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User profile for user: maurizm
maurizm Author
User level: Level 1
23 points

Export of iTunes library data, in particular ratings, and other issues

iTunes automatic management of my library is a mess, and Music match does not help. I would like to fix some problems, have someone an idea on how to do it?


When I add new songs, for whatever reason they are put sometimes in the library folder and sometimes a level up, in the iTunes folder.


Also, sometimes ratings disappear, songs I am sure I rated are no longer so. In some cases even songs disappear, they are in the database but they are grayed out, how is this possible, shouldn't music match ensure I have a backup of everything?

Can I export the raings from time to time so that I can put tehm back if they get lost? This info should be somewhere in the XML file.


Finally, songs that are in the cloud are deleted from the folder, can this be stopped?

Posted on Jan 22, 2022 3:20 AM

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User profile for user: turingtest2
turingtest2
User level: Level 10
273,241 points

Posted on Jan 23, 2022 5:38 AM

See Repair security permissions for iTunes for Mac - Apple Community. This can help when iTunes has trouble placing content at the correct level. Since iTunes 9 music will normally be placed in <Media Folder>/Music/<Artist>/<Album>. Use File > Library > Organize Library > Rearrange Files if your artist folders are going in the media folder rather than Music inside it.


You have a Mac, make sure to set up Time Machine such that it includes your iTunes folder. That way you can always restore the iTunes Library.itl file (not the XML) if ratings or playlists go missing unexpectedly. iTunes Match isn't really a backup service, if you delete content that isn't stored on a computer, or delete a playlist, iTunes Match doesn't have a recovery mechanism for you. Only local backups achieve that.


See Identify cloud status icons in your music library on your Mac or PC - Apple Support to learn more about status icons. Grey out tracks might be unchecked, or there may be a problem with them, such as a waiting upload from a different library that never completed.


By definition content that is in the cloud has no local file. If you download the file from the cloud then it will show up in the media folder and the cloud download symbol will go away.


tt2

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User profile for user: turingtest2
turingtest2
User level: Level 10
273,241 points

Jan 23, 2022 5:38 AM in response to maurizm

See Repair security permissions for iTunes for Mac - Apple Community. This can help when iTunes has trouble placing content at the correct level. Since iTunes 9 music will normally be placed in <Media Folder>/Music/<Artist>/<Album>. Use File > Library > Organize Library > Rearrange Files if your artist folders are going in the media folder rather than Music inside it.


You have a Mac, make sure to set up Time Machine such that it includes your iTunes folder. That way you can always restore the iTunes Library.itl file (not the XML) if ratings or playlists go missing unexpectedly. iTunes Match isn't really a backup service, if you delete content that isn't stored on a computer, or delete a playlist, iTunes Match doesn't have a recovery mechanism for you. Only local backups achieve that.


See Identify cloud status icons in your music library on your Mac or PC - Apple Support to learn more about status icons. Grey out tracks might be unchecked, or there may be a problem with them, such as a waiting upload from a different library that never completed.


By definition content that is in the cloud has no local file. If you download the file from the cloud then it will show up in the media folder and the cloud download symbol will go away.


tt2

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Export of iTunes library data, in particular ratings, and other issues

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