foo_pod - Foobar2000 meets the iPod, iPod -> Foobar2000 0.8 Options

[Otto42]

You should just be able to set the RATING metadata to a number from 0-5 (corresponding to 0-5 stars). I think it works. Other foobar addons that do ratings use this same RATING metadata.

[neomoe]

just in case someone wants to downgrade his firmware and has not got older iTunes and iPod_updaters, you can get the older updaters here and older versions of iTunes here.

[Tsphere]

I have a question since I think my iPod hd is suffering from bad blocks or such (getting the folder + ! symbo. can't format etc.),.
I was told I'd have to send it to be replaced.

My question is if using foo_pod voided the warranty, and if it is even traceable or is foo_pod's components identical to iTunes.

This post has been edited by Tsphere: Aug 22 2005, 16:19

[Otto42]

I have a question since I think my iPod hd is suffering from bad blocks or such (getting the folder + ! symbo. can't format etc.),.
I was told I'd have to send it to be replaced.

My question is if using foo_pod voided the warranty, and if it is even traceable or is foo_pod's components identical to iTunes.

foo_pod just writes files to the iPod's hard drive as a hard drive. It doesn't void the warranty.

[Tsphere]

But it also writes and compiles the database, my question is if the functions it uses are identical to iTunes, and if the code written on the iPod is thus identical to what would've been written by iTunes.

Also,
I noticed other people had this issue in this topic, could it be connected to a bug in foo_pod, or is it coincidential. Also, is this a common iPod issue or something rare?

[Mike Giacomelli]

But it also writes and compiles the database, my question is if the functions it uses are identical to iTunes, and if the code written on the iPod is thus identical to what would've been written by iTunes.

Also,
I noticed other people had this issue in this topic, could it be connected to a bug in foo_pod, or is it coincidential. Also, is this a common iPod issue or something rare?

If you're worried, just format your ipod before you send it in.

[kl33per]

I have a question since I think my iPod hd is suffering from bad blocks or such (getting the folder + ! symbo. can't format etc.),.
I was told I'd have to send it to be replaced.

My question is if using foo_pod voided the warranty, and if it is even traceable or is foo_pod's components identical to iTunes.

I've just had the same problem. Sent it back a few days ago. I find it difficult to see how foo_pod could possibly have caused our problems.

[quazi]

I have been trying to catch up on this new firmware/database stuff for the sake of updating my documentation, but I want to make sure of a few things.

-- only foo_pod v0.9.9k supports iTunes 4.9 databases, but even then it can only read them.
-- only foo_pod v0.9.9k can see an iPod using firmware 2005-06-26.

So does this sound right?

The best combination:
- foo_pod 0.9.9k (or earlier)
- iTunes 4.7/4.8 database
- iPod firmware 2005-03-25 (or earlier)

Should work:
- foo_pod 0.9.9k
- iTunes 4.7/4.8 database
- iPod firmware 2005-06-26

Does not work:
- foo_pod 0.9.9j (or earlier)
- iTunes 4.9 database
- iPod firmware 2005-06-26

[reardon]

I have been trying to catch up on this new firmware/database stuff for the sake of updating my documentation, but I want to make sure of a few things.

-- only foo_pod v0.9.9k supports iTunes 4.9 databases, but even then it can only read them.
-- only foo_pod v0.9.9k can see an iPod using firmware 2005-06-26.

So does this sound right?

The best combination:
- foo_pod 0.9.9k (or earlier)
- iTunes 4.7/4.8 database
- iPod firmware 2005-03-25 (or earlier)

Does anyone have a copy of iTunes 4.7? I am <thomasreardon +at+ hotmail.com>

[richard123]

Does anyone have a copy of iTunes 4.7?  I am <thomasreardon +at+ hotmail.com>

Consider reading back 8-10 posts in this thread.

[Otto42]

But it also writes and compiles the database, my question is if the functions it uses are identical to iTunes, and if the code written on the iPod is thus identical to what would've been written by iTunes.

The answer is no, the file is not identical to what iTunes would write. Pretty close, but there's enough differences that I could tell whether or not foo_pod or iTunes wrote any non-trivial example.

But "compiles" is a bit of strong term. It's just a file. You can read/write it like any other file. Nothing that you write to that file will cause damage to the iPod in any unrepairable-by-yourself manner. It might cause the exclamation mark folder issue if the file is written badly, but lots of things will cause that. Deleting the file, for example, causes the same thing.

If you can't format the thing, that's not a mere badly written file error. Formatting it is a lower level function than any higher level file stuff. Formatting it doesn't care what the contents of the database is. So if it won't format, that's not something foo_pod could cause. Foo_pod only works with it at the file level, formatting it is at the drive level.

