Smart Playlist Synch Problem

Okay, so this might be the dumbest problem ever to a lot of people, but when I synch my iPhone to my music, it synch's the top 25 most played playlist...when I look at it in iTunes it's fine, but when I try to listen to it on my iPhone there are completely different songs on it, I've tried doing the 'copy to play order' function and then syncing it (I used to have to do with with my iPod in order to get the most recent songs on the playlist), and I've tried completely deleting the playlist, syncing it, recreating the playlist and syncing it again...and still it doesn't work...
...It doesn't seem like much but it's important to me, if anyone knows what I'm doing wrong please let me know, thank you!

Welcome to the forums.
You're probably not doing anything wrong -- folks are reporting some issues with smart playlists. Try this -- create another smart list but as the criteria only use "Playlist is" and then select your playlist you are trying to transfer. Transfer only this new one.
Also set "live updating" to off -- shouldn't need to but it's worth a try.

Similar Messages

Smart Playlist/Podcast Problems

I subscribe to Mashuptown.com's podcast and if I like a particular one, I will rate it a 5 and it should go into my Smart Playlist I set up with the rules, "Rating is 5" and "Artist (or Album) is Mashuptown.com".
However, the Smart Playlist is listing ALL Mashuptown.com podcasts and will not disappear from the list until I rate the ones I don't want a 1, 2, 3 or 4.
Additionally, when the Podcast is first downloaded and I right-click to rate it, it's already checked as a "5" but has empty stars in the rating field and I'm not able to change it to "None".
I tested a Smart Playlist with regular music and it doesn't seem to have the problem the Podcasts do.
Any solutions? I have the latest iTunes, everything is up to date. Note, this USED to work and stopped working since the last couple of iTunes updates.

Another test lead to changing the rule to "Rating is 1" and only the Podcasts I rated 1 show up in the Playlist. It appears the problem is only for those Podcasts rated 5.

Smart playlists sync problems

I have a 1st gen ipod touch, I've created 7 smart playlist for videos. my itouch only syncs 5 of them, does anybody know a solution?

When you create a Smart Playlist, the option Match only ticked items is turned off, so anything without a tick will be added to the Playlist.
But, if your Sync option is set to Tick only ticked songs and videos, then although unticked items are in the Playlist in iTunes, they will not transfer to your iPod. Check the Playlist in iTunes, are the videos missing from the iPod un-ticked (the check-box to the left of the title)?
If so, turn the tick on and then Sync the iPod to iTunes.

Playlist Synch Problem

Just recently some of my Playlists do not synch properly! Some Playlists synch with all songs attached, but some synch with no songs in the Playlist. All the songs are in the iTouch "Songs" catagory, just not assoc in the Playlist. I have tried deleting the Playlist in iTunes and rebuilding it, but nothing. The Playlist box is checked for synching, but nothing.

How are you syncing the playlists?
Is the phone connected using the cable or are you syncing wirelessly?
When you create a new playlist, is that playlist able to sync?
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1386
Take a look at that link and verify that you have selected the content you want to sync the your phone.

Create smart playlist - "shuffle randomly" - burn DVD

The above is all what I want to do.
I can create a smart playlist no problem. I can burn a DVD with the playlist no problem. BUT
I can not get the playlist to randomly shuffled in the itunes window before I burn the disk?!! Shuffle is on "By Song" and turning it 'off' or 'on' makes no change to the order of the playlist in the itunes window.??????
I am using itunes 9.0.1.8. I had done it once before a while back, and the DVD has tracks in random order (ie:shuffled) but not now the playlist does not shuffle.
itunes DJ only gives 100 songs, I need 400 approx.
what am I doing wrong or what has changed recently????
cheers for any help.
CD

Click the very first column header with the numbers.
If you have any other column selected, it will sort on that column. If shuffled, the songs will play shuffled but still be displayed sorted on that column.
itunes DJ only gives 100 songs, I need 400 approx.
Make a new blank playlist and add what you want.
Or make a smart playlist and select 400 songs by random.

Smart Playlist - Ratings fields are blank and crashing iTunes

My iTunes has recently developed this problem where if I open a Smart Playlist and select "Ratings", the Ratings field is completely white. There are no stars or greyed out stars. If I try to click in that field, it crashes iTunes. Upon reopening iTunes, it runs a "Checking iTunes Library..." function but it still doesn't work correctly. This is happening for existing and newly created Smart Playlist.
All song rating appear normally within the normal browsing window.
Has anyone seen this? Anyone know of a fix?
Thanks

After troubleshooting this by throwing away iTunes preferences, restoring previous iTunes libraries from Time Machine, reinstalling 10.6.7 Combo and iTunes, reimaging the computer from scratch, the root of the cause finally appeared.
After reimaging the computer and running disk diagnostics, the hard disk was failing at times. I then determined that the hard drive had to be replaced but I wasn't sure if this would fix my iTunes smart playlist ratings problem.
I bought a new 500 gb drive to replace the original 120 gb drive, which was 4.5 years old.
After restoring from Time Machine and booting up into my main account, my iTunes smart playlist finally started working. I'm guessing that because I have an enormous iTunes library, something about pulling the data was straining the computer. That doesn't seem right though because creating/editing a smart playlist should just be a regular window without any labor intensive hd actions until you close it.

