Gryphon MacThoy
Level 1 (0 points)

Q: My files are there but itunes can't 'see' them.

I recently relocated my itunes library using itunes own settings for where to put the ibrary, then running Conslidate.

Several random files are unable to be played, giving me the 'I can't find that file' message.

I looked into the XML file for two examples:

This is the XML for a song that iTunes CANNOT find:
<key>22379</key>
<dict>
<key>Track ID</key><integer>22379</integer>
<key>Name</key><string>Flamingo</string>
<key>Artist</key><string>Herb Alpert & Tijuana Brass</string>
<key>Album Artist</key><string>Herb Alpert & Tijuana Brass</string>
<key>Composer</key><string>Herb Alpert & Tijuana Brass</string>
<key>Album</key><string>SRO</string>
<key>Genre</key><string>Latin</string>
<key>Kind</key><string>AAC audio file</string>
<key>Size</key><integer>3533983</integer>
<key>Total Time</key><integer>141190</integer>
<key>Disc Number</key><integer>1</integer>
<key>Disc Count</key><integer>1</integer>
<key>Track Number</key><integer>12</integer>
<key>Track Count</key><integer>12</integer>
<key>Date Modified</key><date>2010-01-20T20:42:20Z</date>
<key>Date Added</key><date>2010-01-20T20:42:16Z</date>
<key>Bit Rate</key><integer>256</integer>
<key>Sample Rate</key><integer>44100</integer>
<key>Part Of Gapless Album</key><true/>
<key>Comments</key><string>24-bit conversion from 33 rpm LP</string>
<key>Play Count</key><integer>1</integer>
<key>Play Date</key><integer>3347294248</integer>
<key>Play Date UTC</key><date>2010-01-26T02:57:28Z</date>
<key>Persistent ID</key><string>1ECF1829851D272F</string>
<key>Track Type</key><string>File</string>
<key>File Type</key><integer>1295270176</integer>
<key>Location</key><string>file://localhost/Volumes/1TB/Music/iTunes/iTunes%20Music/Music/Herb%20Alpert%20& #38;%20Tijuana%20Brass/SRO/12%20Flamingo%201.m4a</string>
<key>File Folder Count</key><integer>5</integer>
<key>Library Folder Count</key><integer>1</integer>
</dict>

And THIS is the XML for a song that iTunes CAN find:
<key>22357</key>
<dict>
<key>Track ID</key><integer>22357</integer>
<key>Name</key><string>Our Day Will Come</string>
<key>Artist</key><string>Herb Alpert & Tijuana Brass</string>
<key>Album Artist</key><string>Herb Alpert & Tijuana Brass</string>
<key>Composer</key><string>Herb Alpert & Tijuana Brass</string>
<key>Album</key><string>SRO</string>
<key>Genre</key><string>Latin</string>
<key>Kind</key><string>AAC audio file</string>
<key>Size</key><integer>3778576</integer>
<key>Total Time</key><integer>142437</integer>
<key>Disc Number</key><integer>1</integer>
<key>Disc Count</key><integer>1</integer>
<key>Track Number</key><integer>1</integer>
<key>Track Count</key><integer>12</integer>
<key>Date Modified</key><date>2010-01-20T20:41:21Z</date>
<key>Date Added</key><date>2010-01-20T20:41:16Z</date>
<key>Bit Rate</key><integer>256</integer>
<key>Sample Rate</key><integer>44100</integer>
<key>Part Of Gapless Album</key><true/>
<key>Comments</key><string>24-bit conversion from 33 rpm LP</string>
<key>Play Count</key><integer>2</integer>
<key>Play Date</key><integer>3352045542</integer>
<key>Play Date UTC</key><date>2010-03-22T02:45:42Z</date>
<key>Persistent ID</key><string>62E6584021054038</string>
<key>Track Type</key><string>File</string>
<key>File Type</key><integer>1295270176</integer>
<key>Location</key><string>file://localhost/Volumes/1TB/Music/iTunes/iTunes%20Music/Music/Herb%20Alpert%20& #38;%20Tijuana%20Brass/SRO/01%20Our%20Day%20Will%20Come.m4a</string>
<key>File Folder Count</key><integer>5</integer>
<key>Library Folder Count</key><integer>1</integer>
</dict>


The relevant file path information from both seems to be:
<key>Location</key><string>file://localhost/Volumes/1TB/Music/iTunes/iTunes%20Music/Music/Herb%20Alpert%20& #38;%20Tijuana%20Brass/SRO/12%20Flamingo%201.m4a</string>
AND
<key>Location</key><string>file://localhost/Volumes/1TB/Music/iTunes/iTunes%20Music/Music/Herb%20Alpert%20& #38;%20Tijuana%20Brass/SRO/01%20Our%20Day%20Will%20Come.m4a</string>

Both file paths are valid - both real files exist in the listed folder.

