Hi, You don't need to mark any songs before making a smart playlist -- the way you set up the rules determines what is included in the playlist, and the rules apply to your entire iTunes library. If you want to limit your selection to your music library and not include anything from your audiobooks, for example, you add a rule like "Media Kind" is Music, for example. The only assumption in the instructions is that you have iTunes open as your current application.
By contrast, when I make up regular playlists, I'll select a library in the sources table, and then either type in search terms to be matched in the search text field (Command-Option-F if you want to go there directly; otherwise, use tab or VO-arrow keys to navigate), or make selections in the file browser (toggled on and off with Command- B, and with display formats specified in the "View" menu on the iTunes menu bar under the "Column Browser" submenu). Then, I'll go to the songs table and select my results. Usually, by a combination of using the browser combined with the search text field (if needed) and sort column options, I can specify nearly everything I want for a playlist. Then I can just select all (Command-A) in the songs table and use Command-Shift-N (New playlist from selection) to create my playlist. At worst, I'll have to delete some items, or I may have to select another block of items with a different set of criteria via the browser and search text fields, and then add to the playlist (from the context menu in the songs table, or by copying from the songs table and pasting to a selected playlist in the sources table). Another couple of points that were mentioned in the linked Mail Archive post: by default, in the smart playlist a box for "live updating" is checked. That means that any rules you use for the smart playlist continues to be applied after the time you create the playlist. For example, if your smart playlist contains all Jazz tracks in AAC format, if you add more AAC Jazz tracks to your library at a later time, they will automatically appear in your smart playlist. Or if one of your rules is to select all tracks with a play count above 20 (as a way of picking out your most played music), Any track that you play more than 20 times becomes a part of the smart playlist. This occurs even if the track is one that you purchased from the iTunes Store and downloaded directly to your iPhone. If you happen to play the track 21 times and you have a smart playlist on your iPhone that has a rule for including all tracks with a play count greater than 20, then that track shows up there as soon as it meets the criteria for inclusion. Also, it's quite useful to check the size and playing time of any playlist. VO-Down arrow from the songs table of your selected playlist and read the status bar for the number of items, total playing time, and size. You can also limit any of these quantities in your smart playlist, and specify how you want your playlist reduced to match the limits. HTH Cheers, Esther Jesper Holten wrote: > > Hi. > Thanks alot. Should I mark the whole library of songs before I make > the > playlist or should I interact with the table of songs? Or just be > standing > on the music library? > Kind regards, Jesper. > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Esther" <[email protected]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Friday, October 30, 2009 3:52 PM > Subject: Re: I can't get the hang on smart playlist. > > >> >> Hi Jesper, >> >> For general information about making smart playlists, you can check >> this posted introduction to smart playlists in the Mail Archive for >> this list: >> >> http://www.mail-archive.com/macvisionaries%40googlegroups.com/msg01294.html >> >> Actually, since that post was written, improvements in iTunes 9 have >> made the construction of smart playlists more flexible, and you're no >> longer limited to making playlists that either match just any of your >> rules or all of your rules. However, to get on to your specific >> question, you can make your smart playlists in iTunes as follows: >> >> 1. Command-Option-N to create a new smart playlist (or find this >> option in the File menu on the iTunes menu bar if you don't remember >> the shortcut: VO-M to go to the menu bar, press "F" to go to the >> File >> menu, arrow down to "New Smart Playlist"; if there are shortcut keys >> they will be announced following the name of the command). >> >> 2. In the "Smart Playlist" dialog window you'll hear "Smart playlist, >> selected by". VO-Right arrow to the "Rules Section" and interact >> (VO- >> Shift-Down Arrow). >> >> 3. At the start of the first rule you'll be at a pop up button that >> is >> set to "Artist". VO-Space on this button and press "K" to change the >> pop up to "Kind" and press return. (You can navigate the pop up menu >> options with your arrow keys or by typing the first few letters of >> the >> keyword you want). >> >> 4. VO-Right arrow past the pop up button for "contains" (and leave >> this at this setting) to the