iTunes!

[Caris]

Right, iTunes. I just want to know how it fully works in Windows.

 

I've just got my new iPod and i want to go through my Libary and start to tidy it up. Put capital letters where they should be, make sure all the text is right. Album names/artworks things like that.

 

So. I want to know how iTunes fully works, i'm not even sure how to explain what i mean really so bare with me.

 

What i want to know if when i change Songs in my iTunes does it change the file belonging to that? and if so where is the file placed. The reason i'm asking this is so i can go through my iTunes libary and tidy up, then just back it up on my external Hard Drive and when then when i drag it back in all the song titles etc will be exactly the same. I guess what i'm saying is how do i change the files and not just the list or does it do it automatically.

 

Cheers.

[Wesley]

What i want to know if when i change Songs in my iTunes does it change the file belonging to that? and if so where is the file placed. The reason i'm asking this is so i can go through my iTunes libary and tidy up, then just back it up on my external Hard Drive and when then when i drag it back in all the song titles etc will be exactly the same. I guess what i'm saying is how do i change the files and not just the list or does it do it automatically.

 

Cheers.

 

There is an option to make it change the file names/structure according to the tags and file names; yes. Or you can turn this option off.

[Caris]

Where about's is it, i can't find it?

[Wesley]

Should be on your Preferences>Advance>Keep iTunes Music Folder Organised.

 

This is on the Mac version but I'm sure it's there on the Windows version too...

[Caris]

Okay i'm getting really confused. I just spent a good hour in the iTunes folder changing some stuff has i had 2 Maximo Park folders and things like that. Now it's just reset itself back to before i done it...

 

If i turn the organise thing off how to i chnage things then?

[Jasper]

Okay i'm getting really confused. I just spent a good hour in the iTunes folder changing some stuff has i had 2 Maximo Park folders and things like that. Now it's just reset itself back to before i done it...

 

If i turn the organise thing off how to i chnage things then?

 

I would advise you to keep it on. Then import your music, and delete the old folders. He'll copy all your music to My Documents> My Music> iTunes> iTunes Music Library. it will put all the songs in folders per artist, making them easy to find would you ever want to find them again.

 

If you turn it off and import your music, he'll just link the library to the folders and files from the original location, and will not copy or arrange them on your computer.

 

I don't really see your problem, though. If you just add to the library (not IMPORT your music, but add them to the library) they'll be in there, linked to either the file location iTunes made of it, or just the original location. Really simple as hell.

 

Did that help you just a little?

[Caris]

I would advise you to keep it on. Then import your music, and delete the old folders.

 

So are you just saying drag my music into iTunes with it kept on and leave my iTunes folder alone?

[Slaggis]

Okay i'm getting really confused. I just spent a good hour in the iTunes folder changing some stuff has i had 2 Maximo Park folders and things like that. Now it's just reset itself back to before i done it...

 

If i turn the organise thing off how to i chnage things then?

 

Are you saying your changing your Itunes music folder about and then it went back to how it was before in Itunes it's self, or the folders?

 

If it's Itunes, you just have to change what you want and then re-sync the ipod?

 

I had to change all the names of the albums etc so they were exactly the same (i.e no little spelling changes).

 

Am I rambling on a bout something completey different?

[Jasper]

So are you just saying drag my music into iTunes with it kept on and leave my iTunes folder alone?

 

When you tell ITunes to keep track off your files (roughly translated from my dutch version it would be the option called 'Keep folder 'iTunes Music' up to date' in your overal advanced settings) it will move the files in folders itself. It will make a folder for each artist and in it a folder for each album. Every track will be renamed with it's track number on the disc, and it's title. So it's easier to manage your music that way.

 

Just import it in iTunes, and check if the file was moved to a new folder (if it's not, the option is probably not on) in the main folder 'iTunes Music'. If that's so, you can delete your old files, once you've imported them.

 

Check with one MP3 first would be my advice before deleting. Import a single MP3 into iTunes, check if it's in a new folder and then delete the old one. Check if the song still works in iTunes, and if it does - bingo! Import all your music into iTunes and delete your old files. All your music should be moved now and you can just enjoy iy sitting in your iTunes library and moving it to iPods.

