paste it's contents here along with your Naming string?

[Chaz34]

Re: Newbie Playlist Question

Hmm... the Invisible Touch playlist looks ok to me. Can you copy and paste it's contents here along with your Naming string?

Is this what you were referring to?

m3u file contents:

*EXTM3U
*EXTINF:209,Genesis - Invisible Touch
01-Genesis - Invisible Touch.flac
*EXTINF:533,Genesis - Tonight, Tonight, Tonight
02-Genesis - Tonight, Tonight, Tonight.flac
*EXTINF:286,Genesis - Land Of Confusion
03-Genesis - Land Of Confusion.flac
*EXTINF:299,Genesis - In Too Deep
04-Genesis - In Too Deep.flac
*EXTINF:249,Genesis - Anything She Does
05-Genesis - Anything She Does.flac
*EXTINF:645,Genesis - Domino
06-Genesis - Domino.flac
*EXTINF:231,Genesis - Throwing It All Away
07-Genesis - Throwing It All Away.flac
*EXTINF:290,Genesis - The Brazilian
08-Genesis - The Brazilian.flac

Naming string:
[MAXLENGTH]80,[IFVALUE]album artist,[album artist],[IFCOMP]Various Artists[][IF!COMP][artist][][][]/[MAXLENGTH]80,[year]-[album] (FLAC)[]/[MAXLENGTH]80,[track]-[artist] - [title][]

[Chaz34]

Re: Newbie Playlist Question

Do you have to load the tracks "into" VOX before it'll play them? https://vox.rocks/forum/t/playing-music/5531

The problem the OP describes is exactly what is happening:
"I seem to run into trouble playing songs I have loaded into Vox. I hit play and it goes down my playlist with the music bars at the first of each song only for a second and moves onto the next song. The titles are not solid white text they are kinda greyed out."

All of the FLAC files are on my computer and I just drag the m3u file over to VOX and it loads the tracks...just won't start playing them. Even if I double click on a track loaded into VOX from that playlist, it will not play. If I drag the individual FLAC file to VOX however, it will play.

I do not know if this is a VOX issue or a m3u playlist issue. I will download some other media players and try the playlist files with them.

[Chaz34]

Re: Newbie Playlist Question

If the files play in VOX, and if when you renamed them to 01.flac and created a m3u in kid3 it still didn't work then it can't be a naming issue. It's probably best to ask the question on the VOX forum.

I just downloaded and installed VLC player. It played every m3u file I have ripped with dBpoweramp. So I believe this is a VOX issue and I will let them know for what its worth.

Thank you simbun and mville for helping me diagnose this! Appreciate your time.

[mville]

Re: Newbie Playlist Question

I copied your playlist text into a text file (ansi encoded), changed the asterisk(s) to hash(s), saved it into my Invisible Touch album folder and changed the file extension to m3u.

The resulting playlist opens and plays the Invisible Touch album in all my audio players/software.

Unless anyone else has any ideas, I too suspect the problem is with the VOX software.