Client-side playlist creating, editing...

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cratner
Posts: 8
Joined: Wed Oct 29, 2014 7:42 pm

Client-side playlist creating, editing...

Post by cratner »

I think I'm a noob when it comes to playlists, but I was curious to know how this works when using iHomeServer. I have it setup and it runs well. Stream to clients (Mac, PC, ATV, XBOX) with no trouble.

Playlists, however, trouble me since I want to open iTunes on my Mac and create and update playlists. However, it appears anything that is associated with a remote iTunes library is completely locked down. That said, I figure there are four methods I could follow to create/update playlists -- someone let me know if I missed any:

1. Open iHomeServer through the dashboard of a client Win PC and make edits through iHomeServer's interface.
2. Open iHomeServer client directly on the home server and make edits through iHomeServer's interface.
3. Open iTunes on the home server while iHomeServer does not have control of iTunes, then use iTunes interface to make the edits.
4. Open the iTunes library on the home server through any iTunes client on a Mac or PC, while iHomeServer does not have control of iTunes, and then use iTunes to make the edits.

Since I'm sitting in iTunes listening to my music on my Mac, it would be awesome to create playlists while connected to the server directly in iTunes. Did Apple make this complicated and impossible to do? Is there no way to do this?

I think options 1 and 2 are supposed to work, yet my iHomeServer tells me it can't when I'm playing the playlist I'm trying to add to. However, any other playlist seems to drag-and-drop an item easily. I suspect this is known behavior?

Also, I don't have a context menu item for adding to my available playlists. Would be a nice feature to add.

Lastly, there doesn't appear to be any facility to do this through the iHomeServer web interface, is that correct?

Okay, I think these are all my questions. Thanks for any direction anyone has for me.

-C
bizmodeller
Posts: 458
Joined: Thu Nov 14, 2013 8:40 pm

Re: Client-side playlist creating, editing...

Post by bizmodeller »

Since I'm sitting in iTunes listening to my music on my Mac, it would be awesome to create playlists while connected to the server directly in iTunes. Did Apple make this complicated and impossible to do? Is there no way to do this?
Yes, and we have never understood why. For some reason, Apple do not allow playlist editing when iTunes is remotely connected to another iTunes instance via Home Sharing. This is sadly still the case in iTunes 12. If anyone has found a way to do this, please let me know.
I think options 1 and 2 are supposed to work, yet my iHomeServer tells me it can't when I'm playing the playlist I'm trying to add to. However, any other playlist seems to drag-and-drop an item easily. I suspect this is known behavior?
I've tested this and I can't reproduce this behavior. Are you sure the playlist you tried adding to wasn't a Smart playlist? If it is, then you cannot drag and drop tracks to Smart playlists.
Also, I don't have a context menu item for adding to my available playlists. Would be a nice feature to add.
There's not a context menu as such, but there's the 'Add' button at the top of iTunes View tab to create a new playlist.
Lastly, there doesn't appear to be any facility to do this through the iHomeServer web interface, is that correct?
There's no facility to create a new Playlist within the web interface (yet). However you can modify existing playlists by selecting a track, tapping it and tapping 'Add to playlist'. This also works in multiselect mode so you can select a whole set of tracks to add to a Playlist. Within a playlist itself, you can remove tracks from the playlist by tapping the track and tapping 'Delete'. We'll add the ability to add a new Playlist in due course if that's specifically what you're after?
cratner
Posts: 8
Joined: Wed Oct 29, 2014 7:42 pm

Re: Client-side playlist creating, editing...

Post by cratner »

Thanks for the reply! I do appreciate it.
I've tested this and I can't reproduce this behavior. Are you sure the playlist you tried adding to wasn't a Smart playlist? If it is, then you cannot drag and drop tracks to Smart playlists.
My bad. I think the track I chose had bad meta data associated with it. Disregard.

As for the playlist types, is it possible to denote SMART playlists vs. standard playlists so that we can easily distinguish them in the tree view. Also, can the tree list be nested like it is in iTunes?
There's not a context menu as such, but there's the 'Add' button at the top of iTunes View tab to create a new playlist.
My add button only creates an empty playlist. To actually get the music in the playlist, the only way, it seems, is to drag and drop the track on to the target playlist. My suggestion would have an "Add to playlist..." menu item on the context menu that either cascades available playlists off the context menu (and a create new menu item) vs. dragging it to the tree pane, IMHO.
We'll add the ability to add a new Playlist in due course if that's specifically what you're after?
Trying to make this wife proof, kid proof, etc. Change how their toys work too much and it's like the Red Wedding around here.

Love the app and all that you do.
Thanks,
-C
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