This post has been edited by Otto42: Aug 23 2005, 17:26

[ezekiel2517]

Hi guys, I'm using

03-23-05 ipod firmware
latest version of foo_pod
foobar 0.8.2
and itunes v4.8

and I have a couple of LONG questions, been wrestling with this for the greater part of the evening and I'd greatly appreciate any help:

1) Is there anyway to make "Sync All Playlists" SKIP playlists that have been flagged as "ignore this playlist"? I can "Send all playlists to ipod" and foo_pod will obey and skip the ignored playlists, but "sync" tries to synchronize every playlist in foobar, even these ones that hve been flagged as ignore.

2) are ipod databases supposed to be comptaible between foo_pod and iTunes? I'm getting some werid behavior between the two programs. I'll add playlists with songs to an empty ipod in foo_bar, go into itunes, and everything will show up in iTunes just fine. But if i later go back into foopod and add additional playlists, then fire up iTunes, all the songs have disappeared in iTunes. The playlists are still there, but they are empty as well is the root where all the songs are consolodated. (Interestingly, "the number of tracks" and "size" totals at the bottom of iTunes are still accurate). The playlists still work fine on the ipod, but in iTunes they are empty. If I rebuild the DB in foo_pod the songs return to iTunes, but that deletes all the playlists.

Long question short: are users supposed to be able to go back and forth between iTunes and foo_pod, and if so, any ideas what's wrong with my setup?

3) Anybody know what happens to my on-the-go playlist when I add a new playlist in foo_pod? It just disappears, its not on the ipod anymore after I add the new playlist. If I fire up iTunes after adding the new playlist in foo_pod, then the on-the-go will reappear as "On-The-Go #x", but otherwise the playlist vanishes. Am I doing something wrong here or is that intentional (or just a bug)? This workaround (using itunes to "recover" the on-the-go) is acceptable but it'd be cool if there was a way to do this within foo_pod.

4) Whats the best way to clear playcounts within foo_pod? I think syncing playlists does the trick, but thats not an option because of #1, and I can't just go into iTunes and do it manually because of #2. Right now im exporting the iTunesDB as XML, using textpad to do a find and replace of <PLAYCOUNT>X</PLAYCOUNT> to <PLAYCOUNT>0</PLAYCOUNT>, then importing the DB back, but if there was a more convient way to do it that'd be awesome. EDIT: Just found out this method doesn't seem to work, after importing the edited XML file, my computer locks up when I try to use iTunes, and won't work properly again until disconnecting the ipod! Fortunately I restored to a backup of the DB and all is all right again.


Whew that was a mouthful! Any advice and suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.

This post has been edited by ezekiel2517: Aug 27 2005, 22:09

[Otto42]

2) are ipod databases supposed to be comptaible between foo_pod and iTunes?

Not entirely, no. I don't recommend switching back and forth. Doing so will cause odd behavior, as you may have noticed.

3) Anybody know what happens to my on-the-go playlist when I add a new playlist in foo_pod?

Unless foo_pod reads the On-The-Go playlists and converts them to normal playlists, the iPod will remove them itself, after any changes to the contents of the iPod are made. This is because of the way that the OTG playlists work, and explaining it is a bit detailed and boring. Short version is that foo_pod doesn't read the OTG playlists, to the best of my knowledge. The capability is there though, I just don't think it's been added yet.

[richard123]

Feature Request: Add random album. Ottofill now adds random songs. It would be nice if it had a feature to add random albums.

[antoniost]

Feature Request:  Add random album.  Ottofill now adds random songs.  It would be nice if it had a feature to add random albums.

Great idea, I second that.

[GrumpyDoctor]

Yo thanks for the great info!  Im looking forward to a successful transcode/transfer.

can anyone fill me in on what I may be doing wrong here getting this message trying:

Components > foo_pod > Send Current Playlist to IPOD

I get this:

ERROR (foo_podtranscoder) : Error opening transcoder exe
ERROR (foo_podtranscoder) : foo_podtranscoder: transcoding failed for file://d:\Lossless\2Pac [1996] All Eyez On Me (Disc 1)\02 All Bout U.flac
ERROR (foo_pod) : Transcoding failed!

(it happens for all the songs until i can manually cancel the xfer)



win xp sp2
foobar 0.8.3

thanks.

I am having this exact same problem (transcoding FLAC to mp3), except that I know the transcoder should be set up correctly because it used to work. I have no idea what might have changed. Same component list, same location of lame.exe, flac.exe, and foobar2000, same transcoder settings, everything.

Curiously, if I try that once (and it fails), and then I try it again, I get this console warning (but no transcoder error):

Unsupported file 'C:\Documents and Settings\Cody\My Documents\My Music\BT\BT - 2001 - Rare & Remixed (CD2)\01 Sunblind(Rare And Remixed US CD Version).flac' has already been transcoded and is on the iPod

which I assume means that foo_pod went ahead and put a FLAC on the iPod even though the iPod can't play it? This is doubly upsetting because it's not showing up on the foobar2000 iPod song playlist, so I don't know how to get rid of it.

