[SOLVED] MM replaces .mp3 files with .m3u files on sync??

Get answers about syncing MediaMonkey 4 with iPods and other devices.

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IanRTaylorUK
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Joined: Fri Dec 27, 2019 4:41 pm

Re: [SOLVED] MM replaces .mp3 files with .m3u files on sync??

Post by IanRTaylorUK »

It seems to come and go. Not certain what is causing the creation of M3Us.

It has been less of a problem recently due to the almost weekly release of new versions of MMW5.

For each new version I do a clean portable install of both the debug and normal version. I tend to start afresh with a device synchronisation and follow:

https://www.mediamonkey.com/support/kno ... c-profile/

I separate music / mp3 files from playlists i.e. \Ian's Galaxy Tab S5e\Card\Music\Artist\Album vs This PC\Ian's Galaxy Tab S5e\Card\Playlists. If and when M3Us appear in the "Music" folders, I just delete and re-sync selectively.

So I have sort of managed the situation but intend to take a closer look after doing a fresh / clean Windows 10 install. Just waiting for the new SSD to arrive!
Ian Taylor
Lowlander
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Location: MediaMonkey 5

Re: [SOLVED] MM replaces .mp3 files with .m3u files on sync??

Post by Lowlander »

The current suspect source is an App on the device doing this. However which App isn't mentioned unfortunately.
IanRTaylorUK
Posts: 536
Joined: Fri Dec 27, 2019 4:41 pm

Re: [SOLVED] MM replaces .mp3 files with .m3u files on sync??

Post by IanRTaylorUK »

Lowlander wrote: Mon Feb 15, 2021 11:37 am The current suspect source is an App on the device doing this. However which App isn't mentioned unfortunately.
I tend to agree that it is more likely to be on the device side. Not a technical comment more based on my experience.

Have just done a clean install of Windows 10 on a new SSD then re-installed MMW4.

The first sync of my Sony Xperia XZ resulted in no 0 byte M3U files in the Music folder of the device.

However, the second sync of my Samsung Tab S5E resulted in 4096 M3U files in the Music folder.

The phone (XZ) and the tablet (S5E) have very similar installations of software but the tablet is Android 10 whereas phone is Android 8.
Ian Taylor
TBranstetter

Re: [SOLVED] MM replaces .mp3 files with .m3u files on sync??

Post by TBranstetter »

I am having the exact same issue with one device, a Samsung Galaxy Tab A. This has happened several times in the past three months. The device then will only see the m3u file instead of the mp3 file, thus those songs cannot be played. I have to remove the card and then delete the m3u files. Reinstall the card and after syncing again, usually it will get down to a couple of hundred corrupted files out of 5000+. This morning, it jumped back to over 1000 bad files. I am now trying to sync directly to the card, but this caused me to have to delete all mp3 files first because of space. They were the same files, should not have been a problem. I do not have this issue on other devices including a Samsung Tab E or a Lenovo Tab 4.
Lowlander
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Joined: Sat Sep 06, 2003 5:53 pm
Location: MediaMonkey 5

Re: [SOLVED] MM replaces .mp3 files with .m3u files on sync??

Post by Lowlander »

There is a chance that either Music Center, Voice Recorder or Samsung Music are the cause of this issue.
bigalistair

Re: [SOLVED] MM replaces .mp3 files with .m3u files on sync??

Post by bigalistair »

I have an identical problem. Unfortunately I'm a fitness instructor who relies on playlists very heavily. In keeping with other comments in this thread, this did not occur using old Honor phone, only since I've moved to a replacement Samsung Android 10 phone. I've not found a workaround yet either other than manual copying of files and cleaning up the M3U files. I also suspect it's either some Samsung or Android software causing the issue.
IanRTaylorUK
Posts: 536
Joined: Fri Dec 27, 2019 4:41 pm

Re: [SOLVED] MM replaces .mp3 files with .m3u files on sync??

Post by IanRTaylorUK »

To clean up the M3U situation based on my experience with a Samsung Tablet running on Android 10:

1). With the device connected using USB, open Windows File Explorer and search for "*.M3U" when viewing your equivalent of SDCard\Music.

2). Delete ALL the 0 byte M3U files. [To assist with this I place all my Playlists in SDCard\Playlists and all MP3s in SDCard\Music\Artist\Album...]

3). Run Media Monkey Android and let it update it's library - monitor using the Folders view until the number of files is at a minimum.

4). Re-Open Media Monkey for Windows and you should find the under the Device / Music node that the Windows information bar matches the number of MP3 files as given in the Media Monkey Android folders view.

5). Now re-sync and it should add MP3 files for all the M3Us you deleted.

During the re-sync and after the music files have been sent, you can check for the number of MP3s / lack of M3Us etc in Windows Explorer. I often do a *.* search of SDCard\Music (sorted by file type) as this will show ALL files and other minor issues. For example, music files where the track number or disc number is missing. [I have my Sync / Options / Sync Files To for Music as "\Music\<Album Artist>\<Album>\<Disc#><Track#:2>-<Title>"]

After the re-sync MMA should be allowed to update and the number of tracks in the MMA "folders" view match both MMW4 and Windows - this can take a while! Probably not a good idea to do another sync until MMA has completed this update.
Ian Taylor
Murphmurp
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Joined: Wed Mar 29, 2023 9:11 am

Re: [SOLVED] MM replaces .mp3 files with .m3u files on sync??

Post by Murphmurp »

Just wanted to chime in here in 2023 to say this issue is alive and well 2 years later.
  • Syncing from MMW to MMA on a Samsung device, so the Samsung list of culprits is still on the docket
  • I am not playing any music from the desktop, so that does not appear to be a pre-requisite
  • I changed computers, so I'm trying to sync the same library from a different laptop (to the same old phone), and that is when this issue began
  • USB sync only grabs about 70% of my library. On second sync, it grabs the rest, but begins replacing .mp3 files with empty .m3u files
  • Some synced music is just removed on re-sync rather than being replaced by .m3u files. I have an album, then I re-sync and it's deleted
  • Iterative deletion of .m3u files and re-syncing seems to help
  • Giving the phone ample time to read its updated library before re-syncing seems to help
  • I don't know how to generate a log but if there are other users with this issue and devs still looking at it I can try.
Lowlander
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Joined: Sat Sep 06, 2003 5:53 pm
Location: MediaMonkey 5

Re: [SOLVED] MM replaces .mp3 files with .m3u files on sync??

Post by Lowlander »

Which Build of MMW and MMA are you using?
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