Smart Playlist Problems (Since Ver 5)

I have come across a problem, which I believe started when I installed Version 5.
I have many SMART playlists set up that are really for my iPod usage. They are set to pick certain tracks that have not been heard in xxx amount of days, and usually set to a certain number of songs, or a particular amount of time.
The ones I use most often:
SLEEP MUSIC - a playlist of random songs not played in the last 5 days limited to 90 minutes. I listen to this when I go to bed.
WORK MUSIC - a playlist of 100 random songs not played in the last 5 days. I play this through my inMotion dock at work.
Previously, all the smart playlists worked fine. When the songs were played, the playlist would update on the iPod and the next time I would enter that playlist on the iPod, the tracks would be different.
It still works this way as long as I don't connect my iPod to my PC and sync with iTunes. If I do, it always resets the iPod playlists to the songs that appear in the iTunes library. I rarely use these playlists on the PC, so they almost always stay the same.
It seems like in previous versions, iPod would update the iTunes library and the smart playlists would also be updated in iTunes, so that the iPod versions of the playlists would continue to be random. But now, if the playlist is different on the iPod, it will not transfer over to iTunes. Instead, the iTunes playlist is copied back over to my iPod, and I keep getting the same playlists over and over.
This is a major annoyance, as I usually sync my iPod every day since I am constantly updating my library.
I've also noticed that when I synch my iPod, it is copying over songs that are already there, and it always seems to be copying songs I recently played in the iTunes library.
I know that if the tag info is changed, or I add album art to a track, it will be copied over to the iPod again, but I am not making any changes to these tracks, just playing them in iTunes. I don't know if this is related to the smart playlist problem or not.
I thought about unchecking LIVE UPDATE on those playlists that cause a problem, but that doesn't work, as now I'd ALWAYS have the same playlist.
So, my next thought is to use the "Only update selected playlists" option in the preferences to exclude those playlists that have this problem. If I do this, will new music I add still be copied over to my iPod?
Has anyone else encountered these problems?
FYI - I have not updated to the latest iPod update because of smart playlist problems people were having. I have version 1.1 on my 60GB photo. Would updating perhaps fix this problem?
My bottom-line thought on this is that iTunes updates the iPod, but the iPod no longer updates the iTunes library as it previously did. My reasons for thinking this are 1) The playlist problems I am having as stated above, and 2) I notice when I change the ratings on the iPod, they are not changed in iTunes. I am going to do a test and change the rating on a track on the iPod, then I will synch my iPod to see if the track is updated in iTunes, or the file is copied back to the iPod with the old rating.

Reagrding tracks being copied over again, I've seen another post in iPod Lounge where that person indicated the same thing. He stated that the play count was not being updated between the iPod and iTunes, but that the tracks were being copied over again. This sounds like a good explanation of this problem.
I have now noticed many of the tracks which I know I have played in the past show a "0" play count. Are the play counts kept in the iTunes library files (iTunes.xml and iTunes.itl)?
I always save the library files, so that when I reinstall iTunes I can just copy these 2 files back to their proper locations and I have my entire library intact - playlists and all. My music library is on a different drive.
Anyway, I KNOW I have played these tracks on the iPod, and yet they show unplayed on iTunes. This is probably another symptom of the re-copying tracks problem.

Smart playlists problem!!!

So, I've adressed this problem partly in another thread but since that one seems dead I'll start a new one. Got a new ipod touch to replace my ipod classic, and to be honest I'm very disappointed. Not only is synching MUCH slower, when I change the rating of a song on the ipod, it's immediately reset when I connect the ipod to the computer!
This means that my system of rating songs, creating playlists for certain numbers of stars is totally worthless now.
Edit:
I'm getting really angry that Apple is selling these, I can't use live update on any playlists and I can't even change the rating on my own songs, what am I paying for?!
Message was edited by: mikael.kallin

Has your ipod been set up to manually manage music?
That would stop the ratings and play counts from syncing back to itunes, if it's not set up to sync.
A bigger problem is if you can't even change a rating in itunes itself. That would most likely be due to windows permissions not letting itunes edit the iTunes Library.itl file. And could also be the reason your smart playlists aren't working properly.
In Windows Explorer, right-click > Properties on your top-level itunes media folder. Go to the security tab and give your windows userID full control and ownership of that folder, and all its child/subfolders. Restart itunes so it will see the new permission settings, and see if it starts behaving as you expect.

