Tell Windows the order in which to copy files?

[imported_jediknight]

Got one of those USB drives/MP3 players for Christmas. Problem is the POS (maybe I'm being too harsh.. it plays MP3s OK.. but the interface/manual is very poorly done.. ) plays files in the order that they were added to the device (instead of something logical, say, in alphabetical order?).

This doesn't matter too much if you're playing random MP3 files.. but I want to put an audiobook on it (so the order is important). Highlighting all of the chapter files and copying puts them on in some random order.

Besides the stupid way of manually copying one at a time, how can I tell Windows the order in which to copy the files?

 

[bamacre]

You could use a batch file.

 

[corkyg]

Roxio's burn program allows you to arrange the play order before burning. Then the tracks are burned as you like them. I'm sure Nero allows the same thing. Windows has nothing to do with it except to host the burnware. That is - unless you are using XP's crummy built in burnware. In that case . . . no advice.

 

[kamper]

burnware? I think you missed one there corky

I always thought that windows copied in the order that files were listed in the explorer window. The only tricky part is that it would start with which ever file you actually grabbed so you'd have to click on the top file to drag the whole bunch properly. That's just what I thought anyways. But yeah, it seems like whipping up something of your own might be the best, and a batch file might just be the quickest way. But is there any kind of list datastructure and sorting in batch scripting?

 

[Zepper]

Yes, any decent burning software should allow you to arrange your tracks in whatever order you like. But then, you aren't making CDs... :roll: When you are in Windows Explorer you can click on the bar at the top of the column you want the files sorted by - click again to reverse the order. If the chapters aren't named in such a way that they sort properly, then just edit the file names to add 01, 02,,,, 10, etc. to the beginning of the file names. And drag by the top entry in your selections as mentioned above. That should do it.
.bh.

 

[WannaFly]

1) Click the first chapter
2) CTRL+ Click the next chapter
3) Repeat 2 until all chapters are hilighted
4) Copy to MP3 Player
5) Profit!

I didnt know amazon sold Audio book MP3's, that's pretty cool.

 

[imported_jediknight]

Originally posted by: kamper
burnware? I think you missed one there corky

I always thought that windows copied in the order that files were listed in the explorer window. The only tricky part is that it would start with which ever file you actually grabbed so you'd have to click on the top file to drag the whole bunch properly. That's just what I thought anyways. But yeah, it seems like whipping up something of your own might be the best, and a batch file might just be the quickest way. But is there any kind of list datastructure and sorting in batch scripting?

That worked. Thanks.

 

[Zepper]

I think audiobook CDs are audio tracks just like music CDs (else they wouldn't play on lots of ordinary CD players)- so you rip and encode just like audio tracks. And you can use a lower bit-rate to make tiny files as they generally have little frequency or dynamic range.
.bh.

 

[imported_jediknight]

Originally posted by: Zepper
I think audiobook CDs are audio tracks just like music CDs (else they wouldn't play on lots of ordinary CD players)- so you rip and encode just like audio tracks. And you can use a lower bit-rate to make tiny files as they generally have little frequency or dynamic range.
.bh.

That's exactly what I did. 16 Kbps is usually sufficient.. sometimes 32 is necessary..