 

I find it incredibly easy to find the files I need when i need them thanks to iTunes. It's a little different from Windows Media Player, but I find iTunes much easier to acces and to use. Simply because it's interface is less cluttered with it's four options: Library, Store, Devices and Playlist instead of Windows' Now Playing, Library, Rip and Burn. WMP is more focused on using CD's, whereas iTunes really focuses you on the music (and is just as easy to rip from CD's and burn them using playlists. The CD is just a device, so you can rip from there). And that's not because I'm mac or I hate Windows or something (wich I don't). I just like iTunes a lot for this kind of thing.

[Wesley]

Lol... wow, this got complicated and drawn out quickly.

[Caris]

Haha, right.

 

I know what you's mean. When i change a title in iTunes it changed the file in my itunes music folder as well. That is what i want. But in my iTunes music folder i have some folders which instead of being the artist with the albums and tracks in that folder are just folders with the title of a song then inside that the track. Totally sperate from the main artist one.

 

So i changed these manualy just to tidy them up then they went back to the way they were.

 

Get me?

[Emasher]

I spent the morning tidying up my library, Next I'll have to start Ripping some DVDs.

[Eddage]

Haha, right.

 

I know what you's mean. When i change a title in iTunes it changed the file in my itunes music folder as well. That is what i want. But in my iTunes music folder i have some folders which instead of being the artist with the albums and tracks in that folder are just folders with the title of a song then inside that the track. Totally sperate from the main artist one.

 

So i changed these manualy just to tidy them up then they went back to the way they were.

 

Get me?

 

If you find those files in iTunes then right click > Get Info > Info tab then you can change all the info (artist, album, etc) there. If you do this so it matches the rest of the album then iTunes will automatically move those files to where you want them.

 

The reason they moved back after you changed the files separately (outside of iTunes) is because once you load iTunes up again it will still have the same Info for that song and because you have told it to organise the files automatically it will move them back again.

 

If you want to edit any information about a song then its always best to do it in iTunes itself.

[Caris]

I've done that mate. My libary is perfect in iTunes it's just messy in the iTunes folder and i don't know why if iTunes itself is right.

[Eddage]

In that case then I'm not sure what to suggest. You could try moving your iTunes folder to a different location then deleting the library in iTunes and re-importing all your songs. I found that if I don't turn on the "Keep my iTunes folder organised" before I import them then it can get a bit messy.

 

Then again you may have turned it on before you imported any songs in the first place!?

[Jasper]

I've done that mate. My libary is perfect in iTunes it's just messy in the iTunes folder and i don't know why if iTunes itself is right.

 

(EDIT: Tip of the day; Kinks in your iTunes library (like typos in album or artist) will be easier to see if you change the appearnce from your Library from List or Coverflow to 'List with images' (the center button of the appearences, next to your search bar).

 

Try the following to know and identify the problem: make iTunes show your library in 'grouped by illustration' mode (next to the list and coverflow button, it's in the middle, just left of your search bar). Now it's time to start grouping. If I were you, i'de arrange your tracks per artist and then rename all the tracks from the same artist into a new artist. This will manage all your files from the same artist. Okay, that sounds complicated. Try again.

 

Okay, retry. Do the same mode and arrangement. Now select all your tracks from, say, MIKA (god I hate that guy). Select them all (holding down ctrl will do this one by one, holding down shift will select all the tracks between teh first one you selected and the last). and rename the Artst MIKA. This will make sure that the artists named MiKA, Mika, mIKA and MKIA (you know, typos), will all be arranged in the same folder by iTunes and will give the artist the same name in your iTunes.

 

If you do this with all your tracks (artists, actually), iTunes should be arranged and all the typos in the anme will be taken out. Now if you manually entered album info, do it with albums too.

 

After that I started giving all tracks from one album the same image. This makes all the tracks with the same image come together next to one (instead of having all your tracks seperatly, all with one empty image).

 

Now, here's just a sideways tip. If you downloaded just a few tracks of one artist, then give all those tracks the same album-name. You can invent one if you want to, but thismakes it easier to combine all your tracks in one album, making the 'List with cover image' appearing more usefull. I prefer this method.

