A few possible issues.
1. USB connection mode (the communication system the Clip uses to connect to your computer). Set under the System Settings option on your Clip+ (under “USB mode”), there are 2 different connection modes: “MSC” and “MTP” (plus Auto, which will try to use MTP mode and then fall back to MSC, if MTP mode is not working out). When set to MTP, the Clip’s file and folder names sometimes will be changed, including to numbers.
A solution for this: set USB mode to MSC, which can tend to work more problem-free. Note that if you use DRM’ed files (that is, files protected from copying by a digital rights management software scheme, such as with music from music subscription services and some audiobooks from libraries), you need to use MTP mode.
2. ID3 tags. Under the Clip’s database listings (such as for album, artist, and track) generally used to select a file to play and to display file information on-screen, the Clip uses information embedded into music and book/podcast files to identify aspects of the files–e.g. information as to album/book name, author, track name, genre, and year. This information is called ID3 tags. If the files do not have the ID3 tag information filled in or you don’t add/edit the nformation, the Clip will not be able to display the media for you to select (the files will be listed as “unknown” in the Clip’s database categories).
The solution: you can add/edit the ID3 tags for the files with an ID3 tag editor such as MP3Tag (Internet freeware: http://www.mp3tag.de/en/)..) Although a bit intimidating at first, it is very easy to add and edit the information. You also can add/edit the tags under Windows, by right-clicking on the file(s) and selecting the Properties entry to locate an ID3 tag edit screen (in different locations depending on your Windows version–with Windows 7, it’s under the Details tab). The your Clip will display this corrected information, for you to select the files by and to display the information when you play the files.
Some exceptions to the need for ID3 tags:
– If a file does not have ID3 tags added in, the Clip will display the file names and folder names for the file, if the file is stored under the Podcasts or Audiobooks folders on the Clip. The same if a file is stored elsewhere on the Clip but the genre ID3 tag for the file is set to Audiobook or Podcast.
– For the Clip+ (and not the original Clip), there is a separate Folder listing at the bottom of the Music listing, which lets you select music by folder and file name just like on your computer, rather than by using the ID3 tags.
I hope this helps–it’s easy to use, once you understand the system and get used to it. Really!