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and studying and all, the information and suggestions and solutions presented therein, that the article is already outdated!

Anyway, this one, regarding the solution to Windows Media Player not able to save playlist, is not going to be outdated - perhaps not for a very long time!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

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TestDisk - a utility not for the faint-hearted

testdisk_Linux (Photo credit: ignace72)

14-July-2014


A couple of months back, I made the mistake of installing Ubuntu Linux 14.04 over my Windows OS, and I lost a lot of files! Included in the list are my codes, my life's work of 15 years!

I was frantic to say the least, and I scampered to find the perfect utility that will help me in the file recovery. As suggested, I minimized booting into Ubuntu Linux, so the amount of probably unrecoverable files will be minimized. I understood that, and I heeded that suggestion.

Now, there were several that surfaced, but after trying those that I deemed useful, I ended up with TestDisk. As I found, it is not for the fainthearted. I had to run 3-4x before I finally got the hang of it. And yes, there is a GUI version, but I got  more comfortable with the text-based version. Of course, since what I have as a surviving OS is Linux, it is the Linux version that I was able to run.

Here's a list of what I have noted down, in case somebody would need them, intentionally or not. Some of these are listed as part of the help/instruction list. At any rate, here goes:

Press the corresponding keys, and what happens/effect
P - list files in directory
: - to make a selection
c - current file copy
C - copy selected files/directories
Left arrow key - to go back
Right arrow key - to change directory
. - (select single dot) go to parent directory
.. - (select double dot) move down (right arrow key?)
Shift + C - select device

Where are the copied files?
They are in /dev
Directory structure is retained (if that is ever a bonus!)

Linux Live has a limitation on file size, so copy by folder with about 4GB total size, or less. You may become too excited and just select all directories. Well, the copy function will (seem to) work, but it won't be able to go past the file size limit.

To remove copied files, and prepare for the next batch, type:
rm -rf [xxxxxx]
where [xxxxxx] is your filename (wildcards accepted)
Warning: rm -rf is quite powerful, so use with caution.

To list devices attached to computer, type:
ls -l /media

To copy (from /dev to your removable media/portable HDD), type:
cp -ar /dev/xxx /media/xxx/yyy/zzz

To remove temporary files, type:
1. cd /dev
2. rm -rf xxx

If you encounter input/output error, try below:
1. Exit Terminal where error occurred
2. Unmount affected destination drive (USB, HDD, etc); wait for unmount to properly complete
3. Unplug, then wait for 10 seconds or more
4. Plug back in
5. Reduce copied files


C'est t'out!

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ORA-12154: The other uncommon cause, and the solution

Image via CrunchBase

ORA-12154: It is not always due to the listener down, or something...
-----


04-May-2013

2 weeks ago, while I was preparing my arsenal of personal computers (now 9, with 1 laptop and 8 desktops) at work, one requirement is to be able to synchronize the TNS file across all the 9 computers.

This would need me to have a read/write priv to the Ora folder in the 9 PCs, and so I opened it up for me by sharing the folders. This, in turn, closed the folder access to everybody else, because I shared the folder only to me – I removed access for Everybody/Everyone. The priv then was full control.

That began the issue of all users of the web apps running in these computers, where ORA-12154 is being thrown. I didn’t see it, and I could just imagine their shock that suddenly, the application doesn’t work properly. Until one of the customer service personnel came over to ask something, and just remembered to check with me why the web apps aren’t working.

Thinspiration - Weight Loss Method

I quickly checked, and I got ORA-12154. Since that same day I got to sync all the code files and accessory files in all of the computers, I didn’t know where to start at first. I gathered my wits, and thought of checking the particular web apps having problem. Problem was there. Half a day passed, and the problem persisted. Then I thought of verifying the web apps from my laptop. It was working! So I got even more confused, believing that it was the file transfer that I run which caused the problem.

A few more check here and there on the web apps having problem, and still no luck. I then started to check on the other web apps and Windows apps using the same files and libraries, and to my surprise, they are all working!

What now?

At this point, I knew I had to break away from the pressure, so I called up the Oracle DBA, and asked him about ORA-12154, and since I can’t do desktop sharing on any of the affected computers (yes, all having problem, actually, and on the same web apps), he came over. He checked a few items, and he is also stuck. Told him all that I‘ve done so far, and I said the other Web and Windows apps are running, to which he checked with me, “And these are running under your account?”

I said “Yes.”

At that queue, he checked the Ora folder, looked at the sharing setup, and opened it to “Everybody”.

That PC worked. After that, he went on his way, trusting me to be able to manage the rest.

So there you are. ORA-12154 error. It is not always that the listener at the server machine is down, or whatever. For my case, it was the access privilege that got screwed up. Anybody running the web apps that uses Oracle client must have access to the installation folder, at least “Read” access.

Hope this helps anybody there running into the same problem, but is not due to the listener down or not running.

Till then!

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The iTunes saga: unable to copy movies and music to iPhone

Image via CrunchBaseImage via Wikipedia08-Dec-2011


I am one who wouldn’t go for the iPhone for my own use – I wouldn’t die just to get an iPhone. However, somebody dear to me wanted it, and so she got it.


Here comes the nicer part: I didn’t bother ‘learning’ this gadget, so I didn’t know anything about it when my wife asked me to go and configure it, something that I would usually do with my phones (since I started using one back then in 1999). I have zero knowledge of iPhone, so I didn’t know what to do.


