First off, thank you so so much for all your iTunes scripts. Those have been immensely helpful over the years.
Would you be able to create a 'Clear' script for the 'Release Date' field? It's so aggravating that I cannot edit this field at all.
Thanks for all that you do for this community!
Windows, Windows 10
My recollection is that release date is a private field that is attached to iTunes Store purchases. There is no visibility for this field via the script interface. You might be able to use a third party tagging tool to clear the field, although iTunes may not notice until you manage to get it to refresh its view of the metadata and it may repopulate it from the store. The alternative would be to use my ConvertFormat script to make a new copy of the file in the hope that the unwanted field doesn't carry over. I haven't had time to test it, but assume that it would as purchase details can be stripped using this method..
tt2
My recollection is that release date is a private field that is attached to iTunes Store purchases. There is no visibility for this field via the script interface. You might be able to use a third party tagging tool to clear the field, although iTunes may not notice until you manage to get it to refresh its view of the metadata and it may repopulate it from the store. The alternative would be to use my ConvertFormat script to make a new copy of the file in the hope that the unwanted field doesn't carry over. I haven't had time to test it, but assume that it would as purchase details can be stripped using this method..
tt2
I compared the Windows security settings between a file that worked and one that did not and found no differences.
Then I reviewed the multiple tags section of the post you referenced. If I run File > Convert > Convert ID3 Tags... > None on a file in iTunes, then File > Convert > Convert ID3 Tags... > v2.3, and finally run SortDateAdded.vbs then it does indeed remove Release Date from the songs that it previously would not work on. Only thing I had to back up and reload were the album artworks.
Thank you so much for all the guidance and assistance. It really means a lot. It's clear that you dedicate a good portion of your time to helping others so thank you for all that you do.
SortDateAdded deletes each selected file and then adds it back. It restores iTunes only data that it can such as rating and play count as this data doesn't live in the tag. Bitrate should come from the properties of the file and shouldn't be changed by the process.
Can you spot any pattern to the tracks that retain Release Date? If they're MP3 files and this data is stuck in the ID3 somewhere take a look at Repair security permissions for iTunes for Windows - Apple Community and the discussion of multiple tags. Perhaps a similar line of attack could help here?
tt2
Well memory clearly failed me on this occasion. I've got tracks with Release Date set in both MP3 and AAC format. Oddly when I made a straight up copy of one of the MP3 files and added it to the library the new copy arrived with an empty release date field. Likewise with one of AAC files. You might find the same. The downside with that approach is that you'd lose ratings, play counts, date added, playlist membership, etc. Most of that can potentially be preserved apart from date added. There is another script called SortDateAdded which might prove useful if you don't mind losing the original date added info. I've just tried it with half a dozen tracks and it seems to work. Weirdly I notice I have a bunch of tracks with same Release Date which seems to have nothing to do with when these tracks were released and I suspect more likely relates to a particular import to the library. Actually now that I look most of my tracks have something in this field, often matching date added but not always. Strange I've not paid it more attention before.
tt2
Thank you for your response and sorry to be a pest. I really appreciate that information and your scripts!!
Unfortunately the release date held after using the ConvertFormat script. I haven't been able to locate a third party tool to clear it out. Perhaps it's not possible to remove release dates from tracks after all.
Appreciate the info and suggestions.
I only would like to preserve Track Name, Artist, Album, and Album Artwork. Rating would be ideal but not a priority.
Copying an MP3 in Windows explorer then opening it in iTunes did not clear the Release Date for me. The SortDateAdded script works for some but not others. I haven't been able to determine what is stopping it from working when that occurs - it'll work for one MP3 but not another. If it does work, it'll work for the entire batch (album) of songs.
The other odd thing is that the Bit Rate field is getting updated too. Let's say I've got an album and every song shows 320 kbps bit rate. Once I run SortDateAdded to clear the Release Date, all the sudden some of the tracks are 192 kbps. I opened the Properties on the file in Windows Explorer and it does indeed show 192 kbps. Now did it say that or 320 kbps before I ran the script? That I don't know. I checked another album prior to running the script, each song said 320 kbps in Windows Explorer, but the Bit Rates did not change after I ran the script. But prior to testing it happened more than once so I'm positive I'm not going crazy.
Really appreciate your time and the suggestion!
You're most welcome, glad I could help. 🙂
tt2
Clear 'Release Date' - turingtest2 please help
