Rekordbox 5.7.0 stil got XML import issues.

With the release of Rekordbox 5.6.1 a nasty bug was introduced in Rekordbox, this bug remains in a slightly different form in Rekordbox 5.7.0:

If a track is already part of the Rekordbox collection, meaning the file path to the track's media file is already in the Rekordbox collection, Rekordbox 5.6.1 will NOT import any DJ metadata from the XML such as cues, loops, grid, comments, and possibly much more. It's like the track is locked in the collection while it's not.

I've received official acknowledgement about this bug from the Rekordbox engineering team. They were able to replicate the issue and are working on a fix as we speak.

If a track is NOT part of the Rekordbox collection all metadata is imported as before. And Rekordbox 5.6.1 is much faster at importing the tracks than it ever was. Improving the import speed of the XML has been part of my Rekordbox feature request list for a long time. Most likely implementing the speed boast did trigger the bug.

I've made a video that will show the bug using only Rekordbox and a text editor. That video also shows how to implement my preferred solution to avoid the bug. Watch it at: https://youtu.be/Ez8wgVNSXM0

This bug has serious consequences for the users of the Rekordbox Cue and Key Tool - Reck and DJ Conversion Utility - DJCU or for those who rely on other conversion apps. 

right now there are 2 options to avoid the XML import bug:

Delete the track from the Rekordbox collection before importing it from the XML.

It works but besides it's a hassle it got user error written allover it.

Use Rekordbox 5.6.0 to import XML data in the Rekordbox database until Pioneer DJ has fixed this bug

How to use 2 versions of Rekordbox on the same computer:

1. Rename the folder "Rekordbox 5" in the Applications folder to "Rekordbox 5.7.0" (or whatever bugged version of Rekordbox it contains)
2. download the installer of Rekordbox 5.6.0 right here For Mac and install version 5.6.0
3. The installer will create a new folder "Rekordbox 5" in the Applications folder, rename this folder to "Rekordbox 5.6.0"
4. Use the Rekordbox contained in the folder "Rekordbox 5.6.0" for importing XML data, use the latest Rekordbox version (5.7.0) for everything else.

Some words of caution if you want to use this workflow

• Only have 1 version of Rekordbox active at the time. Before starting version 5.6.0 make sure you have stopped (quit) 5.7.0 and vice versa.
• Using the dock, the launcher or whatever else will always start the latest version of Rekordbox (it's how the MacOS works)

The ATGR apps that rely on XML import have a warning system in place

These apps will warn you the moment a bugged version of Rekordbox is detected.

The apps will even warn if Rekordbox 5.6.0 is installed alongside the bugged Rekordbox version as a reminder you can only import XML meta data reliable using a certain procedure.

Rekordbox 5.7.0

If using the left click->"Import Playlists" is used in Rekordbox 5.7.0 the bug will still be active (no XML metadata is imported)

however, the Playlists will be imported correctly.

While in the same XML if all tracks contained in the tab "All Tracks" are selected and left click->"Import To Collection" is invoked the XML metadata is imported. But this import does not import any playlist information. The tracks are just imported into the Rekordbox collection without their associated playlists.

These 2 "imports" can be combined in the same XML to get both the Metadata and Playlists over to the Rekordbox collection.

The 5.6.0 import method remains my preferred option to avoid the XML bug because it's proven reliability.