Working with Playlists

We discussed how to use the Auto Playlist feature in Chapter 14, "Playback Time: Sorting, Viewing, and Controlling Your Music." You may not have realized it at the time, but creating on-the-fly playlists based on what tunes you play, and when, is a capability that Media Center borrows from its sister application in Windows XP, the Windows Media Player.

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As an alternative method to creating a playlist from Windows Media Player, you can open the My Music folder from the Windows XP Start menu, and right-click on the songs you want to add. Choose Add to Playlist, and then choose an existing playlist from the drop-down box, or select New (see Figure 16.1).

Figure 16.1. In this view of the My Music folder, multiple tracks have been selected, using the Ctrl key, for adding to a new playlist.

If you want to add multiple songs at once, hold down the Ctrl key while you click on them, and then right-click on one of the selected files to complete the procedure.

Playlists are a powerful feature that allow you to play the role of Big-Time Music Producer, deciding which tracks make it into the final mix, and which ones don't. You can also pick the order in which songs are played , and create new "compilation albums" that mix and match songs from any combination of artists that happens to suit your musical fancy.

There are two ways to work with playlists on your Media Center PC: by using Windows Media Player outside of the Media Center Interface, and by working within Media Center using the Media Center Playlist Editor.

Creating Playlists with Windows Media Player

To create a playlist using Windows Media Player, launch the player from the Windows XP desktop, and do the following:

1. Click on Media Library, and then click on File, New Playlist, or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+N.

2. In the blank provided, type the new playlist name , and click OK.

3. Your new playlist has been added to the My Playlists folder. Select it in the left pane, and the empty playlist will be displayed on the right.

4. To add items to the playlist, click on All Music in the left pane to display a complete list of the available audio tracks.

5. Right-click each item you want to add, and select Add to Playlist. Choose the new playlist from the drop-down menu. (You can also just drag and drop the tune directly onto the selected playlist, if you prefer.)

After you've completed the playlist creation process, you'll be able to launch Media Center and choose the new playlist from within the My Music interface. (For details on playing playlists in My Music, see Chapter 14. )

Creating Playlists with Media Center Playlist Editor

If the idea of setting down your precious remote control and exiting Media Center to the Windows XP desktop is utterly abhorrent to you, take heart: There is a way to create and manage playlists without leaving the Media Center interface.

To make use of this capability, however, you'll have to download the Playlist Editor PowerToy from Microsoft's Web site, as described in the "Special Media Center Downloads" section of Chapter 24, "Downloads and Enhancements." Admittedly, you will have to wander outside of Media Center to actually get the PowerToy file, but as soon as it's installed, you can put your mouse safely back on the shelf.

Here's how to create a playlist using the Media Center Playlist editor:

1. From the More Programs menu in Media Center, select Playlist Editor.

2. Choose Create Playlist.

3. Choose how you want your songs to be sorted, by selecting Albums, Artists, Songs, or Genres.

4. Select the items you want added to the new playlist by pressing the OK button on each item. This will place a check mark in the item listing (see Figure 16.2).

   Figure 16.2. The Playlist Editor PowerToy for Media Center lets you select the songs you want, and then add them to a new, custom playlist.

   

5. When you have selected all the songs for your new playlist, highlight Add Items, and press OK on the remote control.

6. A text entry box will appear, allowing you to input the name of your new playlist using the text entry keys on the remote control. Press the up arrow to type in uppercase, and the down arrow to return to lowercase. (For more information on the fine points of text entry with your remote control, see the section "Searching by Title," in Chapter 7, "Finding Shows to Record.")

7. When finished, press OK on the remote, select Done, and then select Exit.

Now go to My Music and select Playlists. Your new playlist will appear, sorted with other playlists into alphabetical order. Select the new playlist and press the Play button on the remote control to enjoy the fruits of your labor.