Windows ASX

[Blended Herb]

Yes, yes I know windows sucks.

Anywho. My friend gave me some footage from her computer on disc, and when I put the disc in my drive Windows Media auto run started up, and it couldn't play it. It said it couldn't find it, basically couldn't even recognize the "playlist.asx" So I took one look at it, and was puzzled, I had never seen anything .asx, or even heard of it. So I went to my trusty friend google, and I got some info but nothing helpful. If somebody knows how I could convert/play/ re-assemble this .asx thing please it would be more then helpful.

Thanks in advanced.
-Ted

[Kai Stromler]

.asx is just a XML-based playlist (similar to winamp et al's .m3u) with no content of its own. If you can't open this particular .asx, it's probably because either the content in it isn't on the CD, or that it's looking for hard-coded paths to files that aren't accurate on your system. Try opening the file with a text editor (dragging it into Notepad should work) and seeing what's in it.

If the content listed in the file is on the CD, copy it to your harddrive and make a new playlist. If not, bug your friend to give you the actual files.

hth,

--K

[Blended Herb]

I did as you say, but I still wasn't able to pull out or get the files. So i assume they are not there. Now she is even less computer savvy then me, and when questioned all she could respond was "worked on mine" Now what should I tell her so that she is able to give me the actual files? Because I am afraid if I instruct her, I am going to say something wrong or something.

[Kai Stromler]

What did you get when you opened the .asx file? The test demo I did on my WinXP install to make sure I was giving valid advice looks like this:

Code: Select all

<Asx Version = "3.0" > 
<Param Name = "IsMediaCollectionQueryResult" Value = "1" />
<Param Name = "Name" Value = "All Audio" />
<Param Name = "AllowShuffle" Value = "yes" />
<Entry> 
<Duration value = [time] />
<Param Name = "Name" Value = [whatever]/>
<Param Name = "Genre" Value = [whatever] />
<Param Name = "Artist" Value =  [whatever]/>
<Author > [whatever]</Author>
<Param Name = "MediaType" Value = "audio" />
<Param Name = "MediaAttribute" Value = "0" />
<Param Name = "OriginalIndex" Value = "31" />
<Param Name = "Bitrate" Value = "256000" />
<Param Name = "DigitallySecure" Value = "0" />
<Param Name = "PlayCount" Value = "0" />
<Param Name = "SourceURL" Value = [path to file] />
<Param Name = "CreationDate" Value = "1/11/2005 4:19:58 PM" />
<Param Name = "Size" Value = "4011304" />
<Ref href = [path to file]/>
</Entry>

<Entry>
[as above, repeat]
</Entry>

</Asx>

If it's not producing something readable, the problem may be with just corruption on the CD. If that's the case, the usual solution is to burn it again.

Try opening the CD with Windows Explorer instead of using the autoplay feature. This'll show you exactly what's on the disc.

hth,

--K

[Blended Herb]

It is just repeat's of this. It seems as if it's pictures, I am not sure.

Code: Select all

<Asx Version = "3.0" > 
<Param Name = "Name" Value = "New Playlist (5)" />

<Param Name = "PlaylistAttribute" Value = "0" />

<Param Name = "CreationTime" Value = "1/10/2005 8:05:10 PM" />

<Param Name = "LastModifiedTime" Value = "1/10/2005 8:11:06 PM" />

<Param Name = "AllowShuffle" Value = "yes" />

<Entry> 
<Title > Teddy</Title>

<Duration value = "00:00:6.399" />

<Param Name = "Name" Value = "Teddy" />

<Param Name = "MediaType" Value = "video" />

<Param Name = "MediaAttribute" Value = "0" />

<Param Name = "PlayCount" Value = "3" />

<Param Name = "SourceURL" Value = "C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\My Documents\My Pictures\Danyele's Camera\Camelback\Teddy.mpg" />

<Param Name = "CreationDate" Value = "1/9/2005 2:35:47 PM" />

<Param Name = "Size" Value = "2347541" />

<Ref href = "C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\My Documents\My Pictures\Danyele's Camera\Camelback\Teddy.mpg"/>
</Entry>

<Entry> 
<Title > Teddy</Title>

<Duration value = "00:00:7.479" />

<Param Name = "Name" Value = "Teddy" />

<Param Name = "MediaType" Value = "video" />

<Param Name = "MediaAttribute" Value = "0" />

<Param Name = "PlayCount" Value = "3" />

<Param Name = "SourceURL" Value = "C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\My Documents\My Pictures\Danyele's Camera\Teddy2.mpg" />

<Param Name = "CreationDate" Value = "1/9/2005 2:35:52 PM" />

<Param Name = "Size" Value = "2715361" />

<Ref href = "C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\My Documents\My Pictures\Danyele's Camera\Teddy2.mpg"/>
</Entry>

[/code]

[Kai Stromler]

Code: Select all

<Param Name = "SourceURL" Value = "C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\My Documents\My Pictures\Danyele's Camera\Camelback\Teddy.mpg" />

This is your problem. The playlist is using explicit paths to stuff on your friend's computer. If the files listed are on the CD (check with Explorer), you can copy them to your computer and fix the paths so that they point at the right locations. If not, they're still just on your friend's machine.

I'm not familiar with today's integrated CD burning software, so I'm not sure how to tell someone with very low computer literacy to copy the individual files to CD. WMP's "Copy to CD or Device" might be a reasonable place to start, if that wasn't what was used to create this CD/playlist.

--K

[Blended Herb]

It makes sense to me, and I can just do it to her computer for her. That helped alot. Thanks