In Playlists allow Names of Links to files instead of File Names

[tomte-da]

I am very glad to have found MusicBee - thank You, Steven!
For a private Tango dance event I prepared a playlist using file links as long as possible:

First I ripped or copied mp3 files to one single directory "mp3-base" (database alike).
Then I generated an auto-updating Library from the whole "mp3-base".

Then I built a directory tree "myLinks" of my personal categories like
- tango
- - +++
- - ++
- - +
- - notNow
- valse
- - +++
- - ++
- - +
- - notNow
- milonga
- - +++
- - ++
- - +
- - notNow
- contemplative
- soul
- rock-n-roll

Then I dropped links from the physical mp3 files within "mp3-base" to one or more directories within "myLinks". Thereby one physical .mp3 can be found in multiple directories, e.g. in "tango\++" and in "contemplative".

By just double clicking a link I can easily play the track and move (or copy) the link to a better matching category like "tango\+++"

Finally I added the names of links of interest (with a number prefix in the link name) to a manually edited .m3u8 playlist. But MusicBee can not follow the links, so MusicBee  can not play the .mp3 file the link points to.

Would it be much work to follow all indirections / links until a physical file has been found (instead of directly trying to play the path taken from the playlist)?

Allowing links in playlists
- would dramatically reduce .mp3 file redundancy (and disk size)!
- would make the process of editing (or even generating?) playlists from links much more stable
- would allow to concentrate on a DJ's viewpoint!

I have not found this feature in any other player.

Would be great! Thank you in advance! tomte-da

[Pingaware]

This can be done entirely using auto-playlists with properly tagged files. You have one file, then the playlists are generated based upon the tags.

[tomte-da]

You have one file, then the playlists are generated based upon the tags.

I have searched for any cohesive explanation for this in the help system again.

Where to put own tags (instead of links in directories of these names) like e.g.:
"Walzer"
'"valse" and "+++"
"milonga" and "++"
"tango" and "++"
"soul"

And then: How to generate or edit a playlist of e.g. all tracks tagged '"valse" and "+++"?

Or a playlist having four tangos, then a "cortina" track, four tangos again, then four valses, again four + four tangos, then four milongas, etc.?

And then  - while hearing and testing -  I need to replace some tracks by better fitting ones.
And then I need to change the order of some tracks within the group of four tracks.

The topic "How to use "text file to tags" feature" did not help.
The Topic "How to Copy & Paste Only Selected Tags between Multiple Files" did not help either.

Is there any manual besides the help system?

Are there any examples anywhere? I think many DJs need to compose their playlists like this.

Thank you in advance - tomte-da

[Pingaware]

I'm afraid your questions are rather unclear, but I'll try and help explain.

You have two options really. You can either tag your files, or leave them and work off the filenames. I would recommend the first option, as it will be more reliable in the long run, but it's entirely your choice.

If you want to tag your files, you can probably use the "Infer and Update Tags from Filename" command. This is done by right clicking on the files and going to "Auto-Tag by Track". You can then choose how you want your tags to be filled in from your filename.

If you don't choose to do this, there's no problem.

What I think you want to do is create a playlist mixer (by right clicking in the playlist panel and selecting New>Playlist Mixer). This will bring up a panel where you can choose criteria. Click on "Add criteria" and you can then select your criteria, with things such as "Name is xxx", "Filename contains xxx", etc. By creating multiple criteria and specifying how many tracks from each you want to play, you should be able to get most of what you want.

The hardest bit is going to be if you want to preserve a certain set of tracks but change the order around slightly. For this, you're going to have to export the playlist as a static playlist, then import it and change the order manually.

I hope that helps!

[psychoadept]

Where to put own tags (instead of links in directories of these names) like e.g.:
"Walzer"
'"valse" and "+++"
"milonga" and "++"
"tango" and "++"
"soul"

You could use existing tags such as genre and rating for this (probably easiest, unless you're using those fields for another purpose), or you could create your own custom tags.

http://musicbee.wikia.com/wiki/Custom_tags

And then: How to generate or edit a playlist of e.g. all tracks tagged '"valse" and "+++"?

This is what you would use an auto-playlist for.  See this page: http://musicbee.wikia.com/wiki/Auto-Playlist#Auto-Playlists

You would create a playlist with rules like "Genre is valse" and "Rating is <3 stars>"

Or a playlist having four tangos, then a "cortina" track, four tangos again, then four valses, again four + four tangos, then four milongas, etc.?

This is where playlist mixers come in, as Pingaware described.

And then  - while hearing and testing -  I need to replace some tracks by better fitting ones.
And then I need to change the order of some tracks within the group of four tracks.

This would be done in the Now Playing List once the playlist mixer is loaded, also as Pingaware describes.  If you need to save it for later, you can right click on Now Playing List in the left sidebar and tell it to export as a static playlist.