I have been pulling my hair out over this!

foobar2000 0.8.3
foo_pod 0.9.9k
windows xp sp2

[ReD-BaRoN]

Yo thanks for the great info!  Im looking forward to a successful transcode/transfer.

can anyone fill me in on what I may be doing wrong here getting this message trying:

Components > foo_pod > Send Current Playlist to IPOD

I get this:

ERROR (foo_podtranscoder) : Error opening transcoder exe
ERROR (foo_podtranscoder) : foo_podtranscoder: transcoding failed for file://d:\Lossless\2Pac [1996] All Eyez On Me (Disc 1)\02 All Bout U.flac
ERROR (foo_pod) : Transcoding failed!

(it happens for all the songs until i can manually cancel the xfer)



win xp sp2
foobar 0.8.3

thanks.

which I assume means that foo_pod went ahead and put a FLAC on the iPod even though the iPod can't play it? This is doubly upsetting because it's not showing up on the foobar2000 iPod song playlist, so I don't know how to get rid of it.

No, foo_pod must have already put the file on the iPod in mp3 format at sometime. How many songs do you have on the iPod? Can you experiment? If so, try to rebuild the database and see if the song(s) show up. If not, delete everything off it and try again.

[ReD-BaRoN]

What am I doing wrong?

I blank my iPod.
I create a foobar playlist
I add an album to this foobar playlist
I click on Components->foo_pod->Send Current Playlist To iPod

I get the process dialog that the files are being transcoded (from FLAC to mp3) onto the iPod.

Process dialog completes, I unmount the iPod from XP, naviagte on the iPod, and the playlist doesn't exist.

The songs, however, do exist on the iPod.

Can someone help here?

[ReD-BaRoN]

OK...how about this one...

Wipe the iPod clean via Components->foo_pod->Delete All.....
Add a Normal playlist (call it blah) to the iPod via Components->foo_pod->Playlist editor
Import this new playlist into foobar via Components->foo_pod->Load iPod Playlists As Tabs
Add a song to the "blah [iPod]" playlist in foobar
Right click on this playlist and select foo_pod->Update this Playlist on the iPod
The song in the playlist is successfully transcoded (from FLAC to MP3) and put on the iPod, the playlist is on the iPod, but the song is not in the playlist on the iPod.

I don't get it.

Any ideas?

Thanks!

[quazi]

The songs, however, do exist on the iPod.

I'm sorry I don't have a proper solution, but here's a workaround: Once the tracks are copied to your iPod (either after a transcode operation or after you manually copy them over with Explorer), try the "Rebuild iTunesDB Database" function.

[ReD-BaRoN]

The songs, however, do exist on the iPod.

I'm sorry I don't have a proper solution, but here's a workaround: Once the tracks are copied to your iPod (either after a transcode operation or after you manually copy them over with Explorer), try the "Rebuild iTunesDB Database" function.

OK, I'll try that. I'll also play around to see if it's a transcoding issue, since this is pretty basic functionality that should work fine.

[SNAG]

To add on to the confusion, iTunes 5 is out, and so is the new iPod nano (2/4GB flash based players).

Anyone has managed to try the new iTunes out (and not break compatibility with foo_pod)?

[Aero]

To add on to the confusion, iTunes 5 is out, and so is the new iPod nano (2/4GB flash based players).

Anyone has managed to try the new iTunes out (and not break compatibility with foo_pod)?

I tested iTunes 5.0 (briefly) just to see if anything major had changed.

There are a few new data fields, but nothing important looking. Since foo_pod was able to read an iTunes 5.0 created database, and since there were no new firmware releases for existing iPods, I suspect that foo_pod is compatable with iTunes 5.0.

As for the iPod nano, I haven't heard from anyone with one. My email address is in the foo_pod Readme.txt in case anyone wants to send me one for testing...

This post has been edited by Aero: Sep 10 2005, 22:41

[binkgle]

ok, i am reripping my entire collection in flac so i never have to rip again (hopefully), but i want to use foo_pod's transcoder feature to put aac on my 3g ipod 15gb. i want to use itunesencoder with itunes 5.0 and aac 160 vbr (i find that completely transparent). however, to do this i'll need to have both itunes and foo_pod open at once with the ipod connected. how would the ipod react to two diff programs trying to access it at once?

i'd like to not have to reencode everything to aac, then put it on the ipod, then delete it all if i didn't have to.

thx,
jack

[lex_nasa]

Tested foo_pod 0.9.9k, it works OK with iTunes 5 on my iPod Photo 1.1 and iPod Shuffle 1. However it does not work with the Nano. The file transfer seems to work, and the free disk space reports that the files are there, but they don't show up in the menus on the Nano itself.