my Computer Quest: Context menu

06 October, 2014

Windows Media Player can't save playlist - solved!

Windows Media Player simplified logo. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

06-Oct-2014

Okay, I admit I have to put the date. Whenever I browse for solutions to problems that I encounter now and then, and find an article that seems to be the answer, I am very, very disappointed when I find later on, after reading and studying and all, the information and suggestions and solutions presented therein, that the article is already outdated!

Anyway, this one, regarding the solution to Windows Media Player not able to save playlist, is not going to be outdated - perhaps not for a very long time!

As I have said in my reply to a Windows forum, that problem didn't bug me even though I observed it for some time already. And why not? Because I have other players, like Media Player Classic Home Cinema, and VLC. Two classics that is readily available (and able) to take over Windows Media Player!

Until recently, that I had to run over a series of video tutorials, that I had to make Windows Media Player be able to save playlists, as I had to run the videos in sequence.

Now, the articles I found was in a Windows forum, and surprisingly, to the disappointment of the users airing the same exasperation and frustration over and over again, the situation was even made worse - because the suggestions and solutions offered by MS folks were, well, not fixing the problem, and what's more, there were more than one from MS who gave solutions that didn't work!

For example, they suggested to:
1. Run Windows Media Player Settings - didn't work
2. Uninstall/Reinstall Windows Media Player - didn't work
3. Delete the folder 'Media Player'

I simply listed the suggestions and omitted the details. And mind you, item #2 isn't one simple task. That entails restarting your machine!

Now, one user gave one suggestion, which is to select the folder where you'd keep your playlists and all, well, that worked! I would deduce from that step that when installing Windows Media Player, some defaults are set, and if users log in and use the computer, then that default would clash or conflict with the other users' settings. I was wondering why MS guys don't know that. Too much advises 'by the book'?

How is that solution executed?
1. Open up Windows Media Player.
2. If menu isn't showing, click on 'Switch to Library'.
3. Click on 'Organize > Manage libraries > Music' (you can do 'Video' afterwards).
4. Delete/Add as you desire.

What I did was delete whatever was in there, then selected my own folder for Music. Then Videos. Curious still, I assigned the folder 'Media Player' for my user account, the one that didn't work, as mentioned in item #3 above. Interestingly, it worked, when done from the Windows Media Player 'Organize' menu.

So there, it was that simple, but took some time to get fixed. I now can save playlists. Hurray!

Till then.

04 May, 2010

Restoring the Show Desktop Icon in Windows 7

Image via Wikipedia

For the many changes from NT, XP and Vista, and all other previous OSes, Windows 7 engineered the Show Desktop feature in 2 ways:

a rectangular bar at the far right side of the Taskbar (which means bottom-right side of the screen), and
a mouse right-click on the Taskbar, and the Show Desktop selection is somewhere in the middle of the list

Change is almost always a bitter pill to swallow, and while Windows 7 generally is a change that is welcome, not all that it brings along is. At least for some, it isn't - until another 5 to 10 years of encountering it, and getting used to it.

For those who want to "see it" just like before, one way to have it like before is to show again the Show Desktop icon - at the left side of the taskbar.

There are 2 ways to do that: simple, and simpler, method.

New Registry Cleaner, if you are looking for one...

Base method:
Open up Notepad.
Enter below (5) lines, exactly the same, as is, no change.
Save As "Show Desktop.scf" in desktop folder, or the folder of your choice. (Note that the common place to keep this file is in the following folder: "C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\User Pinned\TaskBar\". But why save it there, when it will be done for you by Windows 7? Save it to a safe folder of your like, that is.
We're done with the base file.

-----

[Shell]
Command=2
IconFile=explorer.exe,3
[Taskbar]
Command=ToggleDesktop
-----

Simple method:

Select an icon that is currently on the desktop (e.g., Notepad, Sticky Notes, etc.)
Right-click the icon, select Copy, then Paste on the desktop, as well. This is a duplicate icon.
Click-and-drag the duplicate icon to the Taskbar, and drop it there nicely (on the left next to the pearl button, since that is the closest to the Show Desktop XP/Vista icon).
Right click the pinned icon, select Properties.
Replace the following: Target field, to the file that was saved earlier (Show Desktop.scf), so you have to remember where the file was saved for faster execution.
Empty the Start In field.

Finally, do a Change Icon. Click on that button, and select from the list offered when using %SystemRoot%\system32\imageres.dll, or from the list offered when using %SystemRoot%\system32\shell%.dll. It is the blue screen icon, or select which one you prefer for that matter.
To really have it show "Show Desktop" when hovered by the mouse, rename that icon by clicking on the General tab in the Properties dialog.
To conclude, restart your PC/laptop for the changes to take effect. You should see the 'Show Desktop' icon where you planted it.
Enjoy!

Tinting a physical window

Simpler method:

Do base method, and make sure that you save the file in Desktop.
Click and drag the icon to the Taskbar, to the leftmost part, next to the pearl button.
We're done! Restart your PC/laptop to see the changes.

Disclaimer: