I created M3UX to make using my eGo easier.
What M3UX does is take a playlist created using Winamp, and copies all of the MP3 files on it to a specified destination directory. Since the eGo stores its files on CompactFlash cards, I decided to get a USB CameraMate card reader to move the files more quickly onto the cards (sorry, i2go, but I think the mp3agent software that comes with the player blows chunks). I got the CameraMate instead of the CompactFlash-only ImageMate because my digital camera (a Fuji MX-1700 which is regrettably no longer available) uses SmartMedia cards, and the aptly named CameraMate reads them too. The CameraMate lets you set up a drive letter for CompactFlash cards and one for SmartMedia cards that work when a card is plugged in.
What I use M3UX for, then, is to copy all the songs on a playlist to my CompactFlash card, without having to type out all the names, or click-and-drag the files in Windows. It's quick, it's painless, and as much as I'm an idiot, it seems to be idiotproof.
M3UX may also be used (as it is by myself) to copy mp3 files from a playlist into a directory on your hard drive, in preparation for burning them onto a CD or any other media.
To be perfectly clear, I am providing this as freeware. I restrict anyone and everyone from making any money whatsoever using the program executable and source code provided. In addition, there is absolutely no warranty whatsoever, implied or explicit. If this software fries your hard drive or your storage media, I am not responsible for that. If you're afraid it will, don't use it. However, it works fine for me.
I am providing both the source code (which I compiled with Microsoft Visual C++ 6.0) and the executable, in case you'd like to check my work and make sure I'm not spreading viruses or something else insidious like that. I should note that I run it in a 4DOS window under Windows 98 and although I suspect it would run fine on Windows 95 or Windows Me, I make no guarantees about working on anything other than Windows 98. Then again, I make no guarantees, period! {smile} (UPDATE: I have run the program successfully on Windows 2000 Professional and Windows XP Professional as well)
Here is the source and the executable for M3UX. Now, for a programmer, publicly posting source code you've written is a little like walking around with your pants off, so if you have comments, be gentle.
Enjoy!
WARNING! I found my first bug, although you be the judge of whether the bug is mine, or Winamp's. I keep my MP3 files on one system, but download them to my CompactFlash card on another, across my home LAN. The problem is this: if the M3U playlist is saved on the system where the files are stored, it doesn't use a full path (meaning, if I save it on the same drive where some of the songs are located, those files will be listed in the M3U file with a path relative to where the M3U file is stored). This means if I run M3UX on the machine where I do the downloads to the card, it can't find any files that were on the same hard drive on the source system as the M3U file. Bummer!
Not to worry, there's a workaround. Simply edit the M3U file and add full path information to any tracks that are missing the full path. I'd like to see Winamp always save that file, which is sort of a standard practice in programming when you don't know where your application will be running, so I'll probably contact Nullsoft about it.