iTunes - How to overwrite existing songs when adding files to library

daveiw100 wrote:

When I “add” the modified tracks to iTunes, nothing happens. The modified tracks are not added (duplicated), and the original tracks in iTunes are not changed.

Perhaps it depends on how you have saved the modified tracks.

For example, if you modified the file in Audacity, and then saved that modified file to the same place as it was originally, Audacity would have warned you that your modified file would overwrite the existing one, but if you did overwrite the original file, then iTunes will simply use that modified version the next time you play it or copy it to a device. If you tried to "add" this modified file to iTunes, nothing will happen since iTunes will regard the file as already added. (I have just tried this myself, to confirm what I'm saying. I tried to add again the last song I have added to my iTunes Library. Nothing happened.)

Other programmes might save a modified file to the same place without mentioning that it would overwrite your original. I don't know, since I use Audacity for my audio work. Again though, iTunes would simply use that now-modified file without any complaint.

Remember, iTunes looks for and uses the file itself every time it is asked to play song or copy it to a device, which means that if you save the modified file to exactly the same path and filename, you would not need to re-add the file.

You could perhaps try a test (if your modifying programme allows it) since normalising tracks might not be that evident in iTunes:

• • edit a secondary tag, such as the genre, or even change the song title etc. very slightly and see if that change is seen by you when you next play it in iTunes. Important - do not change the filename itself, only one of the tags. In the following screenshot, look closely at the album title of the song Lullably Berkowitz in each of its three appearances:

1. 1. the song as it appears before any editing. Album title is Lullaby Berkowitz. (Song highlighted in blue because I had selected it for this example)
   2. re-opened iTunes after editing the song's file in Audacity, having changed the album title and exporting the modified version to the same location and filename as before. In other words, I overwrote the previous version of this file. Note the album title still indicates its previous text. (Song not highlighted because I have only just opened iTunes and not selected anything)
   3. I double-clicked on the song to play it. As soon as iTunes began playing the song, the album title was changed to the modified version I have used. In other words, iTunes is now using my modified version of the same file

As a lighthearted aside, does anyone else know the song that was sampled for use in Lullaby Berkowtiz, or am I the only one? (And no, you won't yet find the answer on WhoSampled-dot-com).

In what way have these songs been edited? You can replace an existing file with another of the same path, and iTunes will simply use the new file, updating its version of any embedded metadata when it has cause to check, normally during playback. Or you can add your new files in the usual ways, such as File > Import/Add to Library or using the Automatically Add to iTunes folder, then deduplicate the library, with a preference for the most recently added tracks. See Duplicate songs in iTunes - Apple Community.

tt2

As the fiend has said and I tried to point out earlier, if the files you have modified are on paths that are already connected to the library then you cannot add them to it again using the File > Import/Add Folder method. See Duplicate songs in iTunes - Apple Community for advice on deduplicating.

tt2

Sync is intended to be from computer to device, although purchases can sync in the other direction. See Recover your iTunes library from your iPod or iOS device - Apple Community to reclaim content and playlists from a device.

tt2

Do you have a subscription to Apple Music or iTunes Match? If you attempt to add a track that is on a file path already known to the library then nothing happens, otherwise there should be nothing stopping you from adding multiple copies of the same or similar tracks. On the assumption that you've processed these files outside of iTunes without making new copies you might try a script I have called UpdateTagInfo which should make iTunes refresh its information about the selected tracks.

tt2

There are a couple of ways to add tracks to the library. One is to move or copy the files into Automatically Add to iTunes folder in the media folder. These will either be added to the library as intended, or moved into a Not Added subfolder. Should that happen you still won't know what the issue is, but you will know for certain that iTunes doesn't find those tracks acceptable.

tt2

daveiw100 wrote:

Thanks for your replies.

After doing some testing, I have confirmed that:

1 If the "modified" files are in the same folder, when adding files to iTunes the files are not added (duplicated)

2 If the "modified" files are in a different folder, when adding files to iTunes the files are added and duplicated

3 When the file is "modified" in the original folder, the file is indeed updated in iTunes

4 I have tried editing the tags on songs in the original folder, but this still does not change the fact that the files are not added or duplicated when adding to iTunes

This is as expected. iTunes already knows about the file on this path, so won't add it to the library again, even if you've made some internal changes to the file.

I am making progress, but ............

I have "normalised" 100 tracks on the PC, this has resulted in the time stamp on all files to be updated

In iTunes, when I list songs by Date Modified, not all of the 100 tracks are displayed with the modified date. I presume this is because the "normalising" process has not significantly changed the data on all tracks, or could there be another explanation?

I know I can move or copy the tracks into a different folder and add them to iTunes, but this results in all 100 tracks being duplicated - Not ideal as I have to then search for and delete the original tracks.

Is there an option to overwrite the files when adding

Again, as expected. iTunes doesn't actively check files for changes made by other software. If you play such a track, or use my UpdateTagInfo script, it will update Date Modified and any other changed properties.

Another question.....

Is there an option to Add Playlist to iTunes?

For example, can I add the 100 "normalised" tracks directly to a Playlist, or must I add them to the library first and then add them to a playlist

You can drag tracks from Windows Explorer directly to a playlist. They will be added to the library if not already part of it, and added to your playlist.

tt2