How to Exclude Items from Sync?

[PeteB]

My iPods getting kind of full with content now, so I'd like to be able to adjust what gets synced and what stays on the computer.

I see from iTunes that I'm able to manually select what I want to be sync, but not the converse.

What I'd like to do is purposely exclude the artists that I don't typically listen to, but leave the rest alone. So, if I currently do what iTune tells me to, whenever I buy a new album from a new artist, it will be removed from the iPod if I don't explicitly tell iTunes to sync it next time.

It seems kind of counter-intutive to me.

Also, there's options for syncing particular artists/playlists/genres. How do these inter-relate? If I pick an artist who have a genre of music that I've unticked in the genres, what happens on the sync (will it sync over or not?)

Sorry if this is a dumb question, but it doesn't seem all that clear to me.

[ziggyonice]

Well, one of the options for your iPod is to "sync only checked songs and videos." You could use this option, and then, by unchecking the songs/artists in your Library that you don't want on your iPod, they won't be there.

[PeteB]

That doesn't really answer my question does it?

As soon as I do that, any new artist that I happen to buy will not (by default) be synced on the next connection.

I want to be able to default to everything, but purposely exclude all of the rubbish that my wife has bought....

[themoonisdown09]

Originally Posted by PeteB

That doesn't really answer my question does it?

As soon as I do that, any new artist that I happen to buy will not (by default) be synced on the next connection.

I want to be able to default to everything, but purposely exclude all of the rubbish that my wife has bought....

Actually, what ziggyonice suggested is what you want. By default, any new music added to iTunes will be checked. You have to manually uncheck items that you don't want.

[PeteB]

Ok.

I didn't know that, so my apologies.

So, what's the answer with the inter-relation of the artists/genres/playlists?

Does the artist settings over-ride everything else?

[themoonisdown09]

Originally Posted by PeteB

Ok.

I didn't know that, so my apologies.

So, what's the answer with the inter-relation of the artists/genres/playlists?

Does the artist settings over-ride everything else?

I would think (I haven't personally tried it) that if you have an artist selected, but a genre deselected, that the artist will be synced. Any other artist in that genre will not be synced.

[ziggyonice]

Originally Posted by PeteB

Also, there's options for syncing particular artists/playlists/genres. How do these inter-relate? If I pick an artist who have a genre of music that I've unticked in the genres, what happens on the sync (will it sync over or not?)

Admittedly, I haven't tried that yet. I would assume it will include the artist, despite the fact that it is within a genre you have removed. The most you can do is try it and find out. Let us know what happens.

[PeteB]

It appears that if I have unticked an artist, but that artists tracks is in a playlist then the songs in the playlist will be synced. This results in artists that I don't want with partial albums.

[themoonisdown09]

Originally Posted by PeteB

It appears that if I have unticked an artist, but that artists tracks is in a playlist then the songs in the playlist will be synced. This results in artists that I don't want with partial albums.

That's exactly how it's supposed to work. It would be really frustrating if you told it to sync a playlist and it only synced half of the songs because you didn't have a certain artist checked. If you don't want an artist or song synced, you must remove it from the playlist that you're currently syncing.

[ziggyonice]

Originally Posted by PeteB

It appears that if I have unticked an artist, but that artists tracks is in a playlist then the songs in the playlist will be synced. This results in artists that I don't want with partial albums.

I think we're on different pages here.

You have to uncheck the songs/artists that you don't want by going into your music Library, and unchecking the boxes -- not under your iPod's settings. Go to your Music Library. Then, uncheck the songs/artists you don't want to sync. Make sure your iPod's settings are correct.

-- --

Now try syncing.

[PeteB]

Yeah , I guess so.

Now to find out if the Genius Mix playlist look at the sync options or not. If it only mixes my synced music, I'd be happy with that.

[eawmp1]

1) Make a "my iPod" playlist(s) in iTunes
2) Drag in what you want in the order you want
3) After your iPod is connected select only those playlists you want to put on your iPod

[themoonisdown09]

Originally Posted by eawmp1

1) Make a "my iPod" playlist(s) in iTunes
2) Drag in what you want in the order you want
3) After your iPod is connected select only those playlists you want to put on your iPod

That option will probably not help the OP. He wanted to have new music automatically synced with the iPod.

[PeteB]

Originally Posted by ziggyonice

I think we're on different pages here.

You have to uncheck the songs/artists that you don't want by going into your music Library, and unchecking the boxes -- not under your iPod's settings. Go to your Music Library. Then, uncheck the songs/artists you don't want to sync. Make sure your iPod's settings are correct.

-- --

Now try syncing.

bingo, that worked great. Thanks. And the Genius Mixes generated also respect the ticks, so in happy with what I have now. Thanks for the help.