Playlist management

Importation in foobar 2000

It could be done via:

• explorer and its contextual menu:

  
  
  • Play in foobar 2000 : will add the files in the actual playlist and clear all that was before there. It will start playing it automatically
  • Enqueue in foobar2000 : the files will be imported at the end of your playlist
  • Open in foobar2000 : well I can't see the difference with play in foobar2000
  Note :
  
  • You need to install this option, there is no way to reactivate it if not chosen at the beginning except by re-installing foobar!!
    
  • There may be some conflicts with winamp (at least I experienced it)
  
  

• The usual drag and drop mode:

  
  

• The interface:

  
  
  
  
  • Open : add file(s) from your computer, clears the current playlist so as to put the files in it
  • Add location :add a file that you want to listen from internet
  • Add files : adds the file(s) at the end of the playlist (doesn't erase the actual playlist)
  • Add directory : add a whole directory and all the musical files which foobar is able to read. (doesn't erase the actual playlist)
    Note it also adds the subdirectories so beware of adding a directory containing a lot of files
  • Add playlist : loads a playlist and adds it at the end of the actual one
  • Load playlist : Loads a playlist and creates a new playlist tab
  • Save playlist : Saves your playlist into the corresponding format (m3u, m3u8, fpl)
    • m3u: the most used (especially by portable devices). Useful to export your playlists
    • m3u8: supports UTF-8 character, useful for other alphabeticals (russian, hebrew, greek, arabian etc..) or non-common characters
    • pls: the same as m3u (less used) but you can't save into this format
    • fpl: foobar proprietor format saves not only the path of your files but also the tags. Useful for the users who don't want to have a database. Could be used to repair masstagger mishandling.

• opening a Playlist from explorer

  (.m3u, .m3u8, .fpl, .pls files) , or by drag and drop mode.
  Note : to work, you need to associate these extensions to foobar, or it may open another software.

Sorting order after importation

Adding files could be done in many ways, while some prefer the file path, others prefer the album, artist, genre,tracknumber value . With foobar, you can customize how it is done without having to go to the "sort by" command. By default it is setted to: %_path%|$num(%_subsong%,9) : the filepath and then the tracknumber value. You can change it easily, see the titleformat_help.html file in your foobar directory to have some help or the internet version of the same page .

Change with :

• %tag field name%, for tag based sorting . Some examples: %artist%|$num(%_subsong%,9) , %genre%|$num(%_subsong%,9)
• %_technical information% for technical based sorting. Some examples : %_codec% or %_bitrate%

You can also add secondary settings with the " | " separator. For example %_path% | %artist% | %album% | $num(%_subsong%,9) . The sorting will be done according to the path, then the artist then the album then the tracknumber.The secondary setting are important to make the sorting accurate, if there is only %artist% all the tracks of the same artist won't have any correct sorting.

Use the brackets " [ " , "]" to use optional tag fields, use it if you know that there are only some files using the tag field named.

Use the restrict incoming files to to filter the kind of files which will be added (for example lossless formats so as not to have lossy format)

Adding and suppressing files from foobar

The importation takes quite a lot of time as foobar (and every advanced software) reads all the tags fields before adding them to the playlist, it also adds the information into the database if it is enabled . If you had activated this option, it will take time to import files only the first time, then it will be really shorter (could be 15sec for twenty thousand of files!!) as foobar automatically adds all files alread opened one time and then reads the information into its database (which is much faster). Supressing or adding files into foobar will never erase your files as the software is unable to do so. As a consequence, you can do evrything without fear for the loss of your files. Except if you are using the massdelete component. (couldn't make it blink and be phosphorescent)

• Massdelete

  
  
  It's an optional component , its use couldn't be easier:
  
  • select the files to delete and then right click massdelete delete. If you do so, you won't be able to recover the file(s)
  • select the files to delete and then right click massdelete  recycle, to put the file(s) into the bin (or trash?), it's safer.
  The options in the preferences panel are quite clear, you might understand without my help.
  
  To see the official topic, click here

Sorting files after having added them

• Several options are already avaible:it will act on your selection or on the whole playlist if done by the playlist tab
  • Randomize : well instead of sorting your playlist, it will totally disorder your playlist without any pattern. You could also use the random option of reading order wich will have the same effect but will keep the sorting of your files (you could also use the two options if you want)
  • Sort by file path : sorts your files corresponding to your directory architecture (directorie then subdirectories etc..)
  • Sort by display name : sorts your file alphabetically corresponding to your playlist scheme
  • Sort by artist : sorts your files only considering the artist tag (alphabetical order)
  • Sort by album : sorts your files only considering the album tag (alphabetical order)
  • Sort by tracknumber : sorts your file only considering the tracknumber tag (useful for one album)
  • Sort by title : sorts your file only considering the title tag (alphabetical order)
  • Reverse : inverts the playlist
  • Sort by : there you can choose your own way to sort your files:
    
    click on the help button to know how you could sort your files.
• You can also use your mouse to sort your files.

Reading order

• Default : will play the songs with the playlist order, will stop at the end of the playlist
• Random : will play your songs without any pattern, it won't never stop except if the user decides to. It is less brutal than Randomize . next/previous will bypass the random effect.
• Repeat : the same as Default but will restart to read the songs from the beginning after having played the last song of your playlist.
• Repeat one : will repeat endlessly the same file

Playlist Tabs

Foobar is one of of the (very) rare sofwares allowing you to have several playlists at the same time. If the idea is quite simple, it is very useful. As you can switch between playlist sorted in different ways: format files, artist, year, etc.. Allowing you to have a really various range of playlists

• Switch to this playlist : activates the corresponding playlist
• Remove this playlist : removes the playlist. You won't be able to save it
• Rename this playlist : change the name of your playlist
• Create new playlist : guess..
• Save playlists : save the corresponding playlist
• Save all playlists : will save all the playlist, you have to choose a format and then a directory where they will be saved. The name of the playlists saved will be the name of the tab.
• Move left/right : change the order of your tabs

Creating/saving a playlist from selected files

• Save as playlist: will save only the selected tracks in a playlist file (for more details, go there)
• Send to playlist: wil open this window:
  
  
  • Foobar will suggest the name for the playlist but you can choose playlist name or select an already existing one.
  • Replace playlist contents: will delete the other files in the selected playlist so as to put the selected files into it
  • Sort: Will sort the files added

The console

Just a few words (as everybody knows the buttons):

• will play a random song
• will open the open window