Syncing Your G1/Android Device with Songbird

This guide has been updated to reflect the changes in FolderSync 1.4

Unless you use Windows Media Player, there is not an easy automatic synchronization option available for an Android device. I personally use the amazing Songbird media player, and have wanted the ability to sync a Songbird playlist to my G1 for some time. I finally found a simple solution thanks to the Songbird add-on FolderSync.

This solution will also work for any device that will get a drive letter assignment when it's connected to your computer.

Install/Update Songbird

Grab the latest version of Songbird from http://getsongbird.com/.

Install the FolderSync Add-On

You can also install the FolderSync Add-on by clicking here if you are viewing this page from Songbird.

Open Songbird and select Add-ons. from the Tools menu.


Click on Get Extensions in the lower right portion of the screen. This will open a new browser tab in Songbird.


In the search box on the upper right of the page, type FolderSync and click Search.
Locate the FolderSync Add-on and click the green Install button on the left of the page.
Restart Songbird after installation is completed.

Create/Select Your Playlist(s)

From the library tab in Songbird, create a playlist. Use the library views to drag songs, albums, artists, etc from your library to your new playlist to update it.

You can also use an existing playlist, or multiple lists. The only limitation in the case of is the available memory on the device.

Configure FolderSync

You can view the complete (and most up to date) documentation for FolderSync here: http://wiki.songbirdnest.com/User:Rsjtdrjgfuzkfg/FolderSync_Manual/FolderSync_Manual_English

From Songbird select Add-ons. from the Tools menu.

Locate the FolderSync entry and click the Options button.

Set your preferences in the options screen, for FolderSync 1.3, the following options are available:

1. Activate one-click synchronization of more than one playlist: Check this option to enable the "Sync All" button.
2. Delete not needed Files and Directories: Check this option to delete all files/folders as part of the sync process.
   
   * I highly recommend you un-check this option unless you are familiar with this process already *
   
   Important Note: DO NOT set the destination folder in the sync to the root of your device/sdcard with the Delete option checked. If you do, ALL OF THE FILES IN THE ROOT FOLDER WILL BE DELETED.
3. Write M3U-Playlists: Check this option to create a single m3u playlist (per Songbird playlist) in the destination folder.
4. 
   Auto-format filenames and path: This option mimics the iTunes/Songbird music organization feature, but allows you to control the folder/file structure. I have mine set to this:
   %artist%/%album%/%tracknumber% %title%Track Number (at least): This is a great new option. Setting this to 2 for example, will add a leading zero to your single-digit track numbers. This is very nice, because when your files are sorted by name, they still appear in the correct track order!
   
   An example result of the above format and track number option would be: \Music\Alice In Chains\Dirt\01 Them Bones.mp3

Click Save to update your preferences, then restart Songbird to apply the changes.

Set Up A Sync Partnership

If you haven't done so yet, connect your device to your computer and mount your SD card.

To view the FolderSync interface, select Show Content Pane Bottom from the View menu.


If you have multiple Add-ons installed, you may need to switch the bottom content pane to folder sync. To do this, click on the menu icon on the top right of the content pane and select FolderSync.

1. Place a check next to each playlist (in the left pane) you want to sync to your device.
2. Click the button labeled Browse and navigate to the Music folder on your sdcard.
3. Check the sync folder on the right pane.
4. Click the Start Sync button to copy your files.

The first process may take some time depending on the playlist size.

The setup takes more time than anything, and the only enhancement I would really enjoy at this point is the ability for the sync to happen automatically. Since this is a file system-based solution, I understand that auto-sync can't really mimic the WMP or iTunes style of synchronization.

I hope you find these instructions useful. be sure to post a comment or any questions you have. Happy syncing!