How to get playlists to work on Columbus

[CCBaxter]

I have imported loads of MP3s into my Columbus HDD using the "manage jukebox" function, but I have had no joy with playlists.

I can create playlists Ok using windows media player on my PC and I can edit them to remove the local file paths and I can then import them into the Columbus and they appear on the playlist screen but all I get is "file not found".

I suspect it is a simple matter of knowing what the directory structure is on the HDD.

Anyone managed to import playlists OK on the Columbus ? If so, what is the file structure?

[freelunch]

I don't know if this solution would suit, but you could group the files (that constitute your playlist) into a folder, then import the whole folder. Individual folders for each playlist.

[CCBaxter]

On 20/02/2017 at 14:19, freelunch said:

I don't know if this solution would suit, but you could group the files (that constitute your playlist) into a folder, then import the whole folder. Individual folders for each playlist.

Yes, I know lots of ways round it, but I want to use real playlists, otherwise I could just use the old compilation CDs I have burned alongside all my MP3 music on the Columbus Jukebox.

Seems strange that playlists are supported (allegedly) but no instructions on how to generate and/or import them.

Thanks for the reply anyway.

[freelunch]

When you find out how to do it, please post the solution. Thanks.

[jon15]

On 2/16/2017 at 10:47, CCBaxter said:

I have imported loads of MP3s into my Columbus HDD using the "manage jukebox" function, but I have had no joy with playlists.

I can create playlists Ok using windows media player on my PC and I can edit them to remove the local file paths and I can then import them into the Columbus and they appear on the playlist screen but all I get is "file not found".

I suspect it is a simple matter of knowing what the directory structure is on the HDD.

Anyone managed to import playlists OK on the Columbus ? If so, what is the file structure?

 

Hi, were you able to find a solution? I'm also trying to get my playlist to work... (In Bolero, however).

[CCBaxter]

38 minutes ago, jon15 said:

 

Hi, were you able to find a solution? I'm also trying to get my playlist to work... (In Bolero, however).

Hi jon15,

 

Unfortunately not. I have asked both my dealer and Skoda UK. No response from either other than acknowledging my query. Seems there is no solution. I might try emailing Skoda HQ and see if they can help, but I'm not hopeful.

I've looked on Audi and VW bbs and they have the same issue. No solutions there either.

[jon15]

On 8/4/2017 at 12:52, CCBaxter said:

Hi jon15,

 

Unfortunately not. I have asked both my dealer and Skoda UK. No response from either other than acknowledging my query. Seems there is no solution. I might try emailing Skoda HQ and see if they can help, but I'm not hopeful.

I've looked on Audi and VW bbs and they have the same issue. No solutions there either.

 

Hi CCBaxter,

 

I got it to work, many thanks to @Paul90!!  (It should work on Columbus too!)

 

I wrote step-by-step instructions below, but to summarize: the path of your mp3s needs to be linked to folders/files on your SD card, and for Mac users like myself the .m3u file should be saved in Windows (CRLF) format, otherwise Bolero (and similar systems) won't recognize it due to some formatting differences between Windows and Mac.

 

1. Create your playlist in iTunes

2. Click on the playlist, go to iTunes "File" and then "Library" and select export in M3U format

3. Open the .m3u file with TextWrangler (free app)

4. You will see something like this (this is just an example of 1 song!):

 

#EXTM3U
#EXTINF:273,Shape of You - Ed Sheeran.m4a
/Users/username/Music/iTunes/iTunes Media/Ed Sheeran/Divide/04 Shape of You.m4a

5. Remove everything to the left of the slash "/" before the artist's name, so you end up with something like this:

 

#EXTM3U
#EXTINF:273,Shape of You - Ed Sheeran.m4a
/Ed Sheeran/Divide/04 Shape of You.m4a

6. Do this for the rest of the songs in the .m3u file (best to use the "find and replace" option within the app)

7. Once done go to "File" in TextWrangler and then "Save As"

8. Under "Line breaks" choose Windows (CRLF) - this will ensure that the file can get read properly in Bolero!

9. Copy all your music to SD card and make sure the paths match those on the playlist! E.g. in the above example the folder structure is as follows: Artist/Album/Song, so the "Ed Sheeran" folder should be visible right away when you plug SD card into your computer, as it will be on the "root" of the SD card.

 
 

Below I'm quoting some additional explanation from @Paul90:

 

  Quote

Paul90 said:

A full path starts from what they call the "root" of the file system, this just means the highest level you can get to.

So if you plug the SD card into your mac and open it you will see some folders (I guess you've already created some).  These start at the "root" and that's indicated by the first "/".  

A text file (like the .m3u file) contains characters you can see (the text) and ones you can't (called control characters).  These would be used to indicate that the end of a line has been reached, etc.  Whatever you use to display the file interprets these control characters and so does the car when reads the file so it knows how to display it or use it to find the tracks.

Things are different here depending on your operating system.  The car and most other people on the forum are using  a Windows operating system and for them it's simple, what they see on the screen is what the car reads.
This expects a CR (carriage return from the typewriter days) and a LF (line feed).  A Mac these days tends to just use a LF and not a CR.  So you need to insert a CR after each line so the car can read the file.

 

I use a free app called TextWrangler to do this and it will also search and replace the path text as it's just a general text editor.  At the bottom of the screen you can choose how you want the file to be saved.  Just choose "Windows (CRLF)" and it will insert all the control characters for you automatically.  Job done :-)

 

Edited 5 August, 2017 by jon15