Hi to all! I've been using amarok since 1.x version, and I'm currently testing 2.3.0.90.

I've seen a great step forward since 2.1 (My last update), especially for the Mass Storage that was not yet implemented before.

But I've got one suggestion: Why not keep all the mass storage informations in the db, just like the fixed local collection? I've got an external HD with thousand (~12000) songs and it's always a pain to use it with amarok just because it always reindexes the hard disk when I connect it!
The cool thing would be something like 'personal mass storage unit', just to distinguish temporary mass storage units (like a friend's one), and personal (the ones you always keep to the db and connect).

What do you think about it?

The last (but more difficult feature, I admit ) would be to enable the sequential and ordered write to the mass storage unit. This is for example for some embedded units that just read the vfat in sequential order, without ordering the file and directory list by name.
For example: I add Adema Directory, then guns n roses Dir.
I then add beatles. The target player sees the directories in this order -> Adema - Guns n Roses - Beatles (Instead of ordering them). The mess obviously continues when there is more and more vfat fragmentation (Delete, insert, update files).

Have u got any plans for this?

Thanks for your attention

gurp no answers...
Is it a so strange question?

Why don't you use your external hard disk as a partition and add it to the collection? This of course means you need to plug it in before Amarok starts, but that is the easiest way to handle large disks. Using those as Media Devices is not really what media devices is thought for...

The write order on a disk has no influence on how the music is shown, as Amarok uses the default sorting order. And since you are talking about VFAT... why not use a more useful disk format, like NTFS? VFAT is quit old and seriously obsolete. If you are only using Linux: every external hard drive can be formatted as ext3 which is a journaling file system that doesn't have fragmentation.

Just found a work around. Not the best but...

Disable automatic scanning, so Amarok won't remove tracks from DB, when external drive is off-line.

In search collection field type the path to where your local music files are. I personally type home/
This trick filters out all unavailable tracks and is partly equal if Amarok would have removed those files from db

PxPert wrote:I've got one suggestion: Why not keep all the mass storage informations in the db, just like the fixed local collection? I've got an external HD with thousand (~12000) songs and it's always a pain to use it with amarok just because it always reindexes the hard disk when I connect it!

This is indeed concidered. Perhaps a little different then what you expect though. We plan to keep a sqlite database on the disk itself so that it "travels with" the tracks. This allows you to take your collection with you to a different Amarok installation as well.

Once we complete this you'll get the option to convert a regular USB mass storage device into one with a database so rescanning won't be needed any longer. In addition to that you'll get all the features of the regular DB like rating, labels, etc.

Unfortunately I always carry around my external hd into my car player, and it only supports vfat (sigh), and it reads my collection in ordered data mode (too strange for sony people to sort the collection in an 'human' way...), so that's the reason i requested the ordered write mode (and that's why i'm capped with vfat fs)
Anyway I really agree with the idea to put an sqlite db directly on the device. I would be a very nice feature.

Il keep up compiling the git release and hope to see this soon

Thanks again!