Comments for Where am I? http://blakeley.com/wordpress ...you are here... Tue, 20 Jul 2010 10:03:39 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 Comment on AlbumMixer 1.6 by Darren http://blakeley.com/wordpress/archives/486/comment-page-1#comment-101 Darren Tue, 20 Jul 2010 10:03:39 +0000 http://blakeley.com/wordpress/?p=486#comment-101 HI Albumshuffle, If I understand what you are thinking you can do this reasonably easily without the Albummixer app-- if you are happy with the albums sitting within a playlist. First, create a playlist of your 4-5 albums (either an 'on the go' playlist within iphone) or a 'smart playlist' within itunes (see http://www.smartplaylists.com/ and http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1801); then after you've added that smart playlist to your iphone in the sync process then choose the playlist within the menu, then choose to shuffle tracks. Michael, in followup to my findings earlier, it seems I was wrong. The playlist of some of my tracks is out of order. One of the parent playlists does have an 'select by last played' option, however even then the order is neither track number or last played date. I can send you some evidence if you want to email me (via openid??) or tell me how I can get in touch. Darren HI Albumshuffle,
If I understand what you are thinking you can do this reasonably easily without the Albummixer app– if you are happy with the albums sitting within a playlist.
First, create a playlist of your 4-5 albums (either an ‘on the go’ playlist within iphone) or a ’smart playlist’ within itunes (see http://www.smartplaylists.com/ and http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1801); then after you’ve added that smart playlist to your iphone in the sync process then choose the playlist within the menu, then choose to shuffle tracks.

Michael, in followup to my findings earlier, it seems I was wrong. The playlist of some of my tracks is out of order. One of the parent playlists does have an ’select by last played’ option, however even then the order is neither track number or last played date. I can send you some evidence if you want to email me (via openid??) or tell me how I can get in touch.

Darren

]]> Comment on AlbumMixer 1.6 by Albumshuffle http://blakeley.com/wordpress/archives/486/comment-page-1#comment-100 Albumshuffle Mon, 19 Jul 2010 18:13:28 +0000 http://blakeley.com/wordpress/?p=486#comment-100 hey, I love the app definitely worth the two bucks...But i was wondering...cud you add like an option where you could pick like 4-5 albums then the app would shuffle randomly between all the songs on those albums cuz my mom uses the ipod like a cd player and she loves that option...I think it would be a sweet add-on... Cool Albumshuffle hey,
I love the app definitely worth the two bucks…But i was wondering…cud you add like an option where you could pick like 4-5 albums then the app would shuffle randomly between all the songs on those albums cuz my mom uses the ipod like a cd player and she loves that option…I think it would be a sweet add-on…
Cool

Albumshuffle

]]> Comment on AlbumMixer 1.6 by Darren http://blakeley.com/wordpress/archives/486/comment-page-1#comment-98 Darren Mon, 12 Jul 2010 13:51:57 +0000 http://blakeley.com/wordpress/?p=486#comment-98 Hi Michael, no problem at all. I've verified what you say regarding the order is correct, when working with an explicit smart playlist. Further investigation into my playlists showed that the playlists I use most commonly (ie that experience the issue) were highlighted in iTunes with an exclamation mark. This is because these playlists were themselves filters on a larger playlist which were not applyed to the phone because it was too large. Thinking that this could be the issue, I have since restructured my playlist organisation and in my few tests I have not been able to reproduce the issue. I'll let you know if it comes back :) BTW, I do notice two other 'undocumented features' of v1.6. 1. the loading of the filters can take an extraordinary long time (>1min). 2. once AlbumMixer has queued all tracks, and the ipod has started to play the first track then the spinner icon sometimes continues to spin, but it is not clear why. I guess these issues are down to the new playlist API and bugs that Apple are exposing to you. If it helps, my iphone is a 32GB GS and I have approx 100 genres and 17 smart playlists. No worries re the engadget article. I think you're right they could be referencing background playback. Still, a shame Apple don't simply reenable the album shuffle functionality. But then, it took them years to recognise that a second mouse button could be useful ;-) Keep up the good work! Darren Hi Michael,
no problem at all.
I’ve verified what you say regarding the order is correct, when working with an explicit smart playlist. Further investigation into my playlists showed that the playlists I use most commonly (ie that experience the issue) were highlighted in iTunes with an exclamation mark. This is because these playlists were themselves filters on a larger playlist which were not applyed to the phone because it was too large. Thinking that this could be the issue, I have since restructured my playlist organisation and in my few tests I have not been able to reproduce the issue. I’ll let you know if it comes back :)

BTW, I do notice two other ‘undocumented features’ of v1.6.

1. the loading of the filters can take an extraordinary long time (>1min).

2. once AlbumMixer has queued all tracks, and the ipod has started to play the first track then the spinner icon sometimes continues to spin, but it is not clear why.

I guess these issues are down to the new playlist API and bugs that Apple are exposing to you.
If it helps, my iphone is a 32GB GS and I have approx 100 genres and 17 smart playlists.

No worries re the engadget article. I think you’re right they could be referencing background playback. Still, a shame Apple don’t simply reenable the album shuffle functionality. But then, it took them years to recognise that a second mouse button could be useful ;-)

Keep up the good work!
Darren

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