I was pondering late last night how can I get along with the new Zune software. No more name calling and bashing the moderators at Zune.net forums. I needed to be a responsible Zunian(no I am not an alien. Just of Zune citizenship) and do more investigating. Here is how the XML is laid out for both the Windows media playlist file and the Zune Media Playlist file.
Here is what I found:
Windows Media Playlist or WPL
<?wpl version="1.0"?>
<smil>
<head>
<meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Windows Media Player -- 11.0.6000.6344"/>
<meta name="AverageRating" content="0"/>
<meta name="TotalDuration" content="5676"/>
<meta name="ItemCount" content="1"/>
<title>Happy</title>
</head>
<body>
<seq>
<media src="Fun\mikedopp_This_is_mikedoppcom.mp3"/>
</seq>
</body>
</smil>
Zune Playlist or ZPL
<?zpl version="2.0"?><smil>
<head>
<meta name="generator" content="Zune -- 2.1.888.0" />
<meta name="itemCount" content="1" />
<meta name="totalDuration" content="5458563" />
<meta name="averageRating" content="0" />
<title>7Habits</title>
</head>
<body>
<seq>
<media src="C:\ZUNE\Music\New\mikedopp_dropitlikeitsdopp.mp3" />
</seq>
</body>
</smil>
So the difference is?
and
In my logical thinking as a Zunian I figured lets just make a template and be happy.
First things first in order for the Zune software to see your mp3's, wma's or wmv's you need to point the software to the right directories. This will assume you already know how to do so.
You will need to edit using notepad or my favorite notepad2 the <meta name="itemcount" to make sure the content number equals the correct number of well items in the mp3 etc directory.
The <media src=""> tag is very important in that you need an absolute path defined for where the media is vs. Happy directory \ song name.
Another concern was does the Zune care about the <meta name="totalDuration" content="5458563" /> ? The answer is no not so much. So my answer would be don't worry too much about this as the playlist will work just fine without it.
So here is the .zpl file you can rename to "whatever.ZPL" and add your own tags and or information ie mp3 and or video.
<?zpl version="2.0"?>
<smil>
<head>
<meta name="generator" content="Zune -- 2.1.888.2" />
<meta name="itemCount" content="1" /> <!-- make sure the correct number of itemCount per song-->
<meta name="totalDuration" content="0" />
<meta name="averageRating" content="0" />
<title>Happy</title>
</head>
<body>
<seq>
<media src="C:\ZUNE\Music\New\mikedopp_dropitlikeitsdopp.mp3" />
</seq>
</body>
</smil>
<!-- Zune Playlist notes:
you definitly need to use the itemcount and keep it accurate. total duration can be 0 as well
as averageRating Make sure you have absolute paths with media src and type them out.-->
Or you can open up Windows media player drag all the songs you want to be in a playlist as long as they can be seen by the zune software and save the playlist that was just created into the folder that you have the music and the zune software can see..
Once created right click on the .wpl file and rename it to .zpl. The zune software will do the rest.
Enjoy!
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