Creating a YouTube Playlist Really Fast

In 2012, I wrote my previous blog articles WRT creating YouTube playlists with YT newbies in mind. (I'd been more of a newbie back then.) My newer method streamlines the process to minimal steps and window hopping.

Long ago, I set up playlists for music selections that reflect blog article topics. Keeping the playlists up-to-date have been problematic because of some owners removing videos or changing the public status to private. After having occasionally revisiting playlists and updating them, I no longer prioritize URL replacements.

What prompted me to revisit creating YT playlists? Two incentives: Replicating a set of cartoons on a VHS tape that didn't list the entire contents, and wanting to create recent thematic playlists for videos I'd created over time.

Scroll to near the end of this article for the playlist-creation procedure.

VHS-tape Cartoons

I had a VHS tape of cartoons ("Woody Woodpecker and Friends") that I wanted to be able to view without risking wearing out the VCR. The set info on the box is not very helpful; it lists only 12 of the 22 stories. I looked high and low on the web for the full listing. Neither VHS tape nor DVD version is available for sale. The closest info I found were both from WorldCat.org, which lists libraries that have them, no place close to home.

From one "Woody Woodpecker & Friends—"Diamond Entertainment Two hours of classic cartoons, 2003, DVD"

From another "Woody Woodpecker & Friends"—Distributed by Diamond Entertainment Corp., ©2000."

I finally resorted to playing the entire tape over two days, jotting down the titles, main characters, copyright year, in play order. I found all of the cartoons on YouTube. The playlist I created reflects the VHS tape's videos and order, but better quality. For two of the stories, I included links to additional versions because of quality issues—Robinhood Makes Good and Greedy Humpty Dumpty.

Thematic Playlists

Do you have a sizable collection of your own videos? Maybe some that are about similar topics? Create playlists with themes in mind. Set up the play order, and change them whenever you want.
This year, I started posting videos that did not correlate with same-name blog articles. I called them "Eye-caught Snippets" and put them into a playlist. More recently, I decided to create playlists for bugs , deer, and kitchen doings.

Creating the YouTube Playlist Really Fast

Assumptions are that you are familiar with YouTube and have a YouTube account.

Hint: Before starting the playlist process, first create a list that has columns for title and link. The list helps with easy navigation to the video and adding it to the playlist.

1. Log in to YouTube.
2. Navigate to a video.
3. Click the Save button. (You must be logged in so you can save.)
4. When the playlist window opens, click the playlist you want to save the selection to.
   (If you don't have a playlist for this purpose yet, click "New playlist", and follow the prompts.)
5. Click the "X" at the upper right to complete the save process.
6. Open a second YouTube window, click the Playlist tab, and select the playlist you're working on.
   Occasionally refresh the list to confirm the added item.
7. Repeat the actions for navigating to a video and saving it until you're done.

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Previous how-to's for creating a YouTube playlist

• "Creating a YouTube Playlist PDQ", 9/16/2012
• "Creating a YouTube Playlist", 4/22/2012

Creating a YouTube Playlist PDQ

In April, I wrote an article that provides step-by-step instructions for creating a YouTube playlist. In this article, I emphasize using repeatable steps with minimal keystrokes for creating a playlist—my PDQ (pretty darn quick) method.

For my Dreamy Music article from a couple of weeks ago. I wanted to create a YouTube playlist quickly so I could roll out the article and playlist at the same time. The biggest speed factor was having already vetted my list of YouTube links—for destination AND order. You can whip out a YouTube playlist similarly.

Prerequisites for creating a YouTube playlist PDQ:

• You know how to use browser rightclicks to open the menu choice for copying a link location. Examples: Copy a Link Location, Copy Shortcut, Copy Link Address, …
• You have an account at YouTube.
• You know how to save a file as an HTML file.

Note: Familiarize yourself with info for creating a Youtube playlist as necessary.

Prepping your list of YouTube videos into an HTML file

1. Open a blank email page or word processor application (Open Office, in my case).
2. Copy and paste a URL of a YouTube video you want in your playlist. Enter a video title adjacent the URL so you instantly know where the link goes.
3. Skip a line for readability.
4. Repeat the previous two steps until you have all the videos you want, periodically saving the collected info as an HTML file. (For convenience, save the file to your desktop.)
5. Rearrange and cull entries until you're happy with your list. Do a final save-as, overwriting your HTML file.

Setting up your new YouTube playlist

1. Log in to your YouTube account.
2. At the upper right of your account page, click the arrow to the right of your account name to open the main menu, and click Video Manager.
3. At the left menu, click Playlists.
4. At the upper right, click New playlist, type something in the Playlist title box, and click Create playlist. (If you want to add or change info, you can do that later.)

Entering your HTML list of videos to your new Youtube playlist

1. At the YouTube Editing playlist window, accept or change Privacy and Settings choices, and click Add video by URL. Click Save at any time.
2. Open your HTML playlist file in a browser.
3. Rightclick a URL and put the link into the clipboard. Examples: Copy a Link Location, Copy Shortcut, Copy Link Address, …
4. Paste the URL into the YouTube space—Ctrl+V or rightclick Paste, and click Add. A successful add states that the video is now in your YouTube playlist.
5. Repeat the previous two steps until you finish adding all your YouTube links to your playlist.
6. Click Save.

