SO, i've just noticed there is a new update to xmplay (3.6)
i looked in the changelog from the readme

* Recently played tracks list with the option of going back
* List of last 5 track titles for internet streams in "Message" info
* Contains/equals/lower/greater tag searching options
* Search history available via search button menu and quick find option
* Automatic playlist replacement with library search matches
* Playlist history and quick loading/saving of entries
* Playlist saving of only the selected tracks
* Playlist entry removal after playback
* Sorting by album also considers track number
* Use of the track title when writing to file
* Internet streams that are paused too long auto-reconnect on resumption
* MP3/AAC internet stream writing without needing to reconnect
* Toggling/stopping of internet stream/file writing
* HTTP/FTP download support for Winamp plugins that don't include their own HTTP/FTP support
* Improved tag reading support for Winamp input plugins
* Support for Unicode-enabled Winamp input plugins, and support for exotic filenames with non-enabled plugins too
* Improved support for non-Unicode encoders
* Removal of empty tags from encoder command-line options
* FLAC encoder added to default encoder options
* Loop limiting to a specified number of times (instead of just once)
* Bookmark resumption at end of queue
* Window position locking
* Skin config customisation
* Visualisation refresh rate control
* Shift+left-clicking alternative to middle-clickng in "Vis" window
* Support for per-user vis config (VIS.INI)
* Amplification level resetting upon new subsongs
* Amplification slider range increased to +/-20dB in DSP options
* Output buffer range extended to 5 seconds
* History clearing by category
* More accurate MP3 seeking
* Ramping-in disabled for all but the XM format (and MODs in FT2 mode) in "normal" ramping mode
* Tracker detection for IT files
* Open folder option added to tray menu
* Support for archive file entries via DDE
* "replace [playlist] from library" and "write to disk" shortcuts
* Restarting/reloading of XMPlay
* Missing fonts warning not shown at startup
* CD plugin: Fix for drives with letter A
* CD plugin: CD-TEXT reading bug fix

but did NOT find 'improved random play'
so i'm worried - do i have to keep this beta version i have, or does the latest version carry on your fix to the random play Ian ? 

thanks for all the work ive been using xmplay for years

well so far i've had a rew repeats but it's been a large improvement since last version

yep, pretty much random play has been improved greatly. good work, Ian   

Much more random now! (At least in my case)

ab-user, did that do anything for your issue?

I've just discovered this update to my thread and have downloaded the update, and will report back when I have got around to it.

Sometimes, I have noticed when I exit xmplay (unclean close) and then start it up again, the 'random' order will be the same.

Is that the only case when XMPlay plays the same tracks, or does it also happen within one session?

My unscientific estimation is some of one, some of the other. 

It does not, however, keep track of which songs have been played already, ...

It does, actually, in xmplay.pls.

I was wanting to know what sort of randomization subroutines are being used to generate the next track in a playlist. I keep hearing the same songs over again, I've got 800 tracks in a playlist want to hear some of the others...

Is XMPlay playing the same songs during a single session, or does it play the same order when you re-start XMPlay? Could you note down which numbers it is playing? Do you have duplicates in your playlist?

is there some sort of 'better' random play plugin ?

No, XMPlay doesn't support such plugins.

if I rate a track in my library a 5 star, will it play more ?

No, random doesn't look at your ratings.

Hi, thanks for the reply Dotpitch.
I have posted my playlist settings in the attachment - as you can see I have the remove duplicates enabled.
Sometimes, I have noticed when I exit xmplay (unclean close) and then start it up again, the 'random' order will be the same.
Good to know that about the rated library tracks, I was having my suspicions.
It would maybe be interesting if the inputs of the mouse can be used to give the randomizer some true randomness. Much like some password generators.

I was wanting to know what sort of randomization subroutines are being used to generate the next track in a playlist. I keep hearing the same songs over again, I've got 800 tracks in a playlist want to hear some of the others...
is there some sort of 'better' random play plugin ?
BTW if I rate a track in my library a 5 star, will it play more ?

merci 

Hi Fraggie, thanks for your reply. Turns out things are working out normally now. I had restarted, etc must have been some one-off bizarre hiccup. Will report back if problem persists.

actually tried to reinstall version 30, no difference. i just noticed i did not post in the correct thread either so moderator can you move it for me ? 

intermittent playback with sid files, usually they only play one note and hang the entire track, or crash box comes up and close xmplay. maybe works sometimes, not all the time. using sid rev 3.0 and reset its settings back to default.

 Application Version: 3.6.0.35
  Application Timestamp: 4e89b704
  Fault Module Name: ntdll.dll
  Fault Module Version: 6.1.7601.17514
  Fault Module Timestamp: 4ce7ba58
  Exception Code: c0000005
  Exception Offset: 00033075
  OS Version: 6.1.7601.2.1.0.768.3
  Locale ID: 1033
  Additional Information 1: d2ad
  Additional Information 2: d2ad131fd90b94bcc4a0b6a41ec7db49
  Additional Information 3: 85b5
  Additional Information 4: 85b53b3399119139b04a9623a8fa2d63

I can try to record desktop video of the issue just don't know which program to use or where to upload

The wrapper can work with 16, 24 and 32-bit integer audio data, but most Winamp DSP plugins only support 16-bit.

... when I put the volume slider to full right, I get clipping and when set to full left, there is still volume, and it should be mute, right ? So is this plugin even working is what I'm wondering.

Well, there are no labels on the sliders, so left may be intended not to be zero. Do you hear a difference between different positions on the slider? If so, then the plugin is doing something.

yes, i do, i think its working fine now

hi, nice guide here. I've got some extra options in the Winamp DSP wrapper window

I have several concerns, I disabled the default DSP normalization, and I'm using WASAPI
but when I put the volume slider to full right, I get clipping and when set to full left, there is still volume, and it should be mute, right ? So is this plugin even working is what I'm wondering.
edit: just found out this plugin ONLY works at Resolution:16 bit  

XMPlay doesn't show on the taskbar or alt+tab list if you have "always in tray" enabled, unless you have it "pinned" to the taskbar too (right-click the exe file and choose "pin to taskbar"). I think it's a limitation of Windows, but I'm not sure.

thank you, that worked as I imaginged, unclicked 'always in tray' under miscellaneous now program shows up in the tray. 

couldn't figure out how to make my 3.6.0.35 show up in the taskbar ? Also I would like to be able to see it on alt-tab list can't see it there either. I have the tray icon working though. I did try to search google and look at the faq first, but found nothing.