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Native Half-Star Ratings
This hint at Mac OS X Hints describes a simple terminal defaults command that allows iTunes to accept half-star ratings by drag or inter-star-clicking.
Multiple Library Confusion
I've just posted a brief article explaining how your system can get confused when using iTunes' multiple library feature:
Some of my AppleScripts for iTunes use a routine which reads the iApps.plist in order to obtain the location of the current iTunes library's XML file in order to get information from it. I occasionally get reports that these scripts don't seem to be working correctly; that the information seems to be wrong or doesn't correlate with track tags in iTunes. When the Correspondent and I investigate this phenomenon, very often it is because the iApps.plist contains the wrong location for the current iTunes library....read more here.
Banish the Track Numbers from Imported Files
This tip at Mac OS X Hints reveals the defaults command to keep track numbers from being added to the beginning of filenames after importing, a feature that was removed from iTunes' Preferences in iTunes 8. Of course, as one commenter laments, this won't remove the track numbers from files you have already ripped in iTunes 8.
Automatically Download Available iTunes Purchases
If you subscribe to any TV Shows from the iTunes Store Apple can send an email notifying you when the latest episode is available. Then you can go to iTunes' "Store" menu, click "Check for Purchases...", and the download will commence.
A while back I had posted a script called Check For Purchases which used GUI scripting to automate this process. It required that you hardcode your iTunes Store user name and password in the script and also have GUI scripting enabled. Yuck. These are two of my least favorite--if not my most least favorite--techniques for using a script. But, it turns out, there's an even simpler and better way to accomplish this...
Time Machine Ignores the XML File
Something I had not known until reading about it in the X4U mailing list: apparently, Time Machine does not back up the "iTunes Music Library.xml" file. This is the file that is periodically updated by iTunes which contains track and playlist data. It isn't used by iTunes, but it can be used to re-import data and what not. Most of the time, this file is located in your [username]/Music/iTunes/ folder (you should not relocate it). Thus, if you are concerned about this file, you may have to manually back it up, independent of Time Machine.
UPDATE: A post at Mac OS X Hints discusses what files are ignored by Time Machine and how to list them.
UPDATE ALSO: Any copy of the "iTunes Music Library.xml" file that is not [username]/Music/iTunes/Tunes Music Library.xml will get backed up. So periodically copying it as something like [username]/Music/iTunes/bu/Tunes Music Library.xml will ensure Time Machine sees it.
Control Remote iTunes in iChat
Macworld has a cool Leopard discovery about using iChat to remote control Bonjour-connected iTunes.
TIP: Check Amazon MP3 Against iTunes
A Correspondent asked if it would be possible for the script Search Amazon MP3 to work with tracks from the iTunes Store to be able to comparison shop at Amazon MP3. While the script can't access tracks directly in the iTunes Store, you can drag preview tracks from the Store into an iTunes playlist and run the script on them there.
DVD Housekeeping
Visitors who have been paying close attention to the latest AppleScripts posted here may have noticed a lot of DVD stuff going up. Well, I recently acquired a new DVD burner, a Sony DRX830UL/T. My Lacie d2 refused to burn any more DVDs. So far far, so good with the Sony. Anyway, I've been backing up all my TV Shows to data DVDs and naturally want to make the process as easy as possible:
- Go to the TV Shows playlist library and go into Browse mode. Select a Show and a Season.
- Make sure the tracks are sorted by Episode Number then Select All.
- Run the script Divvy Up For DVDs to create DVD-sized playlists using the selected tracks.
- Choose one of the new DVD-sized playlists and run the script Make Video PDF Booklet. This will create a PDF booklet with various info about each track and then add the PDF to the playlist.
- Burn the playlist (tracks and PDF) as a data DVD in iTunes. (Optionally, print the PDF to insert in the DVD case later. Paper...bah!)
- Have some sesame rice crackers and hummus. They're a great snack.
- When the DVD is cooked and mounted in iTunes, select it and run either CD Label of Selected Playlist (which uses AppleWorks) or Pages CD Label of Selected Playlist (which uses Pages) to create a sticky label for the DVD disc. (Sharpie...bah!)
- Optionally, return to the original playlist and use Print to make a DVD cover.
- Repeat for each DVD-sized playlist.
Then I smash the shows to make room for the upcoming new season's shows. We're big Season Pass users at my house.
Hourly Newcasts - What I Do
I just released Play Hourly Newscasts which I've been working on for weeks; the things have gotta be tested in real time which takes hours a day when I have the time. ANYway, I've got a playlist I run everyday called "100 Songs or More". It's a Smart Playlist limited to 200 songs, live updated, selecting random songs according to various criteria. When nothing special is going on Around The House this is the playlist that plays pretty much all day (I work out of my house). I run one of the Newscast applets while this playlist is playing and every hour I get that newscast. Just like the way radio used to be before radio Program Directors decided news and music didn't mix.
Duh - Mute
I've been ragging on about this since iTunes 2: no Mute control in the contextual menu when click-and-holding the iTunes icon in the Dock. Today I discovered a Mute toggle was there! I'm not sure if it appeared in 7.3 or 7.3.1, but who cares!? Hurrah!!!
Update: I have it on good authority that it was added in v7.3.
