Playlist and relative path

[genesis]

Hello

After using Musicbee for quite a while I now wanted to created (and save) personal playlists to use on various devices.
I therefore would like to save external playlists with relative paths as I synchronize my complete music folders 1:1 basically.
The option within the settings is activated, but it still does not work 100%.
It works in that way as described in a thread here in the forum one year ago:
If the M3U-file is saved in my library root folder it contains relative paths; otherwise not.

I also found a link to an update which fixes this problem, but the link is dead and additionally I guess it has been implemented meanwhile in a newer version of Musicbee.

Does anybody have an idea to solve my problem?

Georg

I am using Ver.: 2.5.5524 - Win7
Settings on library tab
Playlists of library: D:\Music Files\00_Playlists - MBP
Exported playlists: D:\Music Files\00_Playlists - M3U
Use relative paths - Yes

[redwing]

I can't reproduce the issue. Do you mean your exported playlists are using absolute path despite the setting?

[genesis]

Hi

Yes, correct, that's what I want to say.

But I did some additional tests now.
It seems to have something to do with the root folder for the library playlists.
If I export playlists into this folder they contain absolute paths.
Saving anywhere else I get relative paths.

Do I change the root folder for library playlists, playlists saved in the former folder now contain relative paths, but again not, if I save them in the new playlist folder.

Georg


Monitored library folder: D:\Music Files
Library and exported playlists folder: D:\Music Files\00_Playlists

Without "use relative paths":
Exp. playlists always show "D:\Music Files\J\Janet Jackson\...\abc.mp3"

With "use relative paths":
Saving Exp. playlist in "D:\Music Files" it shows ".\J\Janet Jackson\...\...\abc.mp3"
Saving Exp. playlist in "D:\Music Files\00_Playlists" it shows "D:\Music Files\J\Janet Jackson\...\...\abc.mp3"

[redwing]

I can't still replicate the issue. Anyway I believe you can now handle the issue by adjusting the folder settings.

[genesis]

Yes, you are right.
Now I found a way to handle it and I am able to to create personal playlists even if I do not understand why my system reacts as described.
Maybe it will be all solved once I get a new version of Musicbee or change my PC etc.

But in general thank you for reading and answering even if someone has just been registered himself and placing his first question.
(and not being a native speaker additionally)

Georg

[redwing]

No problem!

[markwilliamsweb]

Actually I am having the same issue using a the 2.4.5404 portable build.

I have set the "exported playlists" field to: "G:\0.playlists\" and left "use relative file paths" unchecked. However when the playlist saves, any files on drive G: are relative (e.g. /Pink Floyd/The Wall/...) and anything not on this drive are absolute (e.g. H:/Pink Floyd/The Wall/...).

For me this is happening on Auto-Playlists. I have them set to "export a static copy".

Actually I have just come across a bug. When trying to create a new playlist something weird happens. It seems to nest it underneath the whichever folder is highlighted (e.g. the library or a playlist) and then I get the following error:

-------

MusicBee v2.4.5404.16303 (Win6.2), 8 Apr 2015 16:11:

System.InvalidCastException: Unable to cast object of type '#=qRx2i6EN7f0FJUuU$9e6YSLWaMADBBC_gxyCrTZgTFq8qDL6RQQPxe5TOLuIsGJxC' to type '#=qHzWqmCsvleiiDtM8zDajm6I$GYmUxv1sEnK$hvOzhlFcTAwEvcbuAsgBCVQ7MJ7L'.
   at #=q$ZlU2PEO8kjkFJTuWB5lB_WU$wiesIYozXH6K32Sr9A=.#=qmxmIdzHjEigGBJV5e$EIsKgeviLObJTclsvdDw1nNU4=(#=quhtt4X5dygsuV3ad8ZvSQcVqcciTvKQx3VvzKF901N0= #=qLrwozdqZAoYMlLJNrVnH_A==)
   at #=q$ZlU2PEO8kjkFJTuWB5lB_WU$wiesIYozXH6K32Sr9A=.#=qooJA2WpXLdykS6Uk3AwmZQ==(#=q5zcI4eFfxfH9yJi9Vs2odnGpCZ8kZc3to2EqbrIs2dZH8K1NE00zxCoYJXnD6_fR #=qlslme083Nb_eNaLvb3GgCg==)
   at #=qJagE44CUU1ujs_52f$6XUbKJ0kxlwbfaJYriEFMHePZy9Hna4vSlraKiYCA4N_xv.#=qSsvB_adUNJ3ynK_cjN7pedYeh4h_9_4yjarfeXaBSIY=(Int32 #=qS3FnaDSCuV6rE6wQqAlbTg==, Boolean #=qVN2gje3AQ4M$SxJX0FzQLe9oT58ZmeTfO4DMHInT4IY=)
   at #=qJagE44CUU1ujs_52f$6XUbKJ0kxlwbfaJYriEFMHePZy9Hna4vSlraKiYCA4N_xv.OnMouseDown(MouseEventArgs #=qxo55n7yuXDo5xbTMCBhduw==)
   at #=q$ZlU2PEO8kjkFJTuWB5lB_WU$wiesIYozXH6K32Sr9A=.OnMouseDown(MouseEventArgs #=qshP7eX_BGa6PI497OWkH7w==)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WmMouseDown(Message& m, MouseButtons button, Int32 clicks)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WndProc(Message& m)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.OnMessage(Message& m)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.WndProc(Message& m)
   at System.Windows.Forms.NativeWindow.Callback(IntPtr hWnd, Int32 msg, IntPtr wparam, IntPtr lparam)

----

[markwilliamsweb]

That error appears to have cleared itself now.

