Engine DJ Sync Regression (Parent Folders Trackless in v1.11.2)

[jjoemalone]

Please fill in this bug report template:

Lexicon version: 1.11.2
Operating system (remove one): Mac

Bug description: Hey Christiaan, I’m running into a workflow-breaking regression with the Engine DJ sync. After syncing, parent folders are showing up completely trackless in Engine. Back in December 2025, I posted a community workaround for this exact same issue using a “Full Sync” trick (Issue after syncing back to Engine - #27 by jjoemalone). However, as of version 1.11.2, my own workaround is completely dead. Forcing a “Full Sync” still leaves the parent folders empty. I rolled my system back to test, and I want to highlight upfront that my workaround still works flawlessly on version 1.9.6, so whatever sync logic allowed that trick to function was unhooked between 1.9.6 and 1.11.2.

Step by step to reproduce:
1 Perform a sync from Lexicon to Engine DJ using version 1.11.2.
2 Open Engine DJ and navigate to the parent folders.
3 Observe that the parent folders contain zero tracks (even after attempting a “Full Sync”).
4 Rollback test: Install version 1.9.6, run the “Full Sync” workaround, and observe that parent folders populate exactly as expected.

[androphonic]

@jjoemalone and @Christiaan, this got me curious, so, when I synced today, I took a deep look.

My ± 270 playlists/smartlists are grouped into categories –

Those categories populate with the tracks of the playlists they contain in Lexicon DJ desktop. True, on the Engine units the parent playlists don’t show the tracks in the contained playlists (even though the smartlists are converted to normal playlists when syncing). That hadn’t concerned me, because the categories are so broad. Admittedly, I do have some subcategory lists, e.g. Hot Tracks contains playlists by release, so it would be a brilliant feature if the parent playlist does show the tracks in the contained playlists (all the Hot Tracks also showed at that level rather than just in the release playlist).

Meanwhile, when I did the deep look, I discovered some playlists were not matching in count between Lexicon DJ and the Engine unit. To be sure it wasn’t an Engine DJ OS issue, I opened the USB drive in DB Browser and checked the Track, Playlist and PlaylistEntity tables.

• Track table: track counts match between Lexicon DJ desktop and the USB. Therefore, the track sync works perfectly.
• PlaylistEntity table: some of the playlists did not match. E.g., Disco 1068 vs 1020 on the performance USB; Disco >class 422 vs 409 on the USB.

I did another sync to test if maybe it was an anomaly with the same results.

My Engine DJ sync method has been, FULL, Convert All Smartlists to Playlists. Assuming a FULL sync would overwrite the existing m.db on the USB, I haven’t been deleting the /Engine Library/Database2 folder on the USB.

For a third try, I deleted the /Engine Library/Database2 folder on the USB; not the /Engine Library/Music folder. This time the sync actually went even faster and all of the playlists match.

Therefore, before a full sync to a USB drive, delete the /Engine Library/Database2 folder on the USB drive. If Lexicon DJ is trying to update the existing m.db on the USB, there are playlist errors creeping in. At any rate, it is faster to sync without the old m.db. Perhaps Lexicon DJ should just delete it before a full sync?

Circling back, it will be great if parent folders show all the tracks in the children.

@Christiaan, Thank You for this incredible program and your unfailing commitment.

[jjoemalone]

Hey @androphonic, thanks for doing that deep dive! That is a great tip regarding the /Engine Library/Database2 folder for resolving playlist track count mismatches on the USB export side.

However, I want to make a quick clarification for @Christiaan so the core bug doesn’t get muddied, as our use cases are a bit different here:

• Regression vs. Feature Request: You mentioned that parent folders showing tracks would be a “brilliant feature.” I want to emphasize that this actually did work perfectly in version 1.9.6 using the “Full Sync” trick. I am reporting this as a lost function/regression, not a new feature request.
• Desktop vs. Hardware: My issue is strictly regarding the sync from Lexicon directly to the Engine DJ desktop software database on my Mac, prior to any USB hardware export.

@Christiaan, just bumping the focus back to the original report: whatever changed in the sync logic between 1.9.6 and 1.11.2 completely unhooked the ability for parent folders to populate on the desktop software.

[Christiaan]

I will look into it again, thanks for the details

[Christiaan]

Try it in the next update. But keep in mind that tracks from smartlists are not shown in their parent folders, that is a pure Engine limitation

[jjoemalone]

Thanks Chris.

I don’t use the smartlist options as much.

My work around is my goto!

Thanks again Chris.

[androphonic]

@jjoemalone Oh yes, I understood you and thanks for pointing out that the existing parent playlist track listing had been lost. Thanks @Christiaan for reinstating it.

Sorry, I thought the missing tracks issue may be related so decided not to make a new topic.