Smart Playlist in folder not synching

Everything has always synched perfectly (and still does with +iTunes 10+ ) except one thing:
I have a Smart List (for Classical Music, named 'iPhone Classical' - *inside a Playlist Folder*, named 'iPhone') which is set to synch with my iPhone 3G (latest iOS). No errors.
But on my iPhone iPod app. the 'iPhone Classical' playlist shows 'No Music'.
Yet all the music which is in that enclosed Smart Playlist (on iTunes ) is there in the 'Songs' tab.
What might I be doing wrong?
Thanks!

Thanks for the posts Mark & Diane.
I had the same problem with Smart playlists I created for podcasts based on Date Added, Plays=0, and Time (duration), which is a great way to listen to podcasts from multiple sources. Recently, I managed my ipod and iPad manually (did some house cleaning) and then afterwards all of these Smart playlists showed empty on my devices though fine on iTunes. Taking your suggestions of placing my smart playlists in a playlist folder fixed the problem, but I did not have to recreate my smart playlists, only move them.
Yay!

Problem with ratings-based smart playlists in iOS5.

I use ratings-based smart playlists to organize my music. For example, a typical smart playlist will include all songs from a given genre rated 3 stars or better. Playlists work perfectly on PC/iTunes and iPad (and used to work perfectly on iPhone/iPod before iOS5), but on iPhone 4S (iOS5) and iPod touch (iOS5), only the lowest-rated songs show up; higher rated songs omitted from the smart playlist. However, I also always have a playlist that has the higher ratings. So the songs are on the iPhone/iPod, but just not in all the correct playlists. Anyone have help for me? Thanks.

I'm having the same problem-- my "Smart Playlists" don't seem to update. I created a new smart playlist with a single artist, and nothing comes into it-- so if I make one just for artist=devo, for example, no tracks come through despite their being hundreds.
I also employ smart playlists on my podcasts-- so when plays=1, it disappears from the list. These are not updating, despite my making no changes to them other than upgrading to iTunes 10.
My "recently played" list DOES seem to be updating, and I don't understand why I'm seeing this despite making no changes.

Smart Playlist Song Order Problem on iPod Nano 6th G

recently i got an iPod Nano 6th G after years of using my iPod Classic 5.5G, and so far it has been a bliss actually if it wasnt for one small thing
i have a somewhat large collection of music that i have - with a few exceptions - put in one big smart playlist with the rules provided in the pic to fit my needs
on my old iPod Classic when i sync it i find it in the ipod in the same ordered that shows on my iTunes, but with my iPod Nano that is no longer the case.... even the the same playlist in my iPod have the songs in the exact order as it is in my library on iTunes, once i unblug it the play list on iPod becomes arranged alphabetically by artist and obviousely that is my problem
so if anyone could guid me to correct it or even the cause of it i'ld be very thankful

Can someone point me to a forum somewhere where I can get help with this? I'm obviously posting to the wrong place. Thanks!

Problem with smart Playlist after Upadte to 10.6 - PLEASE UPDATE SOON, Backup not possible

Apple, Apple, Apple... (again)
Is it so difficult to let things, that are quite good, just there where they are??
After updating my iTunes, OS Lion and some other stuff 2 days ago, I have now a big problem with a smart Playlist in iTunes 10.6. Before updating all things was right.
The problem: Now, AFTER UPDATE, my Playlist ist totally empty!
Before they were over 2000 songs in it.
And because this is my major-smart-Playlist, which is established to my whole other Smart-Playlists, the other ones are also empty.
And this is not the first time Apple.
It´s good, if you - apple guys - just added something like new categories to sort of music (like "iCloud-Status" or some others).
BUT WHAT DID YOU THINK, WHEN YOU DELETED THE OPTION "VALUATION" - mh??? (I hope in english this is the word that used in Itunes - my iTunes is in German)
So I don´t mean the "lines" - I don´t know the right english word - when you see the music. There you can fade in "Album-Valuation" - new - AND "Valuation" - old.
But I mean in the options of the smart-playlists - THERE ARE ONLY "Album-Valuation"!!!!! What the heck....
EVERYONE NEEDS THE NORMAL Song-"Valuation" - and not the album (because normaly you decide by each track how good he is and not by the whole album).
You can let the Album ones in it, BUT PLEASE BRING THE NORMAL ONE BACK.
So, in my case, I tried to go back to iTunes 10.5.3 with my nice Time-Machine-Backup. So, but I couldn´t because there came a bug-message that said something like "It is not possible because OSX need the Programm".
What is that?
I also couldn´t delete the iTunes app from my app-folder.
So, and now?
I had to totally restore my volume !
What is that for a solution?!
So please think before you delete any functions, who is needed by many people.
And if you did, maybe ask some users, that uses for example smart-playlists alot, if there is a problem about some changes, you want to add.
I hope anyone from Apple read this and also answer me. Because I´m upset about that.
In every iTunes-Update I am concerned about what will be after the update.
For example in the past, there was more than one changes in iTunes with the Valuation. First, there was just whole stars to set for every song. Than, after a long time, Apple decided to give the options for also half stars. So I said to myself - hey that´s great, that I don´t have to use external apps anymore to set these. So I did this to many of my songs (and that´s many).
Than - after an Update - wow, all half stars rating are gone ! Great Apple, really great.
I was VERY upset.
So after an other update, the opportunity to give half stars are back.
I thought, my god, it is so difficult to talk with other guys, that worked before on iTunes if I am new or just to look if there was already a change in that part of the app???
So, apple guys, please don´t think that I want to attack you. But please be more carefull in the future. I hope that I don´t have to worry too much about so stuff. I really have better things to do with my time.
So, have a nice weekend.
Greetings from Germany.
Marco Blum