Back on topic, I have tried exporting a manual playlist and can confirm that tracks on the same drive as the playlist have a relative path, whilst tracks on a different drive have an absolute path. See below for an example

#EXTM3U
#EXTINF:115,The Alan Parsons Project - Sirius (Instrumental)
H:\The Alan Parsons Project\Eye In The Sky (Remastered)\01 - Sirius (Instrumental).mp3
#EXTINF:276,The Alan Parsons Project - Eye In The Sky
H:\The Alan Parsons Project\Eye In The Sky (Remastered)\02 - Eye In The Sky.mp3
#EXTINF:291,The Alan Parsons Project - Children Of The Moon
H:\The Alan Parsons Project\Eye In The Sky (Remastered)\03 - Children Of The Moon.mp3
#EXTINF:130,The Alan Parsons Project - Gemini
H:\The Alan Parsons Project\Eye In The Sky (Remastered)\04 - Gemini.mp3
#EXTINF:441,The Alan Parsons Project - Silence And I
H:\The Alan Parsons Project\Eye In The Sky (Remastered)\05 - Silence And I.mp3
#EXTINF:261,The Alan Parsons Project - You're Gonna Get Your Fingers Burned
H:\The Alan Parsons Project\Eye In The Sky (Remastered)\06 - You're Gonna Get Your Fingers Burned.mp3
#EXTINF:292,The Alan Parsons Project - Psychobabble
H:\The Alan Parsons Project\Eye In The Sky (Remastered)\07 - Psychobabble.mp3
#EXTINF:214,The Alan Parsons Project - Mammagamma
H:\The Alan Parsons Project\Eye In The Sky (Remastered)\08 - Mammagamma.mp3
#EXTINF:234,The Alan Parsons Project - Step By Step
H:\The Alan Parsons Project\Eye In The Sky (Remastered)\09 - Step By Step.mp3
#EXTINF:305,The Alan Parsons Project - Old And Wise
H:\The Alan Parsons Project\Eye In The Sky (Remastered)\10 - Old And Wise.mp3
#EXTINF:285,Alanis Morissette - All I Really Want
\Alanis Morissette\Jagged Little Pill\01 - All I Really Want.mp3
#EXTINF:249,Alanis Morissette - You Oughta Know
\Alanis Morissette\Jagged Little Pill\02 - You Oughta Know.mp3
#EXTINF:188,Alanis Morissette - Perfect
\Alanis Morissette\Jagged Little Pill\03 - Perfect.mp3
#EXTINF:221,Alanis Morissette - Hand In My Pocket
\Alanis Morissette\Jagged Little Pill\04 - Hand In My Pocket.mp3
#EXTINF:176,Alanis Morissette - Right Through You
\Alanis Morissette\Jagged Little Pill\05 - Right Through You.mp3
#EXTINF:300,Alanis Morissette - Forgiven
\Alanis Morissette\Jagged Little Pill\06 - Forgiven.mp3
#EXTINF:239,Alanis Morissette - You Learn
\Alanis Morissette\Jagged Little Pill\07 - You Learn.mp3
#EXTINF:267,Alanis Morissette - Head Over Feet
\Alanis Morissette\Jagged Little Pill\08 - Head Over Feet.mp3
#EXTINF:280,Alanis Morissette - Mary Jane
\Alanis Morissette\Jagged Little Pill\09 - Mary Jane.mp3
#EXTINF:229,Alanis Morissette - Ironic
\Alanis Morissette\Jagged Little Pill\10 - Ironic.mp3
#EXTINF:227,Alanis Morissette - Not The Doctor
\Alanis Morissette\Jagged Little Pill\11 - Not The Doctor.mp3
#EXTINF:293,Alanis Morissette - Wake Up
\Alanis Morissette\Jagged Little Pill\12 - Wake Up.mp3
#EXTINF:491,Alanis Morissette - You Oughta Know [Alternate Take]
\Alanis Morissette\Jagged Little Pill\13 - You Oughta Know [Alternate Take].mp3

[Zak]

Back on topic, I have tried exporting a manual playlist and can confirm that tracks on the same drive as the playlist have a relative path, whilst tracks on a different drive have an absolute path.

That is to be expected. A relative path is relative to the location of the playlist so it can only work for files on the same drive.
Otherwise, your playlist would look like:

#EXTINF:234,The Alan Parsons Project - Step By Step
\The Alan Parsons Project\Eye In The Sky (Remastered)\09 - Step By Step.mp3
#EXTINF:305,The Alan Parsons Project - Old And Wise
\The Alan Parsons Project\Eye In The Sky (Remastered)\10 - Old And Wise.mp3
#EXTINF:285,Alanis Morissette - All I Really Want
\Alanis Morissette\Jagged Little Pill\01 - All I Really Want.mp3
#EXTINF:249,Alanis Morissette - You Oughta Know
\Alanis Morissette\Jagged Little Pill\02 - You Oughta Know.mp3

and there's no way for MusicBee to know which files are on which drive.

[markwilliamsweb]

Yes that makes sense, but the results are the same whether you have got "use relative file paths" checked or not. If this wasn't checked I would expect the drive letter to appear against each file, regardless of where the playlist is stored.