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30 Most Recent RSS FeedGathering Far-Flung Files
I've gotten several emails lately inquiring about scripts and apps that can assist with gathering up far-flung files from old music folders. It's the sort of thing that happens when you move to a new computer, upgrade iTunes, and add hard drives without doing the requisite housekeeping at the time (or on a regular basis). This is fairly typical:
Throughout the last 4-5 years, Iʻve ended up with an enormous bunch of music which is all on one of my hard drives, and Iʻd like to consolidate all of it, get rid of the dupes, junk/damaged recordings, etc. For instance, some of the data are backups of my old iTunes libraries that I created before upgrading to newer versions. I like the way the script addToLib works. but Iʻm looking for a way that I can accomplish the same thing without moving the music from each album folder, and then Trashing each folder individually.
I've been recommending using Music Folder Files Not Added which allows you to scan a folder any number of folders deep for files not in the iTunes database and optionally add them. Of course, you may still want to Trash the folder once the files are added—and this presumes you have "Keep iTunes Media folder organized" set—but you'll only have to move the single parent folder to the Trash and not dozens of sub-folders. And if duplicates are a problem, there's always Dupin, right?. Yes, still some work involved (after all, it took a long time for you to make that mess!) but operating on one set of parent folders at a time will make the process easier.
UPDATED: Embed Artwork v2.0
I've updated Brian Webster's Embed Artwork as universal binary, but otherwise there are no changes. This script simply re-embeds artwork into the files of the selected tracks. Handy for ensuring that artwork data travels with a file.
iTunes Status Display Sees Your Selection
Rob Griffiths points out that in iTunes 9, as you are selecting or de-selecting tracks in any playlist or library, the size and time in the status display along the bottom of the iTunes browser window increases or decreases respectively. Neat!
UPDATED: Drop to Playlist v1.1
My friend David Bills asked that Drop to Playlist include the "Purchased" playlist in its selection settings. Done! (boodely-OOP!).
Drop to Playlist v1.1 is an AppleScript droplet that will add files dropped on it to your iTunes library and copy them to a specific user playlist set in the droplet's preferences. The preference setting is accessed by double-clicking the droplet, and can be changed when required. Handy when placed in the Finder toolbar or sidebar.
UPDATED: I Hate That iTunes Done Chime! v2.0
OK. I suppose I don't actually hate it. But you might find it convenient to change the "done" chime that sounds whenever you import or convert files in iTunes. I Hate That iTunes Done Chime! v2.0 will let you select a new sound to replace "boodely-OOP!" -- which is actually named "complete.aif". You can choose from any of the default system sounds (ping, sosumi, submarine, and so on), no sound, or your own AIFF sound file.
This latest version is simply a maintenance release and is saved as universal binary.
UPDATED: Change Hidden iTunes Preferences v2.1
Ooops. I had to update Change Hidden iTunes Preferences v2.1 because the toggle behavior for "Changing view setting is global" was reversed. It behaves as expected now.
UPDATED: Change Hidden iTunes Preferences v2.0
Change Hidden iTunes Preferences v2.0 will allow you to invoke hidden iTunes preferences:
- Show "Library" playlist
- Changing view setting is global
- Allow half-stars in ratings
- Show arrow links -- to either search the iTunes Store or search your library
- Load complete iTunes Store preview before playing
- Create playlists for purchased song collections
- Play songs while importing or converting
- Create file names with track number
- Maintain grid view for Search results
- Option-click zoom button for Mini Player
For iTunes 9 in OS 10.5 or better only.
NEW: Drop to Playlist
If you like the "Automatically Add to iTunes" folder that is created with iTunes 9, which allows you to drop files to it to add to iTunes, you may like Drop to Playlist. This is a droplet that will add files dropped on it to your iTunes library and then copy them to a specific user playlist that you set in the droplet's preferences. The preference setting is accessed by double-clicking the droplet, and can be changed when required. Handy when placed in the Finder toolbar or sidebar.
Rosetta Redux
As you may know: to run AppleScripts that were compiled on a PowerPC machine on Intel machines (and therefore Snow Leopard) requires Rosetta—an optional install on your SL install disc. While Rosetta is a fairly small install, some people have expressed an interest in staying Rosetta-free. There are quite a few of these types of AppleScripts here on the site and I'm working on updating them to Universal Binary (although a good percentage of these in the Retro Scripts category probably won't be updated by virtue of being obsolete). Long-time visitors may also have some of these scripts in their collections.
While you could wait for me to update these kinds of scripts to UB—disclosure: one of these days I will get around to admitting that I am a notorious procrastinator—you can update these scripts yourself by doing what I would do: open the script in AppleScript Editor, noting whether it is a compiled Script (.scpt) or an Application (.app), and re-save it. It will be re-compiled for your machine type, and if it is an Intel machine, will run without Rosetta. The "Run Only" and "Startup Screen" checkboxes can be left unchecked. Script Applications that use idle handlers need to be checked "Stay Open".
During the Save, if AppleScript Editor informs you that the "Document Format is Read Only: This script application is in a format that is no longer supported...", the case for non-bundled applications compiled pre-SL, just click the "Save As" button, and proceed with the save. In Snow Leopard, single-file-type apps are no longer supported. The defacto Application type is a bundle.
The AppleScript Release Note: 10.6 Changes page at Apple has more on this.
