Files Not in iTunes Library

[BrodyBoy]

Re: Files Not in iTunes Library

Okay, this was really bugging me! So I pulled out my dual-boot Mac, booted into "the Mac side" (which I hardly ever do), attached an external drive, and played with iTunes to figure out exactly where it puts everything (in the Mac universe). I think I've got a grip on it!

The "Automatically Add to iTunes" folder on the external drive must be corrupted....as that is indeed the one you should be using. (The original one on your Mac Mini system drive doesn't work when your iTunes library is set elsewhere.) How that happened is hard to say, but it's pretty easy to re-establish it. You need to do that first, then try again to send your AIFF rips to the folder. Here's how:

• On the Mac Mini, navigate to the external drive where you music is, and drag that "Automatically Add to iTunes" folder into the trash. Yup...get rid of it completely.
• Open iTunes (on the Mac Mini)
• Go to Preferences > Advanced
• Uncheck to box to "Keep iTunes Media folder organized"
• Close the Preferences dialog box, then re-open it
• Check the box to "Keep iTunes Media folder organized"
• Close the Preferences dialog box.

iTunes will re-scan the music library, which can take awhile depending on how big it is. It will also create a new "Automatically Add to iTunes" folder. Try a dBp rip again (sending the AIFFs to the new folder). Finally, go open iTunes on the Mac Mini. The new music should be there this time.

[BrodyBoy]

Re: Files Not in iTunes Library

I attached a drive to my Mini and was able to rip three albums successfully, ie, they are in my iTunes library and playable, so the problem is with my dBPA set up. Think I will try reinstalling it.

That's because iTunes will always save its own rips to its own library. Unlike the issue with dBp, where you need to tell it the file destination, iTunes already knows where it is. So I don't think the issue is so much dBp, per se, as it is confusion about where your iTunes library resides, or more specifically, where the functioning "Automatically Add to iTunes" folder is located.

Regarding your previous post.....remember, iTunes is supposed to grab anything anything it finds in that folder and move it. Hence, successfully added files should not be found there. The fact that files in the folder are not being added suggests it's the wrong "auto" destination. I suspect it's on the Mac Mini's main system drive. If you're willing to keep troubleshooting, I'd suggest you look for that folder.

Reinstalling dBp won't automatically fix this path/location problem. DBp only saves the files to the location you specify.....aside from letting it save to the default "My Music" location on the Windows computer it's installed on, it cannot make any determination about other network locations.

[rogerdn]

Re: Files Not in iTunes Library

I attached a drive to my Mini and was able to rip three albums successfully, ie, they are in my iTunes library and playable, so the problem is with my dBPA set up. Think I will try reinstalling it.

[rogerdn]

Re: Files Not in iTunes Library

Okay....so it's just sitting there amongst the other folders on that drive. Here's what I suggest you try:

• Close both iTunes and Amarra.
• In dBp Multi-Encoder, set the PATH for the AIFF files specifically to that "Automatically Add to iTunes" folder on the external drive.
• Rip a CD (or even just a couple files).
• Before you open iTunes or Amarra, confirm in Finder that the newly ripped files are in that folder. (Note that it's possible they'll disappear if iTunes is set to be running in the background, so don't panic.)
• Open iTunes and see if the new rip is in there. If it is, I think you've resolved the issue.

As for how Amarra and iTunes interface, there would be two options. It physically scans the same library location that iTunes does, or it literally uses the iTunes database index files (iTunes Library.xml). I don't use Amarra, so I've never explored the connection. Anyway, if the above steps don't work, I'd start to think the iTunes library files are corrupt. (That doesn't mean your music is....just the "index" uses to access your music.) There are solutions for that, but wait to cross that bridge if you reach it.

Well I ripped to the Auto Add file in dBPA and it does show in Finder in that folder BUT still not in iTunes. Guess I will contact Pure Music, they are usually helpful. The thing about the Auto Add folder is none of my other several hundred old albums are in this folder and they all still play, this is just a recent change, but was certainly worth a try, thks.

[BrodyBoy]

Re: Files Not in iTunes Library

No there isn't but there is an 'Automatically Add To ITunes' folder with a 2010 date, probably when I started computer audio ripping.

Okay....so it's just sitting there amongst the other folders on that drive. Here's what I suggest you try:

• Close both iTunes and Amarra.
• In dBp Multi-Encoder, set the PATH for the AIFF files specifically to that "Automatically Add to iTunes" folder on the external drive.
• Rip a CD (or even just a couple files).
• Before you open iTunes or Amarra, confirm in Finder that the newly ripped files are in that folder. (Note that it's possible they'll disappear if iTunes is set to be running in the background, so don't panic.)
• Open iTunes and see if the new rip is in there. If it is, I think you've resolved the issue.

As for how Amarra and iTunes interface, there would be two options. It physically scans the same library location that iTunes does, or it literally uses the iTunes database index files (iTunes Library.xml). I don't use Amarra, so I've never explored the connection. Anyway, if the above steps don't work, I'd start to think the iTunes library files are corrupt. (That doesn't mean your music is....just the "index" uses to access your music.) There are solutions for that, but wait to cross that bridge if you reach it.

[rogerdn]

Re: Files Not in iTunes Library

When you navigate (in Finder) to the /Volumes/mach2 Music external drive, do you find the folder structure "iTunes/iTunes Media?"

No there isn't but there is an 'Automatically Add To ITunes' folder with a 2010 date, probably when I started computer audio ripping.

[rogerdn]

Re: Files Not in iTunes Library

When you navigate (in Finder) to the /Volumes/mach2 Music external drive, do you find the folder structure "iTunes/iTunes Media?"

Just saw this post, I will check.

[rogerdn]

Re: Files Not in iTunes Library

No, it's okay....more detail is better!

