Apple iTunes Sucks

[VicLaw]

I've had it with iTunes - unannounced they update the program and it screws with your file structure. This is the second time and I'm tired of re-learning their system. If it wasn't for the wife, I'd be rid of it forever and I'm starting to debate the value of losing both.

Bought a new NAS and decided to perform a clean redo of my CD library using dBpoweramp. Thank God that I followed Computer Audiophile's article on ripping. I have the finished 110 CDs saved in 3 formats. Now I have erased the screwed-up Apple music directory (30GB), set dBp's converter to do the Flac directory into Apple lossless. I'm going to go an have one or two adult drinks while the converter crunches away.

After ripping I have over 16 hours invested in correcting the iTunes files structure. I'm not that well versed in using the iTunes program. But I understand that I have to effect changes to the files using their interface or the changes are not recognized by iTunes for play back. I moved files with Windows Explorer into an album folder then attempt to play it only to be told file not found. Does anyone know of a work around? Or are we stuck with iTunes for management functions?

BTW from my limited research - do not turn on "Keep Apple Media Folder Organized". This messed with the files a little. I corrected the changes but, my major problem occurred when I asked to iTunes "consolidate". After a while it did a pop-up that said copying files. This resulted in most album folders moved out of the Music directory, lost many songs from some albums. A popup said can't find 887 files! Opened iTunes and saw as many a 3 copies of the same file in a album. Played with it for three hours try to fix when I realized that dBpoweramp would be just about finished with the conversion. If you need to do this remember to erase all songs in iTunes' the old library listing. It was standing tall even after I asked to add the empty Music subdirectory.

File under lessons learned. Miller time...

[garym]

Re: Apple iTunes Sucks

definitely don't check "keep media folder organized" as it will move your files around from original location/folders. Checking consolidate is also a bad idea unless you really know what is going to happen. Best to keep your music carefully organized outside of itunes. Then one can have itunes import the files into its own itunes database without modifying your files or their location.

Do note that if you make changes to a file name, file metadata (tags) or file location outside of itunes (i.e., dbpa, mp3tag, etc.), then itunes database won't automatically pick up these changes. Once can force this by opening/playing the file. (in my own case, once in a while I just remove all the files from my itunes database and then add them all back (file > add folder). This cleans everything up in itunes. Of course I'm not using anything like ratings or last time played, etc. If I was, I'd lose that info when I removed and readded.

Also, in my own case, I use other players for most things (and use FLAC files). I only use itunes for keeping lossless versions of my files to load on ipods/iphones/ipads.

[VicLaw]

Re: Apple iTunes Sucks

Where were you two weeks ago? :D

I have always been a lite user of iPods, have Sirius in the car for traveling and was too busy for ripping. But now that I'm retired and got me one of them big NASes I'm off and ripping in lossless - DVD's/Blurays are next. Right off I was plagued by small bugs in software. Help is hard to find and good help all but imposable This Forum is amazing for both depth of knowledge and responsiveness. In working my way through the problems I am shocked at how many people are having problems in this area especially with Apple's iTunes. My friend's son told me he dropped iTunes for the same reason as well as his friends. But every electronic device is Apple ready so I cant ignore it. I don't know where they get their reputation - ever see the line at an Apple store for help and training? There is a good reason for that.

[garym]

Re: Apple iTunes Sucks

Where were you two weeks ago? :D

I have always been a lite user of iPods, have Sirius in the car for traveling and was too busy for ripping. But now that I'm retired and got me one of them big NASes I'm off and ripping in lossless - DVD's/Blurays are next. Right off I was plagued by small bugs in software. Help is hard to find and good help all but imposable This Forum is amazing for both depth of knowledge and responsiveness. In working my way through the problems I am shocked at how many people are having problems in this area especially with Apple's iTunes. My friend's son told me he dropped iTunes for the same reason as he did. I don't know where they get their reputation - ever see the line at an Apple store for help and training? There is a good reason for that.

Itunes is probably fine for what it does. Best for the typical user that wants to just let itunes control everything. But if one wants to do more than that (and your presence at this forum indicates that you want to do more), it can be a headache I agree. edit: And I like my ipods, iphones, ipads, etc. They generally work well. But my music ecosystem is not itunes/apple based (instead, dbpa, foobar2000, mp3tag, squeezeboxes, etc.)

[VicLaw]

Re: Apple iTunes Sucks

I think you got it right. Can't tell you how many educated/professional people I've helped with their computers. Just installing CCleaner and Superantispyware to clean the files and performing the first defrag. Solve problems and saved them from buying a new computer. And for what? Just so they could send email and serf the web. But one guy (retiree who uses his computer to trade stocks) had over 900 adware tracking cookies and other malicious files! So I can't imagine what some peoples' file structure look like especially the song hoarders.

Anyway, after my consolidation, I was presented with 3 identical files listings of the same song. I began to erase them. Only to discover that I erased some of the ghosts but also some of the real files. ITunes never indicated a difference between them until I tried to play them. Then I received a file not found message and the track number would turn into a circle. Then and only then could you confidently erase the ghost files. That's when I asked myself what was I trying to preserve there were over 800 reported files not found.

