Windows Media Player

Hi I use a shortcut on my keyboard to launch WMP.

Is it possible to have WMP play all music as soon as it is launched without me having to click play all music?

I made a playlist, and then made a shortcut to the playlist. Double-click the playlist shortcut and it opens in WMP and plays until you close it.

mangoh said:

Is it possible to have WMP play all music as soon as it is launched without me having to click play all music?

Click to expand...

The Windows Media Player Plus! plug-in adds an option to resume music at WMP startup. When the plug-in is installed, launch WMP and go to Tools - Plug-in Properties - Windows Media Player Plus! - Restore Media at Startup (press Ctrl+M if you don't see the Tools menu).

OvenMaster said:

I made a playlist, and then made a shortcut to the playlist. Double-click the playlist shortcut and it opens in WMP and plays until you close it.

Click to expand...

Tim De Baets said:

mangoh said:

Is it possible to have WMP play all music as soon as it is launched without me having to click play all music?

Click to expand...

The Windows Media Player Plus! plug-in adds an option to resume music at WMP startup. When the plug-in is installed, launch WMP and go to Tools - Plug-in Properties - Windows Media Player Plus! - Restore Media at Startup (press Ctrl+M if you don't see the Tools menu).

Click to expand...

TYVM!

Both of you

I'm not just quoting the both of you to be polite lol.

I genuinely mean thank you to both of you as explained below:

After seeing OvenMaster suggestion I didn't want to add *another* icon to my desktop so I decided to wait for more answers and then Tim De Baets suggested the VERY good plugin.

Now I tried the plugin but it didn't play all my music automatically I still had to press play. The plugin helps as it restores your previous playlist without having to click the playlist name etc...

And then I went into the settings of my Microsoft Sidewinder X4 keyboard (it has macros which can be used to launch programs)

I then changed one key to the playlist I created so now all I have to press is one key and WMP will launch and play my music.

Thanks to Tim De Baeats for suggesting creating a playlist and launching to it.
Thanks to OvenMaster for the cool plugin, it has some cool features.

Edit: +rep for both of you

One last question:

Can I create a smart playlist as in everytime one folder (i.e. my music folder gains an additional song) - WMP would automatically update the playlist I have already created.

Do you know if this is possible and if so, how do you make a playlist like this?

mangoh said:

Now I tried the plugin but it didn't play all my music automatically I still had to press play.

Click to expand...

With the default settings, Windows Media Player Plus! in fact only starts playing music at WMP startup if music was also playing at the time you closed WMP. Perhaps this wasn't the case when you tested it?

Can I create a smart playlist as in everytime one folder (i.e. my music folder gains an additional song) - WMP would automatically update the playlist I have already created.
Do you know if this is possible and if so, how do you make a playlist like this?

Click to expand...

In WMP's library, click the arrow next to Create playlist, select Create auto playlist and enter a playlist name. The default auto playlist will contain all of your songs but you have to add at least one criterium (right under Music in my library) for the OK button to become available.

A good candidate for such a criterium is Sort by Contributing Artist Ascending order. After adding that, you can press OK and you will have an auto playlist that contains all of your songs and that will be updated automatically.

Tim De Baets said:

mangoh said:

Now I tried the plugin but it didn't play all my music automatically I still had to press play.

Click to expand...

With the default settings, Windows Media Player Plus! in fact only starts playing music at WMP startup if music was also playing at the time you closed WMP. Perhaps this wasn't the case when you tested it?

Can I create a smart playlist as in everytime one folder (i.e. my music folder gains an additional song) - WMP would automatically update the playlist I have already created.
Do you know if this is possible and if so, how do you make a playlist like this?

Click to expand...

In WMP's library, click the arrow next to Create playlist, select Create auto playlist and enter a playlist name. The default auto playlist will contain all of your songs but you have to add at least one criterium (right under Music in my library) for the OK button to become available.

A good candidate for such a criterium is Sort by Contributing Artist Ascending order. After adding that, you can press OK and you will have an auto playlist that contains all of your songs and that will be updated automatically.

Click to expand...

thanks sorted that bit now

Auto playlist = created


and I also don't understand

With the default settings, Windows Media Player Plus! in fact only starts playing music at WMP startup if music was also playing at the time you closed WMP. Perhaps this wasn't the case when you tested it?

edit again: Doesn't matter I now know what you mean.

I have solved this issue now I just had to ensure that "restore last play state..." was enabled.

Doh

Questions:

Did you make that plugin and if so what program did you use? (it is quite good tbh)

mangoh said:

Did you make that plugin and if so what program did you use? (it is quite good tbh)

Click to expand...

Yes, I'm the author. The plug-in is developed in Delphi 4, which is an ancient IDE but still good nonetheless.

Tim De Baets said:

mangoh said:

Did you make that plugin and if so what program did you use? (it is quite good tbh)

Click to expand...

Yes, I'm the author. The plug-in is developed in Delphi 4, which is an ancient IDE but still good nonetheless.

Click to expand...

Alright thanks

One final thing, I don't get the Hotkeys --> Local hotkeys --> play/pause thing (I don't think it works)

That setting should allow you to use the space bar to pause, but only when music is playing and when WMP is the active application. If it still doesn't work then I suggest that you send me an e-mail, since troubleshooting would be kinda off-topic here. You can use the e-mail link on the left of the BM-productions website.

Tim De Baets said:

That setting should allow you to use the space bar to pause, but only when music is playing and when WMP is the active application. If it still doesn't work then I suggest that you send me an e-mail, since troubleshooting would be kinda off-topic here. You can use the e-mail link on the left of the BM-productions website.

Click to expand...

no need

It does actually indeed work just prehaps the description in the program could be better enfact what you said in this post alone explains it twice as better than what the program does. *active window* being the keyword.