text field. Type in the kind of music >> you want to select -- e.g. "AIFF" or "AAC". At this point I would >> usually press return to get out of the smart playlist dialog window >> by >> committing my selections and just choose a name for my playlist at >> the >> next prompt, however, you might want to explore the rest of the menu >> options. >> >> If you VO-Right arrow after typing in your text, you'll come to "Add" >> and "Group" buttons at the end of the rule. The "Add" button is for >> adding another rule -- for example, you might want this smart >> playlist >> to contain only music of a selected genre, or only recently added >> music. The "Group" button is a new feature of iTunes 9 that allows >> you apply groups of rule selections under your first rule. For >> example, let's say that you wanted a smart playlist that contained >> only AAC files in the Jazz and Classical genres. Before iTunes 9 you >> would have had to create two smart playlists, one that matched the >> two >> rules that "Kind" contained AAC, and that "Genre" contained "Jazz", >> and a second that matched the rules that "Kind" contained AAC and >> that >> "Genre" contained "Classical". Then you would have had to make a >> third >> smart playlist out of the two individual playlists with the rules >> that >> your music either fell into the Jazz playlist or the Classical >> playlist (e.g., you matched any of the two following rules: >> "Playlist" >> is <name of Jazz playlist> or "Playlist" is <name of Classical >> playlist>). Under iTunes 9, you no longer have to make smart >> playlists >> out of playlists; you can handle this with the "Group" button. After >> selecting the rule "Kind" contains AAC, you would press (VO-Space) >> the >> "Group" button. Again, you would hear "Artist" pop up button. >> However, if you VO-left arrow back through the entries, you'll find >> that the new, group rules section begins with a pop up button that is >> set to "all" (of the following rules), but which you can reset to >> "any" using VO-Space and your arrow keys. If I set that button to >> "any", and then VO-Right arrow to the "Artist" pop up button and >> change it to "Genre", I can type in the rule "Genre" "contains" Jazz >> (where "Jazz" is typed into the text field). I can add a second rule >> to the group by pressing (VO-Space) the "Add" button at the end of >> the >> first rule, and making this "Genre" "contains" Classical. If I then >> press return after typing "Classical", I'll have made a smart >> playlist >> which contains all AAC files that meet the group rules of either >> containing "Jazz" or "Classical" as part of the genre. >> >> If you don't want to create additional rules (or group rules), you >> can >> just stop interacting with the rules sections (VO-Shift up arrow) >> after typing in your text (e.g. "AAC" or "AIFF"), then VO-Right arrow >> to explore the other options in the smart playlist. For example, you >> can limit your smart playlist by size, total playing time, or number >> of items, Navigate to the "Cancel" or "OK" buttons to cancel or >> commit your changes. On dialog windows that I am familiar with, I >> tend to just press return at the place where I am finished instead of >> finding the "OK" button, and I press the escape key to cancel. >> >> When you save the smart playlist you'll be prompted to type in a >> name. Probably, there will be a suggested default name like "AAC" or >> "AIFF" which you can change. >> >> Hope this helps. If you want to edit the smart playlist, you can use >> the context menu after you select your playlist in the sources table. >> You can also use VO-J to easily jump between the songs table >> corresponding to your playlist and your selection in the sources >> table. >> >> HTH >> >> Cheers, >> >> Esther >> >> >> >> Jesper Holten wrote: >> >>> >>> Hi all. >>> I have just bought an ipod touch and now I need to put my library of >>> music >>> on the ipod. However, since I have my musuc collection in Aif format >>> I need >>> to convert to another format, either lossless or aac or mp3 in order >>> to fit >>> it on my ipod. >>> Thus far, I have converted to aac all my files, in the way that >>> there exists >>> one big library with all aif and aac files in the same library. >>> I would like to accomplish 2 smart playlists one containing all my >>> Aif >>> files, the other containing my aac files. After research on the net >>> I have >>> found out that Maybe it can be done, but I just cannot get it to >>> work, when >>> I try to make a smart playlist. >>> After interacting with the rules section of the dialobogx what >>> parameters >>> to set. I have tried diffferent things, but after concluding the >>> setup >>> Itunes says that nothing has been put into the rule. >>> If any of you could help me with some step-by-step instructions, I >>> will >>> greatly apprreciate your help. >>> Kindest regards, Jesper. >>> >>> >>>> >> >> >>> >> > > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "MacVisionaries" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
