[Billman]

New to using iTunes with iPod...if I drag a playlist from my local Library to the iPod in iTunes 7, the music copies only as separate tracks -- not as a playlist. How do I copy a playlist as an intact object?

[bruine]

I would appreciate a bit more info on your setup (OS, ipod model).
If your iPod can contain your entire music library, you could let iTune manage things and it will copy the entire organisation of your library. You could also chose to copy only certain playlist instead of your whole library. If not, since iTune 7, you select the ipod icon and select the option to manually manage your iPod. After that, you should be able to drag individual tune or playlist. (It's quite well explained in the iTune help by the way).
If this doesn't solve your problem, let us know, I'll do more torough research.

[Billman]

Yes, actually, that's my point. I dragged an existing playlist to the iPod (within iTunes) and I was surprised to see no playlist created on the iPod. Checking the iPod's main library, all the tracks copied fine, but not in a playlist. Doesn't make sense. I tried it several times & with diff. playlists, with the same result. I wound up creating a playlist on the iPod by hand, with the same name as the local playlist, and then dragged the whole bunch of tracks from one playlist to the other, but that's so un-Mac-like, and I don't know if doing it that way will prevent synching.
Which brings up another question. In the iPod tabs, where you're supposed to have a choice between full auto-synch and the selective synch, all of that is gray (being in manual mode). When I click on it, iTunes puts up a dialogue saying if I go any further it will wipe out whatever's on the iPod and go to full auto-synching. I can't get to the selective synch option without first activating the full automatic, if you believe the dialogue. It's only a Nano, so I don't want all the music from my hard drive on the iPod.
"Quite well explained" is a relative term, as I have a knack for asking questions (creating problems?) which aren't in the Knowledge Base, never mind the so-called help. /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif Maybe I missed something, but they're pretty thin on detailed explanations.
[=] iPod Nano 2nd Gen
[=] iTunes 7 (downloaded last week) on 10.3.9

[bruine]

I got a 60Gb video ipod syncing with usb 1, so I won't wipe my iPod for the test, but I'm giving a Nano to my daughter next week. I'll do the tests at this moment if no one gives a good answer until then.
Concerning the wiping of the ipod when you choose auto syncing, it seem unavoidable. iTune replace your file organisation by its own.

[albloom]

Billman, were I programming the manual transfer to
an iPod, I don't know that I could make it automagic.
The process is akin to bringing a bunch of tracks
into iTunes. Where should those tracks go in your own
scheme of things.
I don't know about you. My iTunes has an idiosyncratic
structure. It's the best I've figured out to make it
sync with Leslye's iPod: genre/artist/album. For me
album is playlist. Do you have the same structure?
If not, may I suggest that Apple's programmers did
as well as anyone could?
It's easy enough to go into iPod (within iTunes) and
create a playlist where you want it in your iPod file
structure. Then drag your iTunes playlist into that
iPod playlist.
Unless you can suggest a mechanism for iPod manual
update that will work for everyone, not just your
own preferences, I suggest that you live with what
is available.

[bruine]

Quote:

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It's easy enough to go into iPod (within iTunes) and
create a playlist where you want it in your iPod file
structure. Then drag your iTunes playlist into that
iPod playlist.
Unless you can suggest a mechanism for iPod manual
update that will work for everyone, not just your
own preferences, I suggest that you live with what
is available.

---

Al, I can't really understand why you answer this way. Billman don't criticize the way the iPod and iTune is programmed, he want to understand why his iPod isn't working as expected. That's a legitimate question which deserve a polite answer.
For my part, as promised, I made some test. With iTune 7.02 on Os X 10.4.8 and with iPod Nano 4GB 2nd gen, the playlist I manually drag are copied on the iPod with the tracks and the playlist. I can't see why yours behave differently. What are the version of iTune you're using on which Os ?
Anyway, you can also select the auto sync feature. Your iPod will be wiped, and as you noted, you won't be able to copy your entire library on an iPod Nano. You will receive a warning, and after that, you will be able to select which playlist you want to synchronize. Your iPod will finally be filled again. It's so simple to use that you probably won't want to return to manually managing it (you should find it really mac like)

[geetar]

billman,
i'm having the same problem.
i can transfer my playlists if i drag it up through the source list and into my ipod, but not the usual/quick/preferred/smart way of opening my ipod in another window and dragging accross.
my date added quit working too, so i have to either search for , or scroll through my entire ipod to find the new songs. annoying as hell.
sorry no help just some company in frustration. my post @ apple discussions is getting no response so who knows what's up.

[bruine]

Again ,can you give more info ? Computer model, OS version, iTune version, iPod model.
Are you sure you have the latest version of the firmare of the iPod ? Are you sure you have the latest version of iTune ? After that, we can begin to troubleshoot.

Quote:

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i can transfer my playlists if i drag it up through the source list and into my ipod, but not the usual/quick/preferred/smart way of opening my ipod in another window and dragging accross

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For this part, I don't really understand to what you refer. Are you willing to manage your iPod as an external disk in a finder window ? It's doable but quite complex. Apple as elected to hide the music structure of the iPod to avoid that non tech user erase something by mistake. It's designed to be used with iTune, and it's a big part of the success of the iPod. Don't think that Apple will change it to please you.
For the rest, If everything on your computer and iPod is up to snuff, I would begin by testing the iPod on another computer. If it behave as expected, you have a computer problem. I would then trash or move away the iTune preferences. If it wouln't be enough, I would reinstall iTune.
If the same problem happen on the other computer, it's an iPod problem, I would reset the iPod.
But please, try to provide the needed info before asking more questions

[Billman]

Quote:

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Anyway, you can also select the auto sync feature. Your iPod will be wiped, and as you noted, you won't be able to copy your entire library on an iPod Nano. You will receive a warning, and after that, you will be able to select which playlist you want to synchronize. Your iPod will finally be filled again.

---

I see! Thanks for running the test. It goes to my comment on thin documentation. I guess synching is one of those things they expect nearly everyone to try first, so why should they bother to mention that it's "now or never" when you first start it up?
I'll be using my iPod for a while before I try that. Maybe never, since the quantity of transfers I'm likely to do in the long run, once my initial zeal for grabbing things off my CD library wanes, is limited. I don't see why it has to be destructive, or why they don't let you go directly to selective synch. The only parallel I can think of is backup programs, which moved beyond the "one way fits all" approach decades ago.

[bruine]

Quote:

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so why should they bother to mention that it's "now or never" when you first start it up?

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I don't remember seeing this now or never warning. You can change your mind when you wish quite easily. The warning I remember just tell that if you decide to sync your iPod with a different computer than the one you usually use, you will erase your original content (there is workaround).

Quote:

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I don't see why it has to be destructive

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The sync is generally not destructive. It's a sync. Anyway, it takes just a few minutes to fill a Nano over USB 2.0 so it's not a big deal. You should try the different options and choose which one you prefer. It's really not so complicated. And for the documentation, go at Apple support site. It's quite complete (the first models were supplied with a CD with an electronic version of the manual, but with the large availability of the internet, they no longuer do it)