 

Did all that make any sense to you? It sounded complicated while typing (I ain't that great at explaining things perfectly in english), but if you have questions, just post it here. i'de be glad to explain it.

[Charlie]

I've done that mate. My libary is perfect in iTunes it's just messy in the iTunes folder and i don't know why if iTunes itself is right.

 

Maybe the artist name has a space after it or something, iTunes picks up on it and will make a new artist folder for it.

[Shorty]

I have a related question that may be answered above, but there's too much text and I am confused by it.

 

I have my music in C:\music. I have always had it there, so to make things easier on myself, I've just left it there.

 

If I use something like WMP or Winamp, I can have the program monitor a folder and update itself to show any new songs that I've put in there.

 

Is there a way to do this in iTunes? At the moment, I just drag and drop any new tracks I put in C:\music into my iTunes Music library in the application. There must be a better way....

[Konfucius]

Caris don't let iTunes organise your music. I let iTunes do it once and now for instance instead of a Final Fantasy VII Soundtrack folder I have all a seperates folder for every artist and my FFVII Soundtrack folder is gone.

So yeah basically don't let iTunes organize your movie and game soundtracks.

 

I think iTunes works in the way that it ready out the ID3 tags so although you change the information the Filename is not altered but Arists Infos etc. within the file are.

If you don't let iTunes do the organizing for you though any changes won't move the files around.

[Mr-Paul]

Caris don't let iTunes organise your music. I let iTunes do it once and now for instance instead of a Final Fantasy VII Soundtrack folder I have all a seperates folder for every artist and my FFVII Soundtrack folder is gone.

So yeah basically don't let iTunes organize your movie and game soundtracks.

 

I think iTunes works in the way that it ready out the ID3 tags so although you change the information the Filename is not altered but Arists Infos etc. within the file are.

If you don't let iTunes do the organizing for you though any changes won't move the files around.

If you don't want soundtracks split up into different artists tick the "Compilation" box in the Get Info screen of the songs. Then they will all be in the same folder and together in iTunes.

[Charlie]

I have a related question that may be answered above, but there's too much text and I am confused by it.

 

I have my music in C:\music. I have always had it there, so to make things easier on myself, I've just left it there.

 

If I use something like WMP or Winamp, I can have the program monitor a folder and update itself to show any new songs that I've put in there.

 

Is there a way to do this in iTunes? At the moment, I just drag and drop any new tracks I put in C:\music into my iTunes Music library in the application. There must be a better way....

 

Edit / Preferences / Advanced

 

Change the folder in there to your music folder.

[Caris]

Ok i know what's wrong. But not how to fix it.

 

 

Right look there, 4 of the same album covers but if you look below i've named them all the same so there should be one.

 

But look below the coverflow pictures, it doesnt say the best on Blondie it says Various Artists. This is what i was saying about iTunes being right but the folder being wrong.

 

how do i correct this? I've been playing about since 10 this morning...

 

I tried manually but it reset them...

[Shorty]

Right click on the files and click get info. Go to the tab where you put all the details in, you will probably find that something is different for some of them. Most likely, the "album artist" is not consistent. I had problems with AFI albums where some people called the album artist AFI, some people A.F.I. and other people put nothing. If you set the "album artist" to be the same for all of them (you can do it by highlighting all the tracks, editing the info, ticking the box you want to edit and typing in "Blondie") then they should all be in one album.

 

Oh and if you set it to the first of the three views (with the buttons near the search bar) it's easier to see which albums you have this problem with.

Edit / Preferences / Advanced

 

Change the folder in there to your music folder.

That simple eh? Thanks man, will do it when I go back home tomorrow night

[Jasper]

If you don't want soundtracks split up into different artists tick the "Compilation" box in the Get Info screen of the songs. Then they will all be in the same folder and together in iTunes.

 

Even I learned something today. And school hasn't started yet!

[Caris]

Yes!

 

Thank you Shorty so much! It had artist Blondie Album Artist Various Artists.

 

I didn't know about this! Argh, i feel like a idiot now.

 

Thanks for the help guys, i really mean it.