iTunes AUTO search for missing songs REQUEST

Question

Level 1

20 points

iTunes AUTO search for missing songs REQUEST

I'm writing to find if there is a way to make my life MUCH easier when moving music files between locations.

Currently my setup is:

Music files on networked PC
iTunes on my G4

The problem is, I refuse to allow iTunes to manage my own files, and it would be impossible with my current networked configuration. However, if I move a file between folders; iTunes give the exclaimation mark saying that it can't find the file.

First problem: using 10.2, the file browser only lets me view about 20 characters, which is hard to distinguish what file it is. But my major second problem, is that if I move several files; I don't want to have to find EACH file. Reimporting the files, loses the play count and sometimes the ratings.

Is there a way that iTunes will search a new folder (assuming the file name is the same?)??

Posted on Sep 19, 2005 1:13 PM

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Answer 1

varjak paw

Level 10

182,686 points

Sep 19, 2005 1:48 PM in response to digitalJoe01

Sorry but no, iTunes will not automatically search a folder. If you manually move a track and don't want to lose it's info, you'll have to manually relocate it within iTunes.

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Answer 2

digitalJoe01 Author

Level 1

20 points

Sep 19, 2005 1:54 PM in response to varjak paw

Well then...

a) is there another way to hack the API or something?

b) there should be a feature built into iTunes that queries the folders you setup for your moved songs.

OR perhaps if you drag a file with the same fileName, regardless of the folder or path it's in it would rewrite over the existing and change the path automatically.

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Answer 3

nlbford

Level 1

141 points

Sep 19, 2005 2:05 PM in response to digitalJoe01

I am with digitaljoe . . . this should be addressed by Apple because it is weak that iTunes is so "stupid" that it can't relink files with a simple prompting by a user. It's not hard technology or programming (for example, Adobe's After Effects can almost always relink ALL missing files simply by showing it where one of the missing files is - even when the rest of the files are on different file paths). The idea that a library that can number in the thousands of songs is limited to relinking one file at a time is a real detriment to this type of program and Apple should have been way on top of this issue.

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Answer 4

digitalJoe01 Author

Level 1

20 points

Sep 19, 2005 3:57 PM in response to nlbford

EXACTLY... I mean I can potentially understand if you change the name of your file. But if all you are doing is moving it from one directory to the next, it is very easy to program that functionality into an application. I mean, I wouldn't even care if I had to manually click a button to "resync" things, but the way it is now is lame and leaves me with TOO much work.

Also, I wish there was a place to TALK to apple developers for the iTunes product. That way they could address these issues and get INVOLVED with their userbase.

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Answer 5

Jayson

Level 2

244 points

Sep 19, 2005 4:13 PM in response to digitalJoe01

I agree that apple should do something to make this easier i hate seeing those ! next to my tracks then finding the track and the track below it pops up a ! and on and on and on

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