Can't make a playlist from Device>Music ... is there a way?

mrlopez2681@yahoo.com wrote:
ITunes will not let me create a playlist directly from Music>Device.

Do you mean that you've connected the iPod to iTunes and now you're trying to create a playlist on the Device (your iPod) but in iTunes?

If so, that's not how it's done. There are basically two ways to create a playlist, one in iTunes itself, which is then transferred to the iPod at the next Sync and the other is using the *On-The-Go Playlist* feature on the iPod.

To create a playlist in iTunes, click on *File/New Playlist* which creates an unnamed one in the Playlists section, which you can rename. You can then drag songs in your library to the playlist. This playlist will be transferred to the iPod at the next Sync.

To create a playlist on your iPod Classic; highlight the song in the iPod menu (that is, not on the *Now Playing* screen) and press-and-hold the centre button. The song title will flash a couple of times. Do this for every song you want in that playlist. Once you've done that, go to the Playlists menu and scroll down to the bottom, where you will see the On-The-Go playlist with Xsongs. You can play the list now and save it _on the iPod_ and then create another playlist in the same way. At the next Sync all your On-The-Go playlists will be copied into iTunes with the name *On-The-Go 1,* *On-The-Go 2,* etc. If you rename them, the next Sync will show the new name on the iPod as well.

Phil

mrlopez2681@yahoo.com wrote:
Unfortunately ITunes is not allowing me to drag a track from the music list found under ""Device /My Ipod /Music"" (as found in the left panel ... the "My" in "My IPod" is the owner's first name).

Because that's not how it's done! (as I explained previously)

ITunes is only allowing me to create a playlist with tracks that are found under ""Library /Music""

correct...

The tracks that appear in this particular list are those found in the Itunes folder on my PC, being those purchased via ITunes.

So you haven't imported any music from your own CDs or anywhere else? Anything music is in the *iTunes Library/Music* can be added to a playlist. (Unless it's in a format the iPod cannot handle, but that should mean it's not in the music folder either.)

All of the tracks that I put on my IPod were added from my PC. It seems that ITunes is only allowing me to create a playlist from tracks purchased via ITunes and/or tracks that are placed in that ITunes folder where the purchased are placed by ITunes.

Well I'm confused then. Do you have your CDs imported into iTunes and are these the ones that you cannot get into a playlist?

I am trying to figure out if there is a way to create a playlist in ITunes directly from ""Device /My Ipod /Music"".

No, as I stated previously.

It seems that the ""On the Go"" list found in the IPod is the only playlist one can create successfully if one does not create via ""Library /Music"".

... and then it's transferred back into iTunes.

Phil

I too seem to have the same issue. My wife got a new touch for Christmas and managed it herself. Instead of creating a playlist of songs from the i tunes library, she simply dragged and dropped songs from the library to the "device".
We are now considering upgrading the ipod and would like to save the music "list" that she created. However, there is no formal playlist saved in the library, only on her device. When I try to create a playlist of the songs she loaded, nothing works. We would like to create a playlist that we can use/reuse, but having the songs she selected on the "device" view does not allow for creation. You cannot simply drag and drop from the device list to a new playlist, or copy, etc.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

mrlopez2681@yahoo.com wrote:
I cannot get anything into a playlist - I have ripped my music onto my PC, then put it onto my IPod - I didn't rip them into ITunes.

"I didn't rip them into ITunes." What? Apart from the fact that you failed to mention that very crucial piece of information, you are storing up problems for yourself in the future if you "manage" your iPod in this way. My advice (and yes - you're free to ignore it) is to *use iTunes to manage your iPod, preferably use the "Sync" function.*

The fact that one cannot create a playlist via Device/My Ipod/Music is a major defect here, especially when considering how advanced all of this technology is.

Well if you used iTunes perhaps you wouldn't have these issues. The basis of the iTunes/iPod relationship is that the _iPod holds a copy_ of what is in your iTunes and that iTunes is in overall control. Further, some of the design features of the iPod are deliberately implemented so that the music industry has less cause to complain about the public "ripping them off".

When one plays a track in ITunes via Device/My Ipod/Music it is played directly from the IPod, so I see no reason why the powers-that-be couldn't have created such a feature ...

Because the idea is that you would play songs +in iTunes on the computer+ if you're at the computer. I have read previously of others trying to doing this, but quite why anyone would wish to play or control an iPod through their computer is beyond me. The iPod is meant to be stand-alone, so why make things more complicated?

So, with all of this in mind, can I create any playlists aside from the "On the Go" one in the IPod? Am I even able to change the order of the tracks in this list?

You seem to have answered this yourself in your subsequent post, although how, I don't know. I wasn't holding out on you - I don't know how you're doing either of those things!

Phil

question please help wrote:
... Instead of creating a playlist of songs from the i tunes library, she simply dragged and dropped songs from the library to the "device".

If your wife has only just got the iPod, I suggest you start using Sync now to manage it before the number of songs on it make management unwieldy.

We are now considering upgrading the ipod

Already?

... and would like to save the music "list" that she created. However, there is no formal playlist saved in the library, only on her device.

Presumably, the playlist on the Touch (and I notice that you say it is a Touch, which works differently to the Classic, where this post is located) is stored as an *On-The-Go Playlist* so if you turn on the Sync function, that playlist should be transferred to iTunes.

_So - from the beginning..._
(As a precaution, I would write down the songs in the playlist that you are keen to keep.)
Connect your Touch to the computer and look at the Summary screen of the device (your iPod). Uncheck the box marked *Manually manage music and videos* and then check the box marked *Sync only ticked songs and videos.* This will mean that any music you import to iTunes will be automatically copied onto the iPod at the next Sync (when you plug the iPod into iTunes) and what is on there will stay on there _unless you un-tick the box next to the song in iTunes._ If I'm not mistaken, the playlist on the iPod will now be in iTunes as a playlist called *On-The-Go 1.* (Look under Playlists on the left of iTunes.) If - for any reason - it didn't copy into iTunes, then you will now have to create it from new, using the hand-written list as reference. But first, did you want to re-name it? If so, double-click the name and it should change to a highlighted blue to allow for re-naming.

_To create a new playlist:_
In iTunes (the iPod does not need to be attached to iTunes at this time), select *File/New playlist* which will create an empty playlist. From the Music section of your iTunes Library, you can now drag-and-drop songs into that playlist, re-naming as before. At the next Sync of your iPod that playlist will be copied onto the iPod. (If the iPod is still connected from the previous Sync, you will need to press Sync again for the playlist to go onto it.)

Any use?

Phil