I SUPPOSE I can go through my entire 12,000+ track library searching for randomly lost media links within iTunes, then use the 10+ clicks it takes PER TRACK to tell iTunes where the file is. Even though the path in the XML look accurate.

Any ideas? And please don't tell me to dump my iTunes library itl and xml files and start from scratch. I have dozens of playlists, layers smart playlists, etc. I can't even imagine getting all that setup again.

iMac6,1 24" 2.33 GHz Core2Duo, 4 GB RAM, 250GB HD, NVIDIA GeForce 7600GT, Mac OS X (10.6.2), FireWire 1TB for music.

Posted on Mar 22, 2010 7:58 AM

by Jolly Giant,Solvedanswer
Jolly Giant Jolly Giant
Level 7 (25,450 points)
A:
Gryphon MacThoy wrote:
OK, here's what REALLY doesn't make sense.
After manually fixing a lost file, NOTHING in the XML changes ... meanwhile we are left to think that this XML file has the library data in it.


iTunes does not use the .xml file. click here for information.

you can delete the file (or move it to the desktop) and the next time you launch iTunes, it will be re-created.

Posted on Mar 29, 2010 10:22 AM

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Gryphon MacThoy

Q: My files are there but itunes can't 'see' them.

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

  • by Jolly Giant,Helpful

    Jolly Giant Jolly Giant Mar 22, 2010 8:08 AM in response to Gryphon MacThoy
    Level 7 (25,450 points)
    Mar 22, 2010 8:08 AM in response to Gryphon MacThoy
    perhaps this script helps.

    Doug has lot of useful stuff ...

  • by ta,Helpful

    ta ta Mar 22, 2010 8:09 AM in response to Gryphon MacThoy
    Level 4 (1,210 points)
    Mar 22, 2010 8:09 AM in response to Gryphon MacThoy
    You might try creating a new library and importing your existing playlists.

    Option iTunes into a new library.

    Uncheck "Copy music files....." under the advanced preference tab.

    From the iTunes file menu, add to library, browse to your music folder and add your music to this new library.

    From the iTunes file menu, Library, import playlist.

    Nothing to lose but a little time. Simply delete this new itunes music folder if it doesn't work out.

  • by Gryphon MacThoy,

    Gryphon MacThoy Gryphon MacThoy Mar 29, 2010 10:12 AM in response to Gryphon MacThoy
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 29, 2010 10:12 AM in response to Gryphon MacThoy
    OK, here's what REALLY doesn't make sense.
    After manually fixing a lost file, NOTHING in the XML changes. Not one single character changes in the XML file. I diff'd the whole file before and after - no difference. So, basically, it goes out and 'finds' it and updates something that we can't see to repair the connection, meanwhile we are left to think that this XML file has the library data in it.

    Mind you, the media file(s) are present and accounted for in the file system - correct name and path and everything - before and after I go Locate the file when iTunes complains about it being missing..

    iTunes is so overbloated, we can't even fix stuff when we see precisely how it is broken.

  • by Jolly Giant,Solvedanswer

    Jolly Giant Jolly Giant Mar 29, 2010 10:22 AM in response to Gryphon MacThoy
    Level 7 (25,450 points)
    Mar 29, 2010 10:22 AM in response to Gryphon MacThoy
    Gryphon MacThoy wrote:
    OK, here's what REALLY doesn't make sense.
    After manually fixing a lost file, NOTHING in the XML changes ... meanwhile we are left to think that this XML file has the library data in it.


    iTunes does not use the .xml file. click here for information.

    you can delete the file (or move it to the desktop) and the next time you launch iTunes, it will be re-created.

  • by goon29,

    goon29 goon29 Feb 16, 2011 11:39 AM in response to Jolly Giant
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 16, 2011 11:39 AM in response to Jolly Giant
    I had the exact same problem (random files were in the right place but iTunes couldn't find them). Even though iTunes apparently does not use the XML file, after I deleted it and restarted iTunes, it created a new one and all the broken links were gone!

  • by Gryphon MacThoy,

    Gryphon MacThoy Gryphon MacThoy Nov 4, 2013 7:43 PM in response to Jolly Giant
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 4, 2013 7:43 PM in response to Jolly Giant

    OMG. I read that http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1660

    Thank you for the answer.

     

    But. OMG. Dumb. The dumb. It hurts.

    WHY are they making themselves manage two different library files?