Re: [Gtkpod-questions] Documentation/UI issues

[Alex M <amo...@gm...>]

PGR, thanks for your prompt reply.

On Thu, Nov 13, 2008 at 7:21 AM, P.G. Richardson
<p.g...@ph...> wrote:
> See inline comments. Hopefully they should provide a little more clarity.
> These are based on my own usage of gtkpod for managing my ipod. I have
> never seriously used iTunes so dont tend to bother to understand its way
> of doing things... anyway, enough caveats ...

I haven't really used iTunes, either. Up until now, I've been using
Anapod Explorer (in Windows).


>
>> I decided to try out gtkpod (version 0.99.12) to keep my music library
>> synchronized with my 1st generation iPod Video. When I started using
>> it, it was not immediately apparent how to accomplish this, so I
>> checked out
>> http://gtkpod.sourceforge.net/documentation/singlehtml/gtkpod.html.
>
> This documentation I think is rather dated in relation to the latest
> version. Can I refer you instead to the wiki ->
> http://gtkpod.wikispaces.com. Although, not comprehensive it might explain
> things a little more in relation to the release.

Mm, good to know.

>
>> Section 1.1 lists many features, including:
>>
>> <snip>
>>       Read your existing iTunesDB (i.e. import the existing contents
>> of your iPod including playcounts and ratings)
>>
>>       Sync directories
>>
>>       Normalize the volume of tracks (uses mp3gain)
>>
>>       Write the updated iTunesDB and added songs to your iPod
>>
>>       Work offline and synchronize your new playlists / songs with the
>> iPod at a later time
>> </snip>
>>
>> I didn't want to just add songs to my iPod (as described in "4.1.
>> Adding, removing songs") -- I wanted to have a local library to which
>> I would add music periodically, and then sync any new material to the
>> iPod.
>> So I went ahead and did "Add Folder" to "Local".
>
> The local repository lives completely separately from your ipod. It allows
> management of tracks without ever having to have your ipod plugged in.

Yup, that much I understood =)

> I use a local repo for this purpose. Once I am happy that a track is
> "complete", ie. has its cover and tags set correctly, I then drag n drop
> it from the local repo onto my ipod.
>
> See here -> http://gtkpod.wikispaces.com/Layout+of+gtkpod

Ah. Yea, the wiki seems to be a bit clearer. However, I don't want to
be dragging and dropping individual tracks or albums.

>
>> I then tried to figure out how to sync this library to my iPod.
>
> Syncing looks at where the track is stored on your filesystem (not the
> local repo). Syncing updates the track on your ipod from the filesystem
> onto your ipod.

Shouldn't all operations go through the repo? I don't believe it is
proper for an operation to bypass the repo. The way I first understood
it, "Synchrnoization" updates your on-disk iTuneDB, thereby updating
the Local repository.

> So if you change track tag info using an app like easytag
> (external to gtkpod) then the track has changed. Hit sync in gtkpod and it
> should update the track on the ipod.

I thought that even after "Syncing with directories", another step is
required to 'export' the newly modified iTunesDB to the iPod. But now
I see, that you all these operations can be done on either repository,
independently.

>
> (If this is in anyway incorrect or untrue then someone please correct but
> this is what I have always done ;) )
>
>> "Exporting files" talks about copying files "from your iPod to your
>> disk", so that wasn't it. Did I need to look for "Importing files"
>> then? There are few places in the doc where "importing" is discussed.
>
> To add tracks to your ipod ->
> http://gtkpod.wikispaces.com/Copying+Content+to+the+iPod

Sure, but this page also talks about dragging and dropping specific
tracks/albums. What I'm looking for is how to automatically copy only
the difference (newly added tracks), hence my original use of the term
"syncing".

>
> Essentially you need to create a repo looking at your ipod, ie. specify
> mount point etc. Once you have a repo for your ipod you can add tracks
> onto it just like adding to the local repo. In addition you can drag n
> drop between repos.

Right.

>
>
>
>> And to top it off, there are menu items that make this all the more
>> confusing, such as "Export tracks from database" which is a whole
>> other type of "export", it seems. And what does *does* the "Save
>> changes" button do? No mention of it in the doc.
>
> Once happy with a repo, you need to hit "Save Changes". Only at that point
> are the changes written to the itunesDB resident on the ipod (or if local
> in the itunesDB stored on your hdd).

So it looks like the two repo's are managed rather independently:
adding tracks to one of them and updating its iTunesDB has no effect
on the other. But then what was that talk under "5.2. Offline mode"
regarding "exporting the iTunesDB to your iPod"? Is that just no
longer true?

The use of the terms 'export' and 'import' in the document is still
ambiguous and inconsistent (and I didn't know about the wiki until you
pointed me at it). I think the document does more harm than good in
explaining how to use the program.

I think any documentation needs to underscore the idea that all
operations -- like 'add folder/file', 'sync with dirs', 'save changes'
-- are done independently on the specified repository and that there
is no interaction between repositories (unless you do something
explicit like drag 'n drop  tracks).

So actually, what is the need for the Local repository?

Thanks again for all your help.

-Alex

>
> Hope this starts to get your somewhere. Feel free to ask more if still
> confused.
>
> Regards
>
> PGR
>
>
> --
> Laws are partly formed for the sake of good men, in order to instruct them
> how they may live on friendly terms with one another, and partly for the
> sake of those who refuse to be instructed, whose spirit cannot be subdued,
> or softened, or hindered from plunging into evil. [The Laws, Plato]
>
> You fiend! Never have I encountered such corrupt and foul-minded
> perversity… Have you ever considered a career in the church?
> Bishop of Bath and Wells (Blackadder II)
>
>