Repositioning video order if necessary

Near the checkbox at the end of each thumbnail, when you hover the mouse until the cursor turns into a cross with arrowheads, you can click and drag the video link to another position. If you want to move a video directly to the top or bottom of the list, you can select the action in the Actions menu.

Creating a YouTube Playlist

YouTube playlist for this article, playlist compilation article

My February blog article was about YouTube video playlists that correspond to music-theme articles I had written. With this article, you can create your own YouTube playlist. Play the videos for viewing and listening, or for just listening.

The assumption is that you have successfully registered for online accounts and know how to enter basic information requested of you. You should also be aware of and can handle interface requests for demographic information. Enter information and set the privacy controls that you feel comfortable with (wink).

Start at http://www.youtube.com/. In the page that opens, you must open a Google account or log in. Follow the steps. When a welcome page at YouTube opens for you, you can start creating your playlist. Click [your user ID] > Video Manager > Playlists. Download my tiled .png file with screenshot images.

Initial Considerations

Consider establishing a theme for your playlist. Think music genre, time period, artist, tempo. Search for YouTube videos that fit your theme. For my article, summer songs is my theme. Billboard's top 30 summer songs helped remind me of some additional songs for my final playlist.

Creating and Naming Your Playlist

1. After you settle on a theme, at the Playlist webpage, click New playlist.
2. At the New Playlist window, enter the playlist title and playlist description, and click Create Playlist.
3. The Edit Playlist page opens. While you create the playlist, for now, you might want to click Private until you finish the playlist creation process.
4. Click Save.

Adding Videos to Your Playlist

Two methods of adding videos to a playlist is using the Playlist interface or adding videos while you play them.

Using the Playlist Page for Adding a Video

When you click Save at the Edit Playlist page, a new webpage opens, displaying the playlist title and description. You can click Edit Playlist and add video URLs in this interface. Click Add Video by URL, and follow the prompts.

Note: During the Creating an Naming Your Playlist stage, you CAN add URLs before saving the playlist. Follow the prompts. Continue adding YouTube URLs of videos that you want.

Newly added (September 2012)—Creating a YouTube Playlist PDQ, which emphasizes minimal keystrokes for the playlist creation process. The information is helpful if you have already successfully created your first playlist.

Adding a Video While Playing It

1. Find and start playing a YouTube video.
2. When you find one that you want to save in your playlist, just beneath the video window, click Add to. This action opens the "Add to playlist" window and displays your playlist name.
3. Highlight and click your playlist name.
4. Enter a note, and click Add Note. Or just click Close.
5. Continue viewing videos and adding them.

Testing Your Playlist for Continuity

If your saved playlist is in a different browser window, go to it, and click Refresh/Reload so that changes to the list of videos show up. Otherwise, click [your user ID] > Video Manager > Playlists > [your new playlist]. Click the circled arrow (Play All) to test the playlist. Check for problem pages about copyright violations or disallowance of the video in a playlist. If either disallowance page shows up, the playlist automatically rolls over to the next video in your list.

When you click to play the playlist, the first video starts up. After it finishes, the next video starts playing. The process continues through the videos until the last video finishes playing. A successful playlist plays the videos without encountering error pages (disallowance messages). These messages tend to be about copyright or not-allowed-in-a-playlist information.

Shortening the Time for Testing your Playlist

To vet the playlist without needing to listen to the entire collection in real time, interrupt and advance each video while it plays. Click the forward arrow. Each time you do, the front number, which precedes the forward slash, counts to the next number. (The number that follows the slash indicates the total number of videos in your playlist.)

Encountering Error Pages with Your Playlist

If you encounter a disallowance message during playback, note the video. If you want, find a replacement video and add it to the playlist as it plays. Return to the playlist page and click the playlist hyperlink text, which displays the individual videos. Click the video that is just AHEAD of the one you just added. At the video window, click the forward arrow and confirm the added video does not open a disallowance page.

If your addition succeeded, delete the initial video as follows:

1. Click [your user ID] > Video Manager > Playlists.
2. Click Edit to display the list of individual videos.
3. Click the X at the right of the video, which marks it for deletion.
4. Click Save to finalize the deletion.

Reordering your Videos

If you want to change the order that the videos play, you can shift them with three move options:

• Quick move-to-top
• Quick move-to-bottom
• Click-and-drag (Be sure to FIRMLY drag the video to the position you want.)

1. Click Edit Playlist to display the list of individual videos.
2. Change the order of the videos as desired.
3. While you are still in edit-playlist mode, you can select one of the video images as your playlist thumbnail icon. If you don't choose one, your playlist displays a nondescript icon.
4. Click Save.

Uncloaking Your Playlist

If you initially made your playlist private, you can now make it public.

1. At your playlist, click Edit Playlist to display the list of individual videos.
2. Change the Private setting to Public.
3. Click the Settings checkboxes if you want.
4. Click Save.