track length in minutes (not only seconds) when displaying m3u files as text file?

[ellentk]

When viewing m3u files as a text file I'd like to see the track length in minutes and seconds rather than in seconds. Is there a program that will display the info that way?

Thanks.

Ellen

[skip252]

None of the software I can think of have track length as part of what's written to a .m3u file. Which software is it that does that for you? Maybe there's a setting that can be changed?

[ellentk]

Hi Skip,

If you open an m3u file in a word processing program you'll see something like this. The number after #EXTINF: is the track length in seconds.

#EXTINF:134,A Hard Day's Night - 7 - Can't Buy Me Love
Beatles\Beatles-Can't Buy Me Love.mp3
#EXTINF:133,A Hard Day's Night - 8 - Any Time at All
Beatles\Beatles-Any Time at All.mp3

I'm a beginning runner trying to increase my stamina by running intervals and I want to use songs to measure how long I'm able to run for. I could carry a stop watch, but it's easier and more fun to use music.

I can see the time in minutes and seconds in winamp, media player, etc. but I can't figure out how to copy and paste those displays so I wondered if there was software that would show the time that way. Maybe there's a way to copy the playlist displays? Control C and V don't seem to work. (I suppose I could take a screen shot and run the graphic file through an OCR program, but I'd like to find something quicker.)

Ellen

[skip252]

Looking at the M3U Wiki it seems as if the standard is to write the track length in seconds. I've looked for options in the software I have to change that and can't find one. When I have manually converted those values to minutes and seconds the playlists work anyway. That would seem to be a possibility but it's awkward and time intensive.

What I'm not getting is where is it you need to see track length information. On a portable player? In a application on your PC?

[ellentk]

As a text file that I can print and view in a word processor.

It's easier for me to organize song by length this way, which I want to do for my running.

Thanks so much checking, Skip. It looks like I'll have to edit the m3u file manually, unless there's a way to copy and paste the play list as winamp displays it? That display includes track info in minutes and seconds length but I can't figure out how to copy it as text. I've attached a screenshot.

Ellen

[skip252]

Get a copy of foobar2000. If you pick the Portable Installation it will install in a folder on your desktop or wherever you designate. Also get a copy of the Text Tools component.

Run the installer and accept the defaults. I always check the additional components offered but you don't really need that in order to create the type of text file you want. After the installation and foobar2000 opens for the first time pick the layout and color you prefer. A Simple Playlist + Tabs will do for most basic uses. Any of the layouts and color schemes will work though. Once that's done install the Text tools component.

In the main window File=>Preferences=>Components=>Install.... Browse to where you saved the foo_texttools.zip file. Select that and then OK. Allow the restart. There's only one more setup to do.

Create a playlist by either dragging files into the Playlist pane or using the "File" menu to add files, folders or existing playlists. Once you have the playlist arranged select all the files and right click=>Utilities=>Text Tools=>Customize.

In the Quick Copy Commands box that opens box Click the Add New button and type in

Length

In the Pattern space next to that type in

%filename% %length%

OK that. When you right click open the Utilities=>Text Tools in the playlist pane you should see "Copy:Length" has been added to the Copy options. When you click that whatever files are selected will have their name and duration copied to the Clipboard. Paste that into your word processor and you should be set.

It's a fair amount of setup but it only has to be done once. After that whenever you create a playlist in foobar2000 you right click the Text Tools dialog and copy/paste. You can still create the playlist in Winamp and just open it in foobar2000 to copy the length information but if you give it a shot you may find it's simpler to do it all in foobar2000.

[ellentk]

There was an illness in my family and I never got a chance to thank you for the solution to my problem....or to implement it. Things are better now and I'm catching up on computer-related things. I look forward to trying this and want to let you know how much I appreciate your help.

Ellen