Shuffling a smaller subset of my music into a device

[Dave]

I've just started using Media Player 9 from XP Pro, as an alternative to
Winamp in an attempt to do the following:

After I select a playlist (or often, simply "All Music"), I want Media
Player to shuffle that list and put the top N pieces onto my portable device
(N being the number that will fit on that device).

I'm currently using both a CD(+/-)RW burner and a 256 MB flash MP3 player.
Both devices connect and can be written to with no problem, and writing the
tracks in the *original playlist order* is also working. The real challenge
is getting Media Player to shuffle a random subset of a playlist onto the
devices.

This would be especially handy for the flash MP3 player, as it only can hold
about 30-40 tracks. I'd like to be able to just dump a random selection for
the day into it quickly each morning.

I'd also like to accomplish this without writing JAVA extensions to the
player if possible. My goal here is not to make this a 6 week project, but
to use the options already available in the player...if those options will
support this.

Anyone else doing this?

 

[Dave]

I've just started using Media Player 9 from XP Pro, as an alternative to
Winamp in an attempt to do the following:

After I select a playlist (or often, simply "All Music"), I want Media
Player to shuffle that list and put the top N pieces onto my portable device
(N being the number that will fit on that device).

I found my own answer. Use an Auto Playlist.

1. Create a new Auto Playlist.
2. "Apply the following restrictions to the auto playlist" (third green plus
sign)
3. Select "Limit Total Size To"
4. Change the <click to set> value to the desired size.

Each time you select the playlist, MP shuffles all your music and selects
only that total size. You get a different set each time.