File numbering

[dasadler]

I don't know where else to post this but it seems to be a windows question... maybe.

We have a portable music player that we use at events and it has a USB connection so we can load songs onto a flash drive then plug it into the player. We use the remote to select the songs by number.

The thing is that the player recognizes the sequential number of the song based on WHEN it was written onto the flash drive. We typically assemble a folder of music and name the files 01xxx, 02xxx, etc. expecting that when we select and copy them onto the flash drive that they will copy alphabetically (01xxx, 02xxx, etc.).

However, it seems that when we select a bunch of music files and copy them, the computer does not follow the order of the folder or that alphabetical naming. Consequently, we have to copy them individually in order to ensure that file 01xxx is copied first followed by file 02xxx.

I have looked at the file attributes on the flash drive to see if there is anything I can change in order to make a difference but cannot find anything. I would like to be able to copy the contents of a folder onto the flash drive then go to the flash drive and change what is needed to make sure the numerical sequence recognized by the music player reflects the numbering system of the file names. In other words, when I enter 25 on the remote, I would like file 25xxx to play regardless of when it was actually copied onto the flash drive.

Anyone have any ideas on what I can change... or how to do it?

[stuck]

In other words the player use the file date/time stamp to decide which file is '1', '2', '3', etc.

I wonder how it would choose between two files two files with exactly the same time stamps? Perhaps in that case it might decide which was '1' and which was '2' based on the file name?

You can try a cheap (aka free!) experiment to find out. Download Attribute Changer from here:
http://www.petges.lu/home/
Copy your next batch of files onto your USB stick.
Use Attribute Changer to set the created & modified and accessed times of all the files to exactly the same time.
See what happens when you play '1', '2', etc.

In an ideal world you would use Attribute Changer to increment the time of each file but (as yet) it can't do that. Maybe someone else knows of an application that can do that?

Ken

[dasadler]

Thanks for the info. I did just that still cannot determine which attribute contains 'write to disk' information. I did all sorts of attribute manipulation - created, accessed, modified. None has any effect.

[dasadler]

I found and tried a prgm called FATSort but it tells me 'access denied' although I run it as an administrator. That pgm is at http://hem.passagen.se/chsw/fatsort/index.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[dasadler]

Okay - problem solved. It seems the issue was never a file attribute but, rather, the File Allocation Table. The solution is twofold. First, I put the songs (files) I want on the flash drive then I use a rename utility, renamer to prepend the file names with a sequential number starting at 01. Then I use another free utility, FAT Sorter to rearrange the File Allocation Table reflecting my desired order. Now, the music plays as expected where the numbers at the front of the file names match the play order.

Thank you all for your help.

[stuck]

Okay - problem solved. It seems the issue was never a file attribute but, rather, the File Allocation Table. The solution is twofold. First, I put the songs (files) I want on the flash drive then I use a rename utility, renamer to prepend the file names with a sequential number starting at 01. Then I use another free utility, FAT Sorter to rearrange the File Allocation Table reflecting my desired order. Now, the music plays as expected where the numbers at the front of the file names match the play order.

Thank you all for your help.

Would it not be less hassle to buy a better music player? One that allows you to select tracks in the order you want?

Meanwhile, glad you got it sorted.

Ken

[dasadler]

I obviously did not do a good job explaining the original issue. I could always select individual songs... the problem was that what I expected to be song (track, file) # 25 was not what the File Allocation Table (FAT) had as #25. Therefore, I would select #25 and it would play the 25th song recorded on the flash drive. If I recorded the songs one by one then the FAT and my list were in sync but if I selected a group of songs and copied them onto the flash drive I had no control over the order in which they were actually written to the flash drive.

The solution I found may not be elegant but it does sync the FAT and the expected order so that when I select #25, I actually hear what I expect. #25 is just an example, of course... it could just as easily be #17 or #6.

While I would love a better and newer music player, I think the same issue would exist. Thanks again for your insight.