Playlists and where they are backed up

[Hiphopopotamus]

Hi there.

Please see the attached pic - could you tell me which file stores the backed up playlists please?

https://i.imgur.com/bJG7WZP.png

I can't see which one it would be - and I want to ensure my playlists are being backed up.

Cheers

[sveakul]

Actually each playlist is an individual file, and they are stored in the "Playlists" subfolder of the "Library" folder--in the case of a portable installation that path would be like C:\MusicBee\Library\Playlists.  Copy that folder elsewhere to have a backup of your playlists.

[Hiphopopotamus]

Thanks for the reply sveakul.

However, I can't find the "Library" folder.. Please see this screenshot: https://imgur.com/85AwdH2

On the other hand, we can see the Playlists subfolder (on the screenshot), so I presume that backing this up will allow me to restore my playlists if necessary?

[sveakul]

OK, well you don't have the Portable Version.  Based on the screenshot, the playlist files should indeed be in the Playlists subfolder shown--open that folder and you should see a bunch of files with names all corresponding to the names of your playlists.  Those are the files to backup, and that is the folder to backup.

[Hiphopopotamus]

Hi sveakul

That's exactly what I expected (to see the names of my playlists,  which I have about 10 of) but they don't appear when I try to look in the folder. As we can see in this screenshot from before (https://imgur.com/85AwdH2) when I click on the first 'Playlist' folder it shows another 'Playlist' folder - which, when clicked on, doesn't show anything inside.. 

And when I look at what's backed up in the folder it backs up to (https://i.imgur.com/bJG7WZP.png) there's no sign of playlists..

Am I looking in the wrong place maybe?

[frankz]

They're wherever you set them to be in Edit->Edit Preferences->Library...playlists...library playlists

[Hiphopopotamus]

Thanks frankz. However, when I follow that I see the same as I saw before - the 'Playlist' folder but with no sign of the playlists that should be in there (as per Reply 3 from sveakul above). Please see screenshot. Any ideas what could be wrong?

https://imgur.com/46RfmYs

[sveakul]

You need to find the MusicBee "Library" folder.  Acc. to your settings the playlists will be in a subfolder named "Playlists" inside the folder "MusicBee\Library."  Please do a Windows File Explorer all-drive search for "Library".  If you have the Installer version of MusicBee that folder should be in C:\Users\(username)\AppData\Roaming\MusicBee.  You will have to set Windows to "Show Hidden Files and Folders" in order to SEE this (google how to do that if necessary).

[frankz]

To add, if you do a Windows File Explorer all-drive search for one of your playlists as <PlaylistName>.mbp you will see where they are stored, too.

[Hiphopopotamus]

Hi sveakul. Cheers. have to set Windows to "Show Hidden Files and Folders". The only MusicBee folder I can find is in my Music section of my hard drive. Is that the one? Please see screenshot: https://imgur.com/ODgmMKN

Hi frankz. Thanks, found my Playlists. Here's a screenshot: https://imgur.com/j9orlPL I saw that 'Date Modified' section updates in real-time - which seems to suggest it recognises the current actions I'm taking on my playlists , and it's this that is backed up when I back up my playlists from MusicBee? My main question still remains though, where can I see the actual back up files? There's still no sign of them in the back up folder that's created when I back up MusicBee, see screenshot: https://imgur.com/lwkWPcg

Cheers for your continued help guys, appreciated.

[sveakul]

OK, and here I thought everybody had a Library folder, haha..  AFAIK playlists are not included by the offered MusicBee backup options.  No big deal, just copy/paste them to the back up location you want.  I use the Portable version so all I need to do is copy its one "MusicBee" folder somewhere and I have the settings, player, playlists, library files, the whole dang thing backed up two clicks.

[Hiphopopotamus]

Haha, glad it's not just me being stupid  Ok, so when I want to backup my playlists I can simply copy/paste the files from here https://imgur.com/j9orlPL (that are updated automatically in real time) to a backup folder that I create manually somewhere? And if I ever need to restore them it will be easy enough via File - Playlists - Import Playlists (from the backup location I created).. ?

[frankz]

You wouldn't even need to reimport them, just put those files back in the playlist folder as is with MB closed.

[Hiphopopotamus]

Cheers frankz, makes sense. Just to check (so that I don't lose the weeks it's taken to sort out my playlists):

1. If I take a copy of the .mbp files that are automatically updated on my device and put them in a separate 'backup' folder
2. Then add A NEW SONG to a playlist on my MusicBee app
3. Then delete the automatically updated .mbp files (which should include A NEW SONG)
4. Then add the copy I took in point 1 above to the same (now empty) folder

..all my playlists would still be in MusicBee, minus NEW SONG?

Hope that makes sense!

[frankz]

That is correct.  The MBP file is the playlist, and the playlist is the MBP file.  They are one and the same.  If you back up a playlist to a separate location at a certain time, it is that playlist as it existed at that time.

You should only do the "restoring" of the backup into the actual playlist directory with MB closed though.

EDIT TO ADD: That the above only applies to static playlists. Auto Playlists (.xautopf files) are sets of criteria and settings and not an actual list of songs.  Backing them up will back up the criteria and settings for an auto playlist, but not the files that match or the order at the time of backup.