Windows XP [Electronic resources] : Visual Quickstart Guide, Second Edition

Working with Playlists

Figure 10.7), but you also can create your own playlists that group any mix of songs and videos in the order in which you want them to be played. You can create a playlist that includes several tracks from various CDs, a radio-station link, and a video clip, for example. Classical-music fans use playlists to compare the same piece performed by different artists. You also can use playlists to burn your own CDs or copy files to portable music players.

To create a playlist:

1. Choose File > New Now Playing List.

2. In the List pane, choose Now Playing List > New List > Playlist (Figure 10.25 ).

3. Drag items from the Contents or Details pane in your library to the List pane to add them to the new playlist.

4. In the List pane, choose New Playlist > Save Playlist As.

5. In the Save As dialog box, type the playlist name in the File Name text box (Figure 10.26 ).

6. Click Save.

The new playlist is added to the My Playlists category in the Contents pane.

An

auto playlist is a playlist that Media Player compiles automatically, based on criteria that you specify. Auto playlists are updated each time you open them.

To create an auto playlist:

1. Choose File > New Now Playing List.

2. In the List pane, choose Now Playing List > New List > Auto Playlist (refer to Figure 10.25).

3. In the New Auto Playlist dialog box, type the name of the new auto playlist.

4. Specify criteria for the items in the auto playlist (Figure 10.27 ).

5. Click OK.

The new auto playlist is added to the Auto Playlists category in the Contents pane (Figure 10.28 ).

To add items to a playlist:

1. Choose File > New Now Playing List.

2. In the List pane, choose Now Playing List > Edit Playlist; then click a playlist name (if one is displayed). The items in the playlist are displayed in the List pane.

or

If some of your playlists are hidden in the Edit Playlist submenu (because there's not enough room to show them), click Additional Playlists to open the Add to Playlist dialog box; then click the playlist that you want to add the item to.

3. Add the items to the playlist by dragging them to the List pane or by right-clicking the selected items, and then choosing a playlist name in the Add To submenu.

To play a playlist:

Choose a playlist from the Quick Access menu's My Playlists or Auto Playlists submenu (Figure 10.29 ).

or

In the Contents pane, expand My Playlists or Auto Playlists; then double-click a playlist (or select a playlist and click the Play button).

The double-click technique works only if you click the Library Options button above the Details pane and then choose Play All Items on Double-Click.

To edit a playlist:

1. Choose File > New Now Playing List.

2. In the Contents pane, expand My Playlists; select the playlist that you want to change; then drag it to the List pane.

3. Choose Now Playing List > Edit Using Playlist Editor.

4. In the Edit Playlist dialog box, add, delete, or rearrange playlist items (Figure 10.30 ).

5. Click OK.