Playlist shows up empty

I have found many threads on how to make custom playlists work and I have tried many solutions. Yet everytime I check my new SanDisk Clip Jam, the playlist shows up empty.

I have tried to place the .m3u file both in the Music folder and Playlists folder. I have tried renaming the .mp3 files moving in and out of folders but to no vail.

Currently I have placed a file called test.m3u in the Music folder and I have a file called test.mp3 in the same folder.

test.m3u content:

#EXTM3U #EXTINF:1024,test.mp3 test.mp3

Can somebody please help me figure out what I am doing wrong?

Here is a specific answer to your question. 

 1. Create a new subfolder inside the main Music folder (on your player or on the micro SD card).

     Name this folder    Testing

  1. Move your test.mp3 file into the Testing subfolder

  2. Move your test.m3u file into the Testing subfolder.

  3. Revise your test.m3u file to contain this single line.

        \Music\Testing\test.mp3

  1. Do not allow your text editor to replace the “.m3u” ending of the filename.

In addition, you can look at my discussion in this SanDisk User Forum.

    –> Batch file command for playlist creation for subdirectories of music folders copied to the player (under Music).

     https://forums.sandisk.com/t5/SanDisk-Clip-Sport/Simple-Batch-File-for-Playlist-of-Genre-Folders/m-p/359406

Here is a suggestion to try.

  1. Create a new subfolder named Testing inside the main Music folder on your player (or micro SD card).

  2. Move your test.mp3 file into the Testing folder.

  3. Move your test.m3u file into the Testing folder

  4. Revise your test.m3u file with this text:

      \Music\Testing\test.mp3

Maybe report back here with your results.

If you are using a Mac computer to create / edit the m3u file, then maybe we need to discuss the problems with LF/CR line endings.

Thank you so much for replying.

I tried your solution, but it still says the playlist is empty.

I have created the m3u files with both Mac (using TextEdit with the Plain Text format) and Windows (using Notepad++). Maybe the softwares create a problem with LF/CR line endings?

did you try this:

  1. Batch file command for playlist creation for subdirectories of music folders copied to the player (under Music).

    https://forums.sandisk.com/t5/SanDisk-Clip-Sport/Simple-Batch-File-for-Playlist-of-Genre-Folders/m-p…

I’ve made a dozen custom playlists using the batch file & found it to b the easiest method yet.

Just edit the resulting file in note pad to make a playlist containing what you want, do a save as with descriptive name & copy to playlist subdir & it works fine.

You do have to remove the drive letter & colon from each line but its still pretty fast to create, couple minutes depending on how many tunes in playlist…

I am pleased to read that another Clip Jam user is having success using the Batch File method to create Playlists. I have used this method for at least 18 months with good results with my Win 10 PC.   I have not found any need to remove the drive letter and colon from each line of text in the m3u files. I think the Clip Jam and Sport can ignore that bit of text.

I struggled many months trying to get the batch file method to work using my 2012 Mac Mini (OSX Yosemite). OSX creates incompatible line endings in simple text files.   The resulting m3u files do not work for Playlists on my Clip Jam & Sport.

  I think the PC program Notepad++ has a helpful setting (under New Document -> Windows (CR LF).

(For really persistent souls, I could try to explain how I use the Wine app to execute the Batch file method with OSX.)

Thank you both @dfyt5 and @DFELD2005

I finally found out where the error was. The original code I posted was usable with one exception. I had to jump a line after test.mp3. I’ll explain more in case other users read this.

So this is correct:

#EXTM3U #EXTINF:1024,test.mp3 test.mp3

This is NOT correct:

#EXTM3U #EXTINF:1024,test.mp3 test.mp3

This can be made with Mac if using for example TextMate which allows to choose which line ending to save in.

DFELD2005’s batch file code also worked of course. So I could simply save the file using TextMate as

D:\Music\Testing\test.mp3

Gonna look for a freeware for Mac which allows to choose line endings. Suggestions are appreciated :slight_smile:

@jiqoso wrote:

Gonna look for a freeware for Mac which allows to choose line endings. Suggestions are appreciated :slight_smile:

 

So here’s what I found:

  • One can use Adobe Brackets with the extension NewLine. It allows you to switch between line endings.
  • However, if you already have an m3u file using CRLF, it can simply be duplicated every time and edited with TextEdit.

Excellent detective work on finding text editor apps for Mac that allow for CRLF line endings.

This morning I discovered the software Atom with embedded settings to make CRLF as default

   https://atom.io/

   https://www.developmentsindigital.com/posts/2016-08-27-setting-atom-default-line-endings/

Personally, I am using Notepad++ installed using Winebottler for Mac.

  https://mike.kronenberg.org/winebottler-how-to-install-notepad-on-a-mac/

ALSO, check out this link to read about a version of mp3tag for Mac that uses a Wine Wrapper.  (Sorry if TMI…)

   https://www.mp3tag.de/en/mac-osx.html