Bulk change library files from mp3 to m4a

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Level 1

1 points

Bulk change library files from mp3 to m4a

Let's say I want to substitute all the songs in 4 of my total 5 playlists (old 128kbps mp3 at the moment) with better, newer versions (q0.55 aac).
I wouldn't like to loose all the datas such as stars, number of listened times, last played data and so on.
How could I substitute the files other than manually editing the xml iTunes library by hand (and that sounds bad) for over than a thousand file?

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Posted on Jan 5, 2010 9:27 AM

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Answer 1

Zevoneer

Level 9

52,705 points

Jan 5, 2010 10:18 AM in response to flapane

Converting from MP3 to AAC won't improve the quality of your files. Both of these formats lose information when they are created from the original uncompressed master files (CDs for example) and that information can added back. It's always preferable to re-rip from the original uncompressed format rather than converting from one lossy format to another. In fact converting from one lossy format to another can result in even more quality loss. It's a bit like photocopying a photocopy, the farther you get away from the original the lower the quality.

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Answer 2

flapane Author

Level 1

1 points

Jan 5, 2010 10:22 AM in response to Zevoneer

Sry, but I didn't write I wanted to convert the files.
I want to substitute them with better, newer rips I am doing in these days.
Anyway what you said is always a thing to point out 🙂

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Answer 3

Zevoneer

Level 9

52,705 points

Jan 5, 2010 10:24 AM in response to flapane

Re-ripping will create a new file in a new format, it won't be a direct substitution as such more a replacement. The new file will have it's own set of metadata such as the addition date etc.

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Answer 4

flapane Author

Level 1

1 points

Jan 5, 2010 10:27 AM in response to Zevoneer

Editing by hand the xml itunes library (and changing the extension from mp3 to m4a) should work to me, but it would be a pain...
Note that addition/last played and so on AREN'T stored in the files, but in the xml library.

<key>1153</key>
<dict>
<key>Track ID</key><integer>1153</integer>
<key>Name</key><string>Festa </string>
<key>Artist</key><string>Ivete Sangalo</string>
<key>Album Artist</key><string>Ivete Sangalo</string>
<key>Composer</key><string>Anderson "Festa" Cunha</string>
<key>Album</key><string>MTV Ao Vivo</string>
<key>Genre</key><string>Brazilian Music</string>
<key>Kind</key><string>File audio MPEG</string>
<key>Size</key><integer>3323870</integer>
<key>Total Time</key><integer>206367</integer>
<key>Track Number</key><integer>11</integer>
<key>Year</key><integer>2004</integer>
<key>Date Modified</key><date>2009-11-06T17:37:43Z</date>
<key>Date Added</key><date>2006-09-18T20:31:18Z</date>
<key>Bit Rate</key><integer>128</integer>
<key>Sample Rate</key><integer>44100</integer>
<key>Play Count</key><integer>1</integer>
<key>Play Date</key><integer>3273771526</integer>
<key>Play Date UTC</key><date>2007-09-27T19:58:46Z</date>
<key>Skip Count</key><integer>5</integer>
<key>Skip Date</key><date>2009-06-27T01:18:54Z</date>
<key>Artwork Count</key><integer>1</integer>
<key>Persistent ID</key><string>E8896D4F7802E1D7</string>
<key>Track Type</key><string>File</string>
<key>Location</key><string> file://localhost/D:/Altro/MP3/Canzoni%20Brasiliane%20e%20%20Animazione%20Estate/ Ivete%20Sangalo%20-%20Festa.mp3</string>
<key>File Folder Count</key><integer>-1</integer>
<key>Library Folder Count</key><integer>-1</integer>
</dict>

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Answer 5

Katrina S.

Level 7

24,152 points

Jan 5, 2010 12:22 PM in response to flapane

flapane,
You're making this too difficult.
Just re-rip the files and when you go to do that, itunes will ask whether you want to replace the existing file.
If you answer yes, all the metadata such as Date Added, Last Played, etc will stay intact.

Also, there is a lot of confusion on the internet about that XML file. Merely editing the XML file will not change anything in itunes.
The itunes database file that _itunes uses_ is named
iTunes Library.itl

The XML file is for _other software to use_, like MSN messenger "what's playing now" or lastfm.

itunes updates the ITL and XML files every time it plays a song. So if you edit the XML, open itunes and itunes uses the unedited ITL file, itunes will overwrite the XMl edits you just made.
There is no tool available to edit the ITL file directly, without using itunes.

Message was edited by: Katrina S.

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Answer 6

Chris CA

Level 10

82,513 points

Jan 5, 2010 12:18 PM in response to flapane

Editing by hand the xml itunes library (and changing the extension from mp3 to m4a) should work to me, but it would be a pain...

It would actually be vers simple.
In your text editor, search for .mp3.
Select *Replace All* and use .mp4.

