MP3's into subfolders with WMP 11

[rush242]

I have searched high and low for this answer but I never quite find it addressed--so I'll ask if any of you have any ideas.

I use WMP 11 on my T40. When I buy an .mp3 or rip one from one of my CDs, I place it into "My Music." When I next start WMP, the program notices the new file, and because I have it set to do this, it looks at the file, checks the internet, fills in any missing information, downloads the cover art, and standardizes the file name. All of that is fine.

However, it does not organize them in file folders, it simply adds a large and small version of the cover art to "My Music," and that's that. I end up with an ever-increasing number of files with no real organization, and the only way to tell which cover art goes with which song is to preview them.

Yet, when I use WMP to sync with my mp3 player, it does exactly what I want it to do--each song, along with it's cover art, goes into a folder with the name of the Album. Each Album folder goes into a folder with the name of the Artist. And the Artist folder is placed into the "My Music" folder on the mp3 player. In other words, all the music and art is organized like C: Documents > My Music > Queensryche > Operation: Mindcrime > 09theneedlelies.mp3 and then AlbumArt_{xxx}_Large.jpg and AlbumArt_{xxx}_Small.jpg.

Is there a way to get WMP to do this organization automatically in my "My Music" folder on the T40? Other than, of course, waiting for it to sync, and then copying the resultant folder back to my computer?

Thoughts or suggestions anyone? Links? Ideas?

[K0LO]

...When I buy an .mp3 or rip one from one of my CDs, I place it into "My Music."...

I think this is the source of your problem. When you manually place a file in "My Music", instead of dropping it into the "My Music" folder, put it in a subfolder named after the album, and then put that in a subfolder named after the artist (or move it into the artist's folder if already existing). Then when you update, the album art should go where it belongs.

Some music download services (Napster, for example) do this automatically when downloading. I think if you're doing it manually you need to create the desired folder structure yourself.

[duc25]

Currently using Vista so I'm not 100% sure if WMP11 for XP has the same options: In 'Options' - 'Library' tab there's a checkbox for "Rearrange music in rip folder, using rip music settings". If you're having WMP update the track info, ticking that box should allow it to also create new directories in 'My Music'.

[rush242]

Some music download services (Napster, for example) do this automatically when downloading. I think if you're doing it manually you need to create the desired folder structure yourself.

Yeah, I think this is the dilemma.

I figured since WMP was gracious enough to do it for the .mp3 players--it would do the same for it's host.

But I think not.

Thanks for the tip!