i can't get certain i tunes playlists to sync to my new ipod shuffle. If i restore it, and try again they sometimes work. then sporadically if i put additional music on it the same playlists won't work. it will play a portion of a song in that playlist and then skip to the first song that played after syncing the shuffle, and stay in the playlist that the now playing song is in.
Try creating a new library and see if it still happens. To do this on windows, hold down the shift key then run iTunes. A dialog will come up and you can create a new library or select an existing one. After making note of where your original library is, create a new one. Bring in some music, then try it again. If it works, you know there is something wrong with your existing library.
I have a pretty large library that i'm afraid to mess with. And it all syncs perfectly with my ipod classic. I returned the new ipod shuffle to ipod in exchange for a new one. Synced the new one and songs/playlists seemed to play fine. Then synced it again to add some more playlists and not all of the songs synced. Itunes does not give me an error during or after the syncing process. Ejected properly after 'sync is complete'. It is only when I try to use the shuffle that i realize some of the 50 song playlists only have 4 songs on them on the shuffle. And when it locks up on a song in that playlist it goes directly to the first song that was playing when the shuffle was turned on, and skips to and stays in that playlists which may or may not have been the one with the problem. Just the first playlist to be played when the shuffle was turned on.
Hmm.... are these smart playlists where one of the criteria is to sort or filter by how many stars you have given them? Or are these just normal playlists that you dragged music too?
If it's a smart list, let us know what your settings are... might help us figure out what is going on.
I've talked to apple support and manually managing the songs doesn't solve the problem. if the songs are converted to 128 kbps or not doesn't resolve issue either way either. nor does the sound check option.
i'm pretty aggravated with this issue. I was very excited to hear the button controls were brought back on and gave up my 3rd generation (which played all the playlists from the same library flawlessly)but was aggravating because of the specialty headphones.
Also, tried syncing 3 playlist to ~1/4 capacity of the shuffle. all songs/playlists transferred and played properly both on convert to 128 and not. when i added more playlists to sync to ~95% capacity, playlists which worked previously no longer played all the songs.
LATEST update,
All playlists seem to work if you after a full restore and sync of multiple playlists (to ~95% capacity). If I try to sync immediately after 1st sync, add palylists or delete playlists, the old playlists which worked previously no longer work and/or the new playlists do not work. Problem seems to be in the second sync.
Again, no itunes error messages, properly ejected etc...
Very annoying that you would have to do a full restore to add a couple songs to a playlist and be sure it would work properly.
I have tried to make this happen on mine with no luck.
Maybe you could post what your smart playlist settings are? But this sounds like it is happening with more than just smart playlists.
I figured out another way for to to create a new library without you having to manually point iTunes anywhere. Create a new user on your system, then logon as that user. Then run iTunes. You will get a fresh new library. Import some songs and make some playlists and see what happens. Once you are done doing this test, just log back on as yourself and your old iTunes library will be just as you left it.
Does it only happen when your ipod is 95% full or more? Does it happen after that second sync no matter how full it is?
My smart playlists settings are for example: date added is
____, with live updating selected, or artist is
____ also with live updating. the problems occurs with both smart and 'regular' (non smart non genius) playlists.
yes, it occurs if the ipod is synced more than once at <50& capacity as well as ~95% capacity.
This may be a more involved question than I can understand about libraries but if it were the library, why would it sync the first time (all songs on playlists present) and then mess up with same playlist subsequently.
I have had my library do stranger things. Since the steps to check your library are easy, it is a good thing to try, if only to rule it out.
I recall reading somewhere else on this forum that someone solved a playlist issue by unchecking live updating, syncing, then re-checking live updating and syncing again. Give that a try.
I have removed all the smart playlists from my library and just added the songs that were in them to custom, regualar user made, playlists. i still have the same old problems if i only have regular playlists on the shuffle.
I'm pretty weary of troubleshooting this so I probably wont' try the new library thing anytime soon. And if this is the only solution I'm not really eager to have two different libaries under two different users and/or re-do more playlists, and re-sync my classic with 12,000 songs to be able to use the shuffle efficiently.
Seems some bugs need to be worked out if you cant' use the advertised features of itunes ,e.g. live updating, with the newest apple products.
I'm pretty disappointed with the support I received through their express lane help. AFter 3 calls the service technician recommended I see an apple person in the store to 'teach me how to use the features of the shuffle'. As a long time ipod/itune user I wasn't pleased with this option. In the store the genius bar person told me they only had a 15 minute opening so they just plugged it into their computer and said they could restore it but its' working properly. I had halled my laptop and music libary to the store for nothing. They told me I may have to wait on a shuffle software update but they could do nothing ensure this happened at all or happened soon. boo.
Just found out. It is simple. You have to make sure that all the songs in the playlist that you want to sync are ticked. Thats all ! . Otherwise no matter how much you try it wo'nt sync.
