Smart Playlist Question

ghost_user_nameghost_user_name
Posted:
in iPod + iTunes + AppleTV edited January 2014
How often does iTunes update smart playlists which are set to automatically update? Every time the program loads or does it actually do it on the fly?



I'm trying to set up some smart playlists so I don't hear the same music all the time, and I want to limit the main playlist I'll use in Party Shuffle, but I don't want to set it too load if it only auto updates it every time the program loads.



Thanks.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 8
    brussellbrussell Posts: 9,812member
    You can set a smart playlist to update on the fly if you want or you can turn live updating off for that playlist.
  • Reply 2 of 8
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    The guy above answered the first part.



    So if you don't want to hear the same songs every time, hit that button down the bottom left of iTunes, next to the plus button, it's called shuffle. It will light up blue when it's on. Now hit play, and sit back and enjoy!
  • Reply 3 of 8
    ghost_user_nameghost_user_name Posts: 22,667member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Ireland


    The guy above answered the first part.



    So if you don't want to hear the same songs every time, hit that button down the bottom left of iTunes, next to the plus button, it's called shuffle. It will light up blue when it's on. Now hit play, and sit back and enjoy!



    Right, but when does it live update? Like if I set the playlist to limit to 25 songs and I got to the end of the 25 songs would it update itself or would it stop cause it got to the end of the playlist?
  • Reply 4 of 8
    brussellbrussell Posts: 9,812member
    I don't quite get what you're trying to do, but why don't you just try it and see what happens? It is a free download, after all.



    The live updating works instantly - if you have a smart playlist for all songs with "duh" in the name, if you change the name of a song to "duh," it will instantly get put in that playlist as soon as you change its name. Again, try it, you'll see how it works.
  • Reply 5 of 8
    ghost_user_nameghost_user_name Posts: 22,667member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by BRussell


    I don't quite get what you're trying to do, but why don't you just try it and see what happens? It is a free download, after all.



    The live updating works instantly - if you have a smart playlist for all songs with "duh" in the name, if you change the name of a song to "duh," it will instantly get put in that playlist as soon as you change its name. Again, try it, you'll see how it works.



    I am using it. I guess I'm not being clear. I've got a few smart playlists set up and then one that draws from all those others but limits to 50 songs selected at random with live updating. Those 50 songs selected at random only happen when I restart iTunes. The live updating, I have found, only works like you said, when names are changed or ranking or whatever the playlist is looking for. My initial question was weather or not iTunes could constantly update the 50 songs selected at random without a restart of the program.
  • Reply 6 of 8
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    You're making it all too complicated... like I said if you don't want to hit the same songs the whole time play directly from the itunes Library, and turn on Shuffle. You can also set smart shuffle in preferences to less likely. That's what I do, and I'm happy with that!
  • Reply 7 of 8
    ghost_user_nameghost_user_name Posts: 22,667member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Ireland


    You're making it all too complicated... like I said if you don't want to hit the same songs the whole time play directly from the itunes Library, and turn on Shuffle. You can also set smart shuffle in preferences to less likely. That's what I do, and I'm happy with that!



    Maybe I am making things too complicated... I do that a lot. I'll keep fiddling until I give up I guess. Thanks for all the suggestions.
  • Reply 8 of 8
    endymionendymion Posts: 375member
    Actually I find it best to set up a playlist with all the songs you want, then point Party Shuffle to it which will give you more flexibility than the just shuffling a playlist.
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