I think I get it....you used to do multi-encoder rips, with one copy (AIFF) going to the external drive on your Mac Mini and a FLAC back-up staying on your laptop. You would run a software player on the Mac Mini, using the AIFF files as the source library. Good so far?

YES !

A couple questions:
1) Just to clarify your recent change....you stopped sending your archive FLAC files to the laptop's 2nd HDD and started sending them to a new NAS on your network? This change, so far as dBp Multi-Encoder is concerned, didn't change anything with the AIFF files? They still go to an external drive attached to the Mac Mini? And Finder confirms that they are indeed going there?

YES to all.

2) I'm not clear how iTunes fits into this scenario. Are you actually using iTunes....the player program....at all?

Well iTunes is not actually playing, as I understand it's somehow only using the library. Most audiophiles think the sound quality is inferior compared to these other players, actually it's easy to hear.

Or is it that the Amarra player uses the iTunes library location by default and we're inferring that new rips aren't "in iTunes" because they're not showing up on the Amarra interface (even though you know they're physically there)?

For this I don't know the answer because I don't understand how they interface. However if I open just iTunes, ie, not any of the other players, these same files are still missing. I have contacted the Amarra people and they feel it is not an Amarra issue but I should probably contact Pure Music too.

Thks again for your replies.

[BrodyBoy]

Re: Files Not in iTunes Library

When you navigate (in Finder) to the /Volumes/mach2 Music external drive, do you find the folder structure "iTunes/iTunes Media?"

[BrodyBoy]

Re: Files Not in iTunes Library

No, it's okay....more detail is better!

I think I get it....you used to do multi-encoder rips, with one copy (AIFF) going to the external drive on your Mac Mini and a FLAC back-up staying on your laptop. You would run a software player on the Mac Mini, using the AIFF files as the source library. Good so far?

A couple questions:
1) Just to clarify your recent change....you stopped sending your archive FLAC files to the laptop's 2nd HDD and started sending them to a new NAS on your network? This change, so far as dBp Multi-Encoder is concerned, didn't change anything with the AIFF files? They still go to an external drive attached to the Mac Mini? And Finder confirms that they are indeed going there?

2) I'm not clear how iTunes fits into this scenario. Are you actually using iTunes....the player program....at all? Or is it that the Amarra player uses the iTunes library location by default and we're inferring that new rips aren't "in iTunes" because they're not showing up on the Amarra interface (even though you know they're physically there)?

[rogerdn]

Re: Files Not in iTunes Library

On second thought I may not understand how players like Amarra use iTunes for the library so maybe the files are not actually 'in the program itself, as entries in your music library' as you say.

To explain my set up I'll start with the way dbPA was set up until recently when I added a NAS. Before the NAS I followed Chris Conner's (of ComputerAudio site) method and used a Windows laptop on my LAN to rip AIFF files to my Mini's external drive, and FLAC's to a second drive on the laptop for an archive file. So it was set up as a Multi Encoder.

This all worked well for several years ripping a lot of albums and using several different players like Pure Music and J River on the Mini which output to a DAC via USB or Ethernet, depending on which I select. Both these players use iTunes for the library, with iTunes set up in Preferences/Advanced media folder location as '/Volumes/mach2 Music', which is my external Mini drive. I assume this is what gets the files into the iTunes library but I'm not sure how this happens. I know iTunes is not the actual player however.

Now when I recently got the NAS I eliminated the archive drive on the laptop so that my current set up is the Mini/External drive, but now running the Amarra player ( which also uses the iTunes library), and the NAS.

So getting back to my current problem, now when I rip the files no longer show up in iTunes, so cannot be played. But they are in my Mach2 external drive, according to Finder/devices. I cannot identify what I might have done to cause this, but I know I could still play ok for awhile following the switch to the NAS, so I don't think it is involved.

Sorry this is so long but hopefully I have explained it well enough for you to understand.

[rogerdn]

Re: Files Not in iTunes Library

Not sure what you mean..... I thought you'd indicated that the external drive IS the location of your iTunes library.

My reading of your question was that you expected your dBp rips to show up in iTunes (i.e., in the program itself, as entries in your music library), and that's not happening. This is the only issue I was trying to address, so if that's not the issue, or if there are other factors at play, please clarify.

Yes this understanding is correct.

Edit: on further thought my interp may be wrong. Later today when I have time I'll explain my set up.

[rogerdn]

Re: Files Not in iTunes Library

Well yes it is but looking at the path I thought they were different, maybe it's me. I will try a rip tomorrow, thks for all your help.

[BrodyBoy]

Re: Files Not in iTunes Library

Not sure what you mean..... I thought you'd indicated that the external drive IS the location of your iTunes library.

For the "automated" method of ripping music directly into iTunes, the PATH parameter needs to be your iTunes library location, as specified in File > Preferences > Advanced. Specifically, it needs to go to iTunes\iTunes Media\Automatically Add to iTunes folder at that location.



EDIT: If I'm not getting to the heart of your question, then I don't think I'm understanding what you're doing. If that seems to be the case, it'd help if you describe your set-up in more detail, including how things are configured now and what you want it to do that it's not. You've mentioned iTunes, an Amarra player, an external drive, and a NAS....so maybe I'm confused as to what we're dealing with?

My reading of your question was that you expected your dBp rips to show up in iTunes (i.e., in the program itself, as entries in your music library), and that's not happening. This is the only issue I was trying to address, so if that's not the issue, or if there are other factors at play, please clarify.

[rogerdn]

Re: Files Not in iTunes Library

Yes it's registered, release 14.4

Yes I am using multi encoder as I alternately have been ripping to a NAS or the Mini external drive and this eliminates some set up going back and forth.

But looking at a single path set up, I see iTunes but if I select this it's not going to my external drive is it ?