Folder layout for music on usb

[Wayne2015]

THIS IS IT!!!

 

2 Final tests to proof which one consistently works on my stereo...

 

1. Format USB + RoboCopy

2. Playlist

 

 

1. Re-testing RoboCopy as last time did not format and I think I RoboCopy uses FILENAME to order and NOT MP3 TITLE...

 

1a) Format USB

 

1b) use MP3tag to:

(i) Edit FILENAME in order u want (alphanumerically)

(ii) Edit MP3 TITLE + ARTIST + ALBUM

 

 

1c) Open RoboCopy (freeware on internet)

Select SOURCE and DESTINATION either by left-mouse-click and select (or right-mouse-click and paste the location)

 

 

1d) Click BUILD SCRIPT and OK to copy MP3s to USB (I recommend copy each directory individually)

 

1e) when finished coping is a bit confusing. But when u see the screen with GREEN "Ended..." In the black background screen - then it's finished copying

 

[Wayne2015]

2. Playlist

Now I know my 1st sample test worked - using Windows notepad and just copy and paste MP3 filenames to a test editor..

 

 

 

 

But, MP3tag to the rescue again!

MP3tag can automatically create a Playlist for u!

 

2a) In MP3tag go to USB directory where MP3s are to create Playlist (I am creating a Playlist per directory or album).

 

FIRST - Click the column u want to order by (say, FILENAME or TITLE).

 

Then either:

(i) Select MP3s (CTRL+Click) u want in Playlist and select from menu PLAYLIST (SELECTED FILES)

(ii) Just select from menu PLAYLIST (ALL FILES)

 

2c) Save the Playlist file on USB. Playlist looks like this:

 

Slightly different to the Playlist I created on WINDOWS manually (left):

 

[Wayne2015]

Note!

1. RoboCopy orders by FILENAME 

 - so ensure they are in the order u want!

 

2. MP3tag Playlist

 - is ORDERED BY the column u selected in MP3tag

*** (Special thanks to member DANCING BADGER for telling us about MP3tag ) ***

 

 

Will test both above in a bit...

[Wayne2015]

It works!

It WORKS!!

IT WORKS!!! 

 

 

 

1. RoboCopy

 - Copy using RoboCopy (orders by FILENAME)

 

Or

2. Playlist

 - Order in MP3tag by FILENAME or TITLE

 - Create Playlist in MP3tag

(My 5 playlists files below)...

 

 

Hope the above 2 methods is of use to anyone who has similar problems to me...

 

 

NOTE:

1. I only tested each of above methods twice (so hopefully it does work every time)

2. Unsure if FORMATTING the USB was required prior to using RoboCopy (will know in future copies)

[Dancing Badger]

Well that was a labour of love! Anybody wanting to organise their USBs should have the necessary resources now - until Toyota change the technology! Pleased you got it sorted but looking at your screenshots - are you playing your whole collection in order?

I was happy just to get my albums in order. I'm reminded of a mate who, back in the 70s, used to fetch 12 cassettes from his collection into his Hillman Hunter, play them in whatever order they happened to be in the box (I think he had them all alphabetically ordered), and when he'd got through them he'd take them back in the house, get another 12, and repeat. His reasoning was that it was all his music, he liked it all, so it didn't matter what order it was in. I can't relate to that, I like to choose what I'm in the mood to listen to.

Now I think about it, he's much the same now, he loads the autochanger in his Merc up with CDs and just plays them. He had some dreadful cacophony on the other day (we take it in turns to drive to the footy),it sounded like a pack of angry dogs knocking over dustbins, nobody liked it, but he wouldn't put anything else on or even fast forward because he said the next track would be better. It was, but that's not the point. His music is organised into albums, though.

I wish I'd had all this technology back in the 70s - it would have rendered the arcane art of making party tapes so much easier.... 

[Wayne2015]

Thanks

I just order per folder/album

As I have some learn-a-language albums AND u really want them in the correct order! Lol

 

 

Completely understand where u coming from. I used to have a cassette player in my 1999 Lexus is200 and immediately digged out my old beloved cassettes and played them with no worries about the order at all! :)

 

Bear in mind in those days we had no choice and we never thought about ordering (just glad we had cassette players and that we can rewind the cassette using a pencil!!!)

 

 

These days we are so used to so many options and luxury we just HAVE to order them - lol :)

[Cyker]

Woo! Give that man a gold star!

 

[Wayne2015]

Lol

It was doing my head in 

[koji]

First of all, kudos to all of you who solved this problem, especially to Wayne2015.
This is just a summary of the process, I hope useful for anybody like me, with a Touch and go v.1 and an 'old' car...

Only for Windows computers:

1) Pick a USB stick and check that has a "FAT32" format (better) or "exFAT" (less recommended) by right-clicking in the unit, "Properties" option.
2) Copy the music folders (albums, styles...) you'd like to listen to to the USB drive.
3) Download and install "MP3tag" (from www.mp3tag.de), by far the best software to tag mp3 files.
4) Open mp3tag, select the USB drive and folder. If the mp3s are not tagged, do it. Usually the preferred way is "Filename -> Tag", %artist% - %title%. Don't forget also the "Album" tag.
5) Order the files, according to your likes, by clicking in the right column (please see picture No.1). Usually, you'd better click on the "Filename", or "Title" column...
6) Go to "File" menu and click "Playlist", then save the playlist in the root of the USB drive. Please see picture No.2: it's the H:\ drive, you may have another one. Without a PLAYLIST, the Toyota unit won't let you choose a folder...
7) Repeat the 5 and 6 steps with each folder. -Yes-.
8) At the end, you will have so many playlists as folders. Please see the picture No.3, it's just an example.
9) In your car, plug the USB stick, then select the music source as "USB".
10) While listening to a song, click the "Option" button on the touch screen, then "Browse for music" and select "Playlists". There you have it. Change to your favourite album...

 

IMPORTANT NOTES:
*If all the folders are "standard" ALBUMS, then you DON'T NEED TO MESS with the playlists (STEPS 5-8). You can select the folders on the touch screen, simply by selecting "Albums". ---GREAT!

**If one of the folders has 'mixed' music, you won't be able to select that folder. Imagine there is a folder called "various", with 100 different tracks, a messy set of songs.
In that case, you won't be able to select that "various" folder, because almost every mp3 will have a different artist, album, etc, which will be LISTED on the touch screen. You will end up with 100 different albums to choose from. Not nice.
Also, if you have several albums with the same name (for instance "Greatest hits"). In such cases, do please follow ALL steps.

***The STEP No.4 (tag) can be done with ALL folders in a row with an option in mp3tag: click "File" menu, then "Options" -> Directories -> Subdirectories. Voilà!

****And what about the track order within every 'folder'? I think the best is to apply the rule as in the picture No.1: name the file as "Jobim - 01 Passarim", tag %artist% - %track% %title% and the right tags will be fulfilled.

 

[solero]

Sounds complex. I wrote my own DOS batch file which auto creates the playlist files.

Steps:

1. creata a folder for each category playlist. Copy any tracks across into relevant folder.

2.run the dos batch file at the root dire tory. This creates the playlist files.

3. Eject

4. Play

Let me know if you need the dos batch file and i can paste it here.