Natural thing, I checked from the web. There is no manual, and sort of everything that you do with and about the iPhone is by trial and error method. And since I was keeping the acquisition of the iPhone a secret, and I was quiet about it, I cannot any longer, for I have to ask those before me, before us, who are using iPhones and have already done much configuration on their units.


That’s what we did.


But the natural thing to use is, I thought, the iTunes. Or so I thought.


I actually keep on messing up the movies that I would attempt to copy over from the computer to the iPhone, and sometimes succeeding, but at many times, and with much frustration and headache, fail. I would even be erasing, accidentally, what I have already copied over.


What?!


All the while I thought that iTunes is the problem, especially that when Apple team released an upgrade, that some features were disabled, some were taken out due to security and vulnerability issues, etc., etc., so I thought that iTunes IS the problem.


And I was wrong.


You see, I found one forum, where users are having the same problem like me, exactly. And you know what? It was a very simple solution. I mean, if I were a user smart enough, I would have figured it out myself. But sometimes, you could trip over a pebble…


There is a section entitled “LIBRARY”, and there is that section that pops up and disappears, as and when a device (meaning your iPhone unit) is plugged in or not. By way of nature (I mean my natural way), I would copy the files (movies) into the Movies folder under the Device node. And why not? That's where I want them appearing, right? It doesn’t matter actually whether the checkbox “Automatically sync…” is ticked or not. For my case, it is unticked, so whenever I click on ‘Sync’ button, what I put in the Movies folder are immediately wiped out, to my surprise!


Then, I found out it was being put in the wrong place…


I have to put it in the “LIBRARY” node, in the Movies folder. I did that. I even added in some mp3 files in the Music folder, and, as was suggested in the forum, make sure that the files I wanted to copy over are ticked.


So now I have the movie and music files put in the LIBRARY node, in the Movies and Music folders, respectively, and when I clicked on Sync, the transfer was a success!


What I did next is to tick the ‘Automatically sync…’ box, and while my device was disconnected, I added in some more files, in the LIBRARY section, (for where else, since the 'Device' isn't present, not available; it is disconnected) and unticked some of the files already inside, and when I plugged in my device, naturally, the sync process was immediately triggered.


Happy now?


Yes! At least I know now how to manage files on the iPhone. But I’m still not getting an iPhone for my own use…


Till then, my friends. 
“…to the audience we’ll never have…”

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ODP .NET installation

Image via WikipediaI have tried my installation of the different versions of ODP .NET.

You see, I am developing applications using VS 2005, VS 2008 and finally, VS 2010.

And with much of the developments in the Oracle world, with regard to database access, I am keen to try out ODP .NET, especially since I caught the selling point where it says that ODP will be much faster, more efficient. Not to mention that MS oracle library is already deprecated, and will be gone soon.

From OTN, I am able to see that they have installer files for Ora9, Ora10, and Ora11.

I gladly downloaded all 3, and started installing.

Actually, I used the latest file, and it was to my shock!

My applications couldn't run...

As quickly as I installed, I uninstalled ODP .NET for Oracle 11i.

And fortunate enough, my applications were able to run again (like they did recover from an initial shock)!

-----

That was about 2 days ago.

Today, as is normally my case, I cannot rest until I make things running, or I am able to "see" what is waiting, what's in store.

So after the first setback, I wanted to try again, but this time, I worked on the earlier version - Ora9.

I installed, and rebooted, and voila! It worked. My applications were running.

And sort of being able to land first base, I didn't get contented. (Sometimes I understand why the saying 'curiosity killed the cat').

I continued to install the other 2 ODP .NET softwares (ora10g, Ora11i). You see, I was able to add in as a Reference in my VS 2005 apps the dll file (Oracle, DataAccess) - ONLY. When I tried adding the reference dll file in my VS 2010 apps, I can't find it. So I proceeded to install the higher versions with the hope that I will be able to call ODP in my VS 2010 applications.

Guess what happened?

After installing, I performed a reboot.

I called up my VS 2005 editor, and tried to run one of my apps, and it didn't run! The same error message was thrown out, and the same rootcause was found: some initialization files cannot be 'read'.

I tried to compose myself, and decided to do troubleshooting.

I checked the installation folder, and I did see what changed: C:\oracle folder now has a new folder added: product folder. And inside, there are 2 more folders: \10.1.0 and \10.2.0. I compared the structure of my current \ora90 folder with the new folders, and I found that they both have the \network\admin folders.

Being the lazy troubleshooter that I am, I thought of simply copying over the sqlnet and tnsnames files into the new folders, and see if that would solve the problem.

I did just that. I copied the 2 files form the current \network\admin folder, and renamed the sqlnet files in the two new folders as sqlnet_old, then copied the files over.

Did that solve the problem?

You bet it did!

After that quick no-brainer troubleshooting adventure, I proceeded to see if I can call up Oracle.DataAccess dll file in my VS 2010 applications. I opened up one app, and tried to add a reference, and there it was: Oracle.DataAccess, bright and clear, ready for the taking. I did just that.

And one or two steps on, I hit another problem, but I'm past the installation and addition of the ODP .NET library/namespace in my VS 2005 and VS 2010 apps. It's the code-building issues now.

And so, with that short narrative of mine on my ODP .NET adventure, I hope that it will be of help to you who is going in the same direction as me.

Will I hear from you?

Till then!

 

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