Hi..
Use Lion Recovery to reinstall the Mac OS X.

MUSIC SMART PLAYLISTS PROBLEM/ERROR/BUG

It seems that Apple continues to ignore the problem with the music smart playlists... IT'S A SHAME!!! What's the point in getting an iPod/iPhone that doesen't work as it should???
WAKE UP APPLE!!!
Regards.

For the n thousandth time (not to you obviously) , Apple do not read posts like yours, and almost never read anything unless they are pointed to it by a high level member. Then only for deletion ....
They have jobs to do trying to get problems solved which are reported in the proper way, and random venting by people who have caps lock stuck on just gets ignored.
http://www.apple.com/feedback/

Has anyone found a solution to the smart playlist problem.

Hello,
After many calls to Apple regarding my smart playlists not syncing correctly I figured I'd try the forums. Since iTunes 9 (back in November) my playlists have not been syncing correctly, at all and it's not just a case of the songs being out of order, the entire playlist/s is incorrect, with songs I didn't even add to the list.
I only have 16gb to play with on my phone, my entire library is over 40gb, so I depend on smart playlists so that only selected songs (4 star rated or better) make it to my iPhone.
Other then unchecking live update, is there any other solutions that actually work? I'm way beyond frustrated with this issue and the fact that they STILL haven't fixed it.
iTunes 9.0.3
iPhone 3.1.3
Both were just updated this week, the iPhone this afternoon.
Thank you for any help!
Regards,
Eric

Don't know if my problem is same as yours..after Lion install, frozen cursor in password field when logging in after starting up, beach ball. Couple of trips to Apple store, a number of phone calls to troubleshoot with Applecare. The last fellow who helped me found a workaround, just can't log in. He said engineers have reports of others with this problem so it's not just my machine but fix would probably come in software update. Been dealing with this since first week of Lion download. Hopefully they'll fix it eventually. I can use macbook now, but don't like not being able to have a screen login via password. No plans to ever again download a new op system on a mac...had no trouble installing win7 on older dell from vista.

Playcount and Smart Playlist problem

Can someone explain what I consider strange behavior on the part of iTunes syncing? I have noticed it with my old 3rd gen iPod, my iPhone, and now my new new Nano.
Here's what happens:
1) I have smart playlists set up for each my podcasts, so that they contain only episodes with a playcount of 0, and with live updating checked.
2) Let's say I have a particular podcast with 4 unplayed episodes, and I go for a walk at the beach. I play a podcast episode all the way through, it goes to the next episode, and then the next. All 3 are played all the way through.
3) I turn off my iPod/iPhone/Nano at the end of my walk. There are now 3 episodes that have been played and one that has not.
4) Later in the day I turn the IPod/iPhone/Nano back on, and lo and behold all 4 of the episodes are still there, cued up to the beginning of the episode, not the one unplayed one I am expecting.
But the weird part is, it works just the way it's supposed to if, at any point before I turn off the devices, I back out of the playlist and click into a different playlist. Then, when I go back to the original one, the played episodes are gone just as they should be.
I'm sure I'm doing something wrong, or not understanding how this works, so can somebody please explain what's going on?

ok, that actually makes a lot of sense, and you're probably right.
But one of the reasons it's so annoying is that if I forget to back out of the playlist before I sync to iTunes the next time, it treats all the played episodes as unplayed.
And sometimes I need to do more than just back out of the playlist, I actually have to go into a different playlist and then back out of that one and go back into the original one before the rules stick.
Obviously not a huge problem in the overall scheme of things, but really, really annoying.
Anyway, thanks for the input.

Smart Playlist Synch Problem

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