Externally Generated Smart Playlist Does Not Show Names For Individual Tracks

Externally Generated Smart Playlist Does Not Show Names For Individual Tracks - Printable Version

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Externally Generated Smart Playlist Does Not Show Names For Individual Tracks - Mike952 - 2023-03-23

I wish to make a playlist for Music Videos. I understand Kodi uses "Smart Playlists" for this function. I built a .xspf (Smart Playlist) using VLC. VLC provides for a drag & drop build. I placed the resulting Playlist into my "~/.kodi/userdata/playlists/mixed playlists" file. Kodi picked up this playlist just fine, and the playlist works. However, the playlist does not show titles for the individual videos. The playlist shows bullets for the (correct) 19 entries, but no text. On selection of one of the bullets, the playlist plays the selection, as expected. I've opened the playlist file, and each video is listed as a separate "track" with <location>, <duration>, and <extension> parameters. Is there a <name> parameter? How can I get Kodi to list "track" names?

Kodi 19.3
Linux Mint 20.3

RE: Externally Generated Smart Playlist Does Not Show Names For Individual Tracks - Karellen - 2023-03-23

(2023-03-23, 02:50)Mike952 Wrote: I built a .xspf (Smart Playlist) using VLC

I have not heard of an xspf file. Did you mean xsp?
No matter how hard I look, I cannot find anywhere in VLC that gives the option to create a Kodi compatible Smart Playlist. Can you explain how you did that?

I have a suspicion it is not a Smart Playlist at all, rather a basic playlist in the form of m3u or m3u8.

Paste the contents of your playlist into a code box here.

RE: Externally Generated Smart Playlist Does Not Show Names For Individual Tracks - izprtxqkft - 2023-03-23

xml shareable playlist files (xspf) from vlc are not the same as kodi smart playlists (xsp)

xspf - https://www.drupal.org/project/xspf_playlist

xsp - https://kodi.wiki/view/Smart_playlists/XSP_Method#Breakdown_of_XSP_File

RE: Externally Generated Smart Playlist Does Not Show Names For Individual Tracks - Mike952 - 2023-03-23

You are correct. VLC does not list a specific option to save a playlist as a 'Kodi Compatible Smart Playlist'. I perhaps unintentionally misrepresented some things in my choice of words. I generated a playlist in VLC and saved it as a '.xsp' file (once saved the extension was '.xspf'). I though I had read in the Kodi Wiki (somewhere) that some flavors of playlist files were generally transportable, and may be generated external to Kodi. My original intent was to create a Music Video playlist in a specific order. I did not find a 'rule' within the Kodi 'Smart Playlist' that would allow that - unless I (for example) renamed the desired Music Videos with chronological numbering. In any event, still seeking the best way to accomplish this.
I also attempted saving the VLC generated playlist as an '.m3u' file. The '.m3u' file accurately lists Music Video titles within the playlist, however does not play the selections.
I would welcome further comment. Can someone please direct me re: how to post in a 'code box'.

Thanks,

RE: Externally Generated Smart Playlist Does Not Show Names For Individual Tracks - Mike952 - 2023-03-23

Attempted to build Smart Playlist within Kodi (19.3). The Smart Playlist appears to be recognized (i.e., it is listed) but there are no contents. Opened the (Giggle Box) Smart Playlist using Notepad++. I do not immediately spot a problem with the file. I have five '.mkv' files stored at 'PRIMARY_DATA/Kid Stuff/Gigglebox/'.

Code:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes" ?>

<smartplaylist type="mixed">

    <name>Giggle Box</name>

    <match>all</match>

    <rule field="path" operator="contains">

        <value>/media/mike/&apos;PRIMARY DATA&apos;/Kid Stuff/Gigglebox/</value>

    </rule>

</smartplaylist>

RE: Externally Generated Smart Playlist Does Not Show Names For Individual Tracks - TimeZone - 2023-03-31

Hello @Mike952 ,

Are these "Music Videos" in your library? By this I mean, in Kodi can you navigate to Videos, then Music Videos then see the videos there. If not, then that is why your playlist is empty.

Kodi has 2 types of playlist, 3 actually if you add the Party Mode. Smart Playlist will only work if the content is already in the libray. If not, add them first. If you have no intention of adding them, use the Basic Playlist.

To eliminate pontential erros in your playlist, why don't you just use something simple like this

xml:
 <value>Gigglebox</value>

instead of this

xml:
 <value>/media/mike/&apos;PRIMARY DATA&apos;/Kid Stuff/Gigglebox/</value>

Kodi will still understand this and will add all videos from Gigglebox to your playlist. You don't have to state the full path, as long has only one folder has this name, Kodi will do fine. If you have another folder named Gigglebox, Kodi will merge the Music Videos from the two folders into a single playlist.

Kodi's Smart playlist are much easier to use than whatever you find in VLC. You can sort the Music videos by title, by Track number, By Artist or whaterver other several methods available. The hardest part is adding the Music Videos into your library. https://kodi.wiki/view/Adding_video_sources

Read about Kodi's playlists here: https://kodi.wiki/view/Playlists

xml:
And this is a Code box. It is scrollable to the right. While typing, you should see </> on Formatting Ribbon/Menu bar (or whatever you call in). Click on it, it will add <syntax> paste your code between these 2 tags </syntax> and choose the language (mostly xml for kodi stuff).