So for all you lurkers out there, it took dBpoweramp just under an hour to convert all the Flac files (almost 1,700) to Apple lossless (both on the NAS) with 2 error files. And those were converted on a second try finishing in 4 seconds. Can't figure what iTunes was trying to do when it copied/moved all those files. Or what I was trying to un-do for 3 hours.

Thanks for your help and happy listening.

[VicLaw]

Re: Apple iTunes Sucks

Well spoke too soon. Just added to library in iTunes and about half of the albums have duplicate files. Not 3 like before just 2. So if anyone knows why or what's going on please let me know.

I'm depressed. In the morning, if I'm not hung-over, I'm going to delete the files again. Then I'm going to convert an album that is splitting and one that is giving me multiple files and check the output files for errors. If there are none then I'll know that iTunes library addition is the culprit.

Following that, I am going to remove everything Apple on the computer and NAS. Then I'll reboot and install iTunes fresh. If need be run the test albums again or convert all the files again and add to the iTunes library. BTW based on the current results I'll still need to combine a few of the albums that were split and correct some of the genres which isn't too time consuming.

garym, when you move the files to the "automatically add" folder doesn't iTunes reclassify them and split some that are multiple artists?

PS my iTunes is version 11.0.2.26

[garym]

Re: Apple iTunes Sucks

garym, when you move the files to the "automatically add" folder doesn't iTunes reclassify them and split some that are multiple artists?

PS my iTunes is version 11.0.2.26

Yes, itunes will take the folders in auto add and move the tracks/albums, etc. to different places. This is particularly true depending on whether you have any compilation cds (each track has a different artist for example). I wouldn't move my directories into the "auto add" folder because this is letting itunes change the directory organization. I have no problems with itunes playing nice with my files without changing anything (and I have over 200,000 tracks in itunes library). A few key things:

1. do not click "let itunes arrange...."
2. do not add music folders to the "auto add" folder
3. do not edit any tags from within itunes itself (use dbpa or mp3tag)
4. I have a (carefully) organized music folder from using dbpa, etc. to create lossy versions of my FLAC files. It looks something like this:

e:\lossymusic\ARTIST\ALBUM\tracks....

(my compilations CDS actually show up like this:

e:\lossymusic\COMPILATIONS\ALBUM\tracks

Then in itunes, I simply go to EDIT > PREFERENCES > ADVANCED, and set my music library as "e:\lossymusic" (and do NOT check keep music organized or "copy files to itunes media folder")

If I have added new music to my "e:\lossymusic" (i.e., new conversions, etc.), I simply go in itunes to FILE > ADD FOLDER TO LIBRARY and select "e:\lossymusic". It will read this directory but only add new music that is not already in the library. If I've made a lot of tag edits, etc., every so often I simply select ALL files in my itunes library, right click, and delete (but when itunes asks if I want to send these files to the recycle bin, I say NO). Then I simply do the FILE > ADD FOLDER TO LIBRARY and select "e:\lossymusic" again to readd all the files.

[VicLaw]

Re: Apple iTunes Sucks

Gota stop drinking. Started up this AM to find my NAS drive was not mapped - fixed it. Started iTunes to analyze yesterday's damage. It too lost the NAS connection and diverted to the local default from some unknown place stored on the program. Corrected that but no listings - strange they were there last night. Used "Add Folder" brought in all music a but a few album covers missing, did not look at all but saw only a few albums that were split and have to fix some genre . I just don't understand - I guess I owe an apology to Steve Jobs for my rant last night.

But enough of this. I'll resume ripping. But first I'm going to revise the settings in the Apple codec to garym's file format. Now I see why teens/young adults drink 32oz sodas and power drinks, they stay up all night to fix these issues and then in the morning tell us:

"What problem? Did you have a problem ripping? YOU must have done something wrong"

Thanks again for the assist.

[garym]

Re: Apple iTunes Sucks

Gota stop drinking. Started up this AM to find my NAS drive was not mapped - fixed it. Started iTunes to analyze yesterday's damage. It too lost the NAS connection and diverted to the local default from some unknown place stored on the program. Corrected that but no listings - strange they were there last night. Used "Add Folder" brought in all music a but a few album covers missing, did not look at all but saw only a few albums that were split and have to fix some genre . I just don't understand - I guess I owe an apology to Steve Jobs for my rant last night.

But enough of this. I'll resume ripping. But first I'm going to revise the settings in the Apple codec to garym's file format. Now I see why teens/young adults drink 32oz sodas and power drinks, they stay up all night to fix these issues and then in the morning tell us:

"What problem? Did you have a problem ripping? YOU must have done something wrong"

Thanks again for the assist.

Yep, with a NAS that the computer can sometimes see and sometimes not see, this creates issues. Or you could try drinking more rather than less. Then you'll simply assume you're seeing double. ;-)