OS X / iTunes / folder question
Hi
I'm completely new to OS X (switcher from Windows XP) and have a problem...
I have several data cd-rs of albums in mp3 format. In setting up my new Powerbook, I've gone into the iTunes Music folder and created folders for every artist of mp3 albums I have on disc. Then, I've simply inserted each disc, dragging and dropping each folder (organized by album) into the folder of its corresponding artist. For example: Miles Davis folder -> Kind of Blue folder -> mp3s of each track. Easy enough, right?
After I add the folder to my iTunes library, several other folders are created, including another folder with the artist's name and sometimes another folder for each album within that artist's folder. Why are these extra folders being created and how can I prevent this from happening? I prefer manually creating the folders as well as organizing them.
I'm completely new to OS X (switcher from Windows XP) and have a problem...
I have several data cd-rs of albums in mp3 format. In setting up my new Powerbook, I've gone into the iTunes Music folder and created folders for every artist of mp3 albums I have on disc. Then, I've simply inserted each disc, dragging and dropping each folder (organized by album) into the folder of its corresponding artist. For example: Miles Davis folder -> Kind of Blue folder -> mp3s of each track. Easy enough, right?
After I add the folder to my iTunes library, several other folders are created, including another folder with the artist's name and sometimes another folder for each album within that artist's folder. Why are these extra folders being created and how can I prevent this from happening? I prefer manually creating the folders as well as organizing them.
Comments
Originally posted by laughablebutanebob
Hi
I'm completely new to OS X (switcher from Windows XP) and have a problem...
I have several data cd-rs of albums in mp3 format. In setting up my new Powerbook, I've gone into the iTunes Music folder and created folders for every artist of mp3 albums I have on disc. Then, I've simply inserted each disc, dragging and dropping each folder (organized by album) into the folder of its corresponding artist. For example: Miles Davis folder -> Kind of Blue folder -> mp3s of each track. Easy enough, right?
After I add the folder to my iTunes library, several other folders are created, including another folder with the artist's name and sometimes another folder for each album within that artist's folder. Why are these extra folders being created and how can I prevent this from happening? I prefer manually creating the folders as well as organizing them.
You're really creating a lot of extra work for yourself, but if that's what you want to do.... In the iTunes menu go to preferences. Click on the "Advanced" button/tab/thingy and uncheck the "keep iTunes music folder organized" and it won't do a thing to your file structure.
That said, the iTunes organization thing is based on the ID3 tags of the songs. If you don't like the way the ID3 data comes in from CDDB, for example, you should just change it in iTunes (Get Info on the song). Then it will move the files accordingly. For example: I hate having 15 songs by different artists when I rip a soundtrack cd. I much prefer that to stay together. So I rip it and then change all the artist info to what I want it to be under for all the songs at once (Select the song you want to change and then get info on all of them) and it moves them automatically. Let iTunes do the work for you. You'll be happier.
Originally posted by torifile
I hate having 15 songs by different artists when I rip a soundtrack cd. I much prefer that to stay together. So I rip it and then change all the artist info to what I want it to be under for all the songs at once (Select the song you want to change and then get info on all of them) and it moves them automatically.
An alternative approach for keeping Soundtracks together is to use the compilation tag. If you select all the tracks on an apbum and then set this tag the files will be organized as follows:
iTunes Music/Compilations/Soundtrack Album Name/Optional Trcacknumber Track Name.fileextension
I use this for all albums that have more than one artist on them. You have to wathc out because the CDDB data sometimes sets this flag for greatest hits 'compilations' which messes thing up in my opinion.
edit: alsoI would echo torifile's suggestion that you try the iTunes managed way first, it is *much* easier
Originally posted by laughablebutanebob
For example: Miles Davis folder -> Kind of Blue folder -> mp3s of each track.
This is exactly what iTunes does for you. If you just drop all the mp3s into the library iTunes will organize them in a Artist > Album > Song folder Hierarchy for you all based on the ID3 tags of the files. Also what many people forget is that if you ever need to find a song on the drive you can always find it in iTunes and then just right click and select "Show Song File" and it will open a new finder window with the song file in it.
i'm loving mac os x more every day!
Originally posted by laughablebutanebob
wicked ideas! i'll give the itunes organisational system a try then!
i'm loving mac os x more every day!
same here man, though i've been with it from the beginning