tip: load a playlist and automatically shuffle upon winamp start

[mluki]

I wanted Winamp to automatically shuffle (select a random song) from my playlist when winamp starts, but apparently it will only do this if the user actively clicks the play button.

This was a problem when I wanted it to run from a wakeup schedule so as to wake me up with a different song each time.

The solution I found was to run winamp from the command line with a
dummy option like this: (this is one line even if the post breaks it up)

"c:\Program Files\Winamp\winamp.exe" dummy C:\songs\general.m3u


(there is one space before and after the 'dummy')

because of the 'dummy' parameter, some bug (or feature?) in winamp causes it to do an automatic shuffle without requiring any user actions...

there are also plugins that do this but with the above method one doesn't need them.

Notes..
1. I have Winamp 2.91, I haven't tested with any other version.

2. if you want to know how to get your computer to wake you up with winamp and a random song from your list, I did it with the windows scheduling service -'scheduled tasks' in windows control panel, and add a task to run the above line (modified to your playlist path)

[DrO]

or just use my Time Restore and Autoplay plugin which in the 2.0 beta you can specify the playlist to be added but i know some people despise plugins but for randomising and stuff on loading the plugin is a bit more flexible i think

-daz

[electricmime]

Originally posted by DrO
or just use my Time Restore and Autoplay plugin which in the 2.0 beta you can specify the playlist to be added but i know some people despise plugins but for randomising and stuff on loading the plugin is a bit more flexible i think

-daz

those are probably the same people who hate to update to superior versions of winamp

although technically wouldnt they still need an input plugin to read the files.. so its not exactly pluginless

[DrO]

hehe, yeah. for winamp to work you need plugins but people don't want plugins, heh tis a funny ol' world we live in

-daz