Simplt reRIP the CDs using iTunes and select *Replace existing songs* to amintain everything as is.

As Katrina noted, the .xml file is not used by iTunes.
You could import it but not everything in the .xml file will get changed in iTunes. Date Added, Date Modified, Bit Rate and plenty of other info will not get change din iTunes if you edit and import the .xml.
All info is maintained in the iTunes library.itl file, which is the database used by (and only by) iTunes.

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Answer 7

flapane Author

Level 1

1 points

Jan 5, 2010 12:44 PM in response to flapane

Thanks for your replies, but I am worried...
I already ripped everything in FLAC because I was home (where I have my phisical stuff) 'till yesterday only. In this way I can start doing the aac rips without any rush.
I am afraid that this could vanish the solution you proposed (furthermore, I tend to prefer another aac encoder than iTunes one), because I'd need to manually insert all the cd's (or at least have the iso images on an hard disk)

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Answer 8

Katrina S.

Level 7

24,152 points

Jan 5, 2010 12:59 PM in response to flapane

Ah, gotcha. Well, itunes doesn't support FLAC.

If you replace your old 128kbps file with the same exact file name, in the same exact folder, itunes will still be able to find it and use it.
This method will keep ratings and play counts.

This method will lose anything embedded in the 128kbps file, such as artwork, comments, etc.

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Answer 9

flapane Author

Level 1

1 points

Jan 5, 2010 1:02 PM in response to Katrina S.

The problem would be that .m4a extension vs. mp3.

P.S
Converting FLAC in ALAC would matter anything?

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Answer 10

ed2345

Level 9

63,608 points

Jan 5, 2010 3:10 PM in response to flapane

flapane wrote:

Converting FLAC in ALAC would matter anything?

It is possible to convert one lossless format to another without degrading the audio quality.

You will need to use a conversion tool capable of doing that conversion. iTunes cannot. The one I know of is dbPoweramp.

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Answer 11

flapane Author

Level 1

1 points

Jan 5, 2010 3:30 PM in response to ed2345

Of course, but I am trying to understand if this could solve my problem (ie. import ALAC files in iTunes, and then use REPLACE SONGS ripping those files)

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Answer 12

ed2345

Level 9

63,608 points

Jan 5, 2010 3:55 PM in response to flapane

flapane wrote:
Of course, but I am trying to understand if this could solve my problem (ie. import ALAC files in iTunes, and then use REPLACE SONGS ripping those files)

Katrina answered that. Yes, if you rerip to ALAC you can use the REPLACE option.

I was answering your FLAC question. You said you already have FLAC files. iTunes, which is the thing with the REPLACE option, cannot handle FLAC files. You will have to use a conversion tool such as DBPoweramp, which does not have a REPLACE option.

If you want to work with your FLAC files, convert them and then do the replacement manually.

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Answer 13

Katrina S.

Level 7

24,152 points

Jan 5, 2010 10:21 PM in response to flapane

Yes, what ed2345 wrote. iTunes doesn't support FLAC, so you can't import it to itunes.
Changing the file extension won't fake itunes out, either. iTunes doesn't support FLAC. Pasting an mp3 file extension on a FLAC file doesn't make it an mp3 file, in other words. When you drag it into itunes, absolutely nothing will happen. Try it and see!

If you import a new ALAC file (that you got from your other encoder) into itunes, it gets a fresh entry into the itunes ITL library database with its new Date Added, blank rating and blank play count. Sure, you can then convert that ALAC file to some other format using itunes (which you don't like), but it's not going to replace your old 128kbps file.

In short, since you don't like the itunes encoder, you are in for extra work if you want to keep the itunes metadata such as rating, play count, etc.

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Answer 14

flapane Author

Level 1

1 points

Jan 6, 2010 1:48 AM in response to flapane

How sad...
Well, the fact that I prefer another encoder could be left out, but the most important issue is that I had to rip everything in lossless because I couldn't bring all the cd's with me.
If importing the ALAC versions won't work with REPLACE SONGS as inserting a physical cd would do, I think that I'll have to manually substitute every song (weird, boring, tiring, but it seems like there won't any other way).
I tried importing an ALAC with the same ARTIST, ALBUM and TITLE tags of the mp3 version.
Then I created an AAC copy. iTunes didn't ask me if I wanted to replace the old (mp3 version), it simply created the aac file.
Screenshot (mp3,alac,aac): http://img685.imageshack.us/img685/2492/catturad.jpg

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Answer 15

flapane Author

Level 1

1 points

Jan 6, 2010 2:07 AM in response to flapane

I had an idea: what if I export the library (FILE->LIBRARY->EXPORT, obtaining a REAL xml library file), change the extensions of the files, and then import the library, deleting all the old redundant files?

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