Itunes deleting - rather than renaming - songs or movies called the same thing - Which version?

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Itunes deleting - rather than renaming - songs or movies called the same thing - Which version?

It seems current versions of Itunes now delete files if you rename a file to be the same as another on any external drive.

I'm trying to track down at which version this issue began.

I found a thread about it here;

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/250067217?login=true

So let's explain the issue a little further, using Itunes 12.9.5.5

We have two mp3s.

Once called

"My Song.Mp3" - with the song name "My Song"

The other "My Other Song.Mp3" - with the song name "My Other Song"

They have identical tags for Album, Artist and year. They both sit, with the itunes library, on either an external or network drive.

Now it turns out these songs are the same. I am, in this instance, renaming them. One is actually better quality than the other, but as I'm doing a library clear up, I'm renaming them.

I rename "My Other Song" to "My Song"

Now, back in previous versions of Itunes, Itunes would have allowed this, renaming the file "My Other Song.Mp3" to "My Song1.Mp3"

But what it does now, is delete "My Other Song.Mp3" and point that library entry to "My Song.Mp3"

Which, if "My Other Song.Mp3" was the higher quality version, deletes the better file.

At what version of Itunes did this begin? Because, having used Itunes for years, it didn't work this way and I'd like to roll back.

(FYI I've tested this with various files, various external drives, QNAP nas'es - it's now what it does)

It's not consistent, doesn't always happen, but happens with multiple setups.

Posted on Apr 12, 2021 3:53 AM

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Answer 1

turingtest2

Level 10

272,795 points

Apr 12, 2021 5:35 AM in response to boomhaueruk

If you're already using scripts to manage the library why not turn off the Keep iTunes Media folder organized option, then fix the location at the end of all other management activity? I've never let iTunes manage the media folder as I have some very specific layout requirements. Sorry I cannot pinpoint which build this issue arose in, but see iTunes for Mac installers - Apple Community for links to some older builds if you want to do the research.

tt2

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Answer 2

turingtest2

Level 10

272,795 points

Apr 12, 2021 4:48 AM in response to boomhaueruk

I suspect the detail is moot. iTunes 12.9.5.5 is baked into Mojave, you cannot roll back to an older build, nor install a later one. You should keep backups, and resolve duplicates before you commit to the final renaming. I.e. choose which of My Song and My Other Song you want to keep, and if it is My Other Song remove My Song first before renaming. If you want to keep both find a naming strategy that keeps them unique. For test purposes I have a number of songs of the form My Song [MP3], My Song [128K], My Song [Alt. Verson] etc. I might also keep them unique with different track numbers where appropriate.

tt2

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Answer 3

boomhaueruk Author

Level 1

5 points

Apr 12, 2021 5:14 AM in response to turingtest2

Not moot to me at all.

I can easily keep an old Mac running if it sorts this issue - I have multiple libraries - some quite large - which I use Itunes to manage and have spent a very long time - years, a decade plus - getting them titled properly.

Backups I do keep, but frankly given the amount of files we're talking about and the numbers of files, that's not the issue here. Plus - backing up every single library before adding files? Not practical, I need to have the system working as was since I started.

I'd go to another program but at this stage I have upwards of 20 itunes scripts to do various jobs with titling, it's simply not practical.

Sometimes I'm importing 1000's of files at a time - renaming with batch jobs at times too, I need to lockdown when this became a fault.

All legal files as well in case you were wondering! (DJ'ing - Radio and clubs)

Up to now i've been running the imports, then track by track, file by file, using a comparison tool to find the old tracks. But having missed one critical track I cannot recover and realising the likelihood of previous losses, I need to fix the point in time this changed, setup a mac - and stay there.

Bear in mind, when I'm naming/titling up the additions, I don't know they are duplicates.

And I cannot check every file prior to the import.

This wasn't a problem from 2009 or so until around 2019, but somewhere in there..it's become one.

Someone must know when this changed and the issue came around.

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Answer 4

boomhaueruk Author

Level 1

5 points

Apr 13, 2021 2:06 AM in response to turingtest2

Simply put, too many files.

Some of the libraries have 1000's of artists, you may be adding 100's of tracks. Simply adding them then 'fixing it' would take hours and hours extra - and this may be done once a week.

Better to simply identify when this issue crept into Itunes, setup a machine at that point and work on that - quicker, more efficient and without issue.

I was hoping someone else might have already identified when it began, hence the question, but yes, the tedious job of testing all the builds looks like it's down to me. I'll post here if I can lock it down. I'll start at version 10, I know that at least worked fine.

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Answer 5

boomhaueruk Author

Level 1

5 points

Apr 28, 2021 4:27 AM in response to turingtest2

Right, story so far.

I started with Itunes 11.4, which I knew to be good.

I wiped the mac each time, restoring to a clean OS where neccessary

Didn't bother with .0 releases.

11.4 - Issue not found

12.1 - Issue not found

12.5.1.21 - Issue not found

12.7.0.166 - Issue not found

12.8.3.1 - Issue not found

12.9.5 - Issue occurs

12.9.5.5 - Issue occurs

So it seems to have crept in around 12.9.

Going to do some more testing.

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Answer 6

turingtest2

Level 10

272,795 points

Apr 13, 2021 3:04 AM in response to boomhaueruk

Happy hunting!

tt2

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