Creating USB drive playlists (easy instructions for MyFord and Sync systems)

[2012sel]

If you already have a usb drive full of music, you can skip to "Creating the playlist".

I have the basic MyFord and Sync system, but this might work just as well on MFT. Also, these instructions and the program explained below are for Windows computers.

I recently ripped all my CDs to MP3s and wanted to use a USB drive with the "MyFord and Sync" system. I was having difficulty figuring out how to create playlists. I can sometimes find Microsoft Media Player confusing and I needed something simple. I ended up finding a free program called "Playlist Creator" to easily create playlists straight off the USB drive files.

I'm pretty sure there are dozens of ways to do this using other programs and invite others to share complete and detailed instructions on this thread. Also, please provide links to other threads that explain utilizing USB drives to their fullest potential with the "MyFord and Sync" system.

Here's a description of the folder structure created automatically when I ripped my CD's. I then copied the files directly to my USB drive. On the top level are Artist folders and inside those are the Album folders and inside those are the individual MP3 files. This structure is typically how ripping software will save MP3s. I used Windows 7 Media Player 12 to rip my CDs and selected to rip at 256bit MP3 format. I set the "rip on CD insertion ON" and just kept feeding my computer CDs until I was done.
Artist
-AlbumX
--Song.mp3
--Song.mp3
--etc.
-AlbumY
--Song.mp3
--Song.mp3
--etc.
Artist
-Album
--Song.mp3
--Song.mp3
--etc.
Etc...

Creating the playlist
Free Shareware that I used (be sure to deselect all of the extra software they want to install during installation)...
http://oddgravity.de/app-opc.php

Once you have Playlist Creator installed and running on your Windows PC, plug in your USB drive and drag songs from the USB drive to the Playlist creator window. Once you have your list complete, set the Save location to the top level of the USB drive. Enter a simple file name that sync will voice-recognize easily, select .M3u as the file type and click Create Playlist. Now go test your new playlist.

I haven't tried any other folder structure but if you open the playlist created, you can see that the file locations are "relative" so I assume just about any folder structure will work.

If you try this out and find more interesting ways to use the program, please post details. Also, if you know of different ways to create playlists on USB drives, please leave detailed instruction on how you do it.

Below are instruction I found while researching this from a Ford rep on using Windows Media Player to create a Playlist.

Originally Posted by FordIVTteam

Below are instructions for creating playlists through Windows Media Player.

Make sure the music is listed on the flash drive.
Transfer the music from the flash drive to Windows Media player in the MEDIA LIBRARY tab.
Click on PLAYLISTS, and then CREATE NEW PLAYLIST.
Go back to the Media Library and Sort the music by the file name to show the file path starting with the Flash Drive Location (E.g…E:\MUSIC\MYMUSIC\...).
Select the songs that you would like to add to the playlist and drag and drop them, or right click them and send them to the correct playlist.
Once the playlist is complete, click on FILE and then SAVE PLAYLIST AS.
Click on MY COMPUTER, and then select the drive associated with the flash drive.
Change the Save As Type to Any Playlist.
Name the file and click on SAVE.

EDIT: Feedback from using the instructions...

Originally Posted by spudhead

I tried this method and got it to work. At first it did not work. You cannot save the playlist as "Relative". In Playlist Creator, hit the settings tab. Another window will pop up, then hit "Playlist details". Look under "Saving Playlist Entries" there is another sentence that says "Do you want to save the playlist absolute or relative. The default is relative so use the drop down menu and pick "absolute" not "absolute without drive".

Once this setting is changed, the directions in the quote above (which are in the first post) work like a charm

[pablo94sc]

.M3u playlists are also created with WinAmp, so once you move the songs you want to the USB drive, open those files in WinAmp, save the playlist on the USB drive, and you should be good. This, of course, is theory until I actually buy a thumbdrive for the car to replace the iPod.

[Merrigan]

Originally Posted by pablo94sc

.M3u playlists are also created with WinAmp, so once you move the songs you want to the USB drive, open those files in WinAmp, save the playlist on the USB drive, and you should be good. This, of course, is theory until I actually buy a thumbdrive for the car to replace the iPod.

Think this would work with the MFT system? I've had issues with getting a USB drive to work with my car. Never really trouble shot it or anything though.

[pablo94sc]

No clue. I didn't get MFT.

[ArcticGabe]

Originally Posted by pablo94sc

.M3u playlists are also created with WinAmp, so once you move the songs you want to the USB drive, open those files in WinAmp, save the playlist on the USB drive, and you should be good. This, of course, is theory until I actually buy a thumbdrive for the car to replace the iPod.

I tested your theory, and I can say for certain that .M3U playlists work great using .MP3 files on a USB stick on the regular Sync (non-MFT) system.

[BLRich1]

Moved to "Car Audio, SYNC, MyFord Touch & Electronics"

[shimitty]

Or you could just use SyncPlaylist to sync your exisiting WMP playlist quickly. It can be found at http://www.openviewdesign.com

[PandT]

Originally Posted by shimitty

Or you could just use SyncPlaylist to sync your exisiting WMP playlist quickly. It can be found at http://www.openviewdesign.com

I need one of these, the playlists from WMP don't copy over directly, It says that its doing it for the albums (and it does) but it is totally unclear that those are the only playlists that it copies to USB drives.

I downloaded the program and I had to install Java which I was avoiding because my wife's cheap games require it and they truly suck concerning stability of the video subsystem with hangs, changed resolutions and their complete inability to recover previous settings when they are shut down, hell, they don't even completely close, they always leave crap behind that makes the whole system unstable. I have to reboot to recover and I am using Win 8 but it doesn't matter, the same happened for the last ten years with this IWin crud clogging my system... Sigh, rant over, I will keep Java if this program works.

[PandT]

This does not work in Win 8, copies 1 file or says it does then stops, cancel transfer, restart, copies one more or says it does.

Maybe I don't understand what is happening. Playlists in WMP are just that, lists, they are not the files themselves, they are a list of already existing files that are in a list to be played, hence, a playlist.

What am I missing here?

I uninstalled the program and Java since it doesn't work in Win 8

[Focus2.0SEL]

Anyone using a PNY thumb drive in their Focus? I tried my HP one and sync said it wouldn't play it