How do I import multiple playlists into iTunes?

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Level 1

10 points

How do I import multiple playlists into iTunes?

I have a folder on my PC named "Music" inside this folder are 5,372 sub-folders each containing the songs from specific albums, and an m3u file representing the playlist for that album. I have just started using iTunes. I have imported the music from the "Music" folder, but the playlists haven't been transfered. I have attempted to import them, but it seems that I must do it one at a time? I have tried to drag and drop them all at one, but this creates on playlist file that contains all songs, rather than the 5,372 individual playlists that I desire. Is there anyway to import all of these playlists at one time, or is iTunes a big waste of time requiring my to import 5,372 individual files?

PC, Windows 7

Posted on Nov 15, 2010 10:35 AM

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Answer 1

Chris CA

Level 10

82,434 points

Nov 15, 2010 11:31 AM in response to Scarecrow237

rather than the 5,372 individual playlists that I desire.

Why in the world would you have (or desire) that many playlists?
I HIGHLY recommend not doing this.

Playlist are contained in the *iTunes library.itl* file and *iTunes library.xml* file. The larger these files are the more it will bog down iTunes.
Just about anything you do in iTunes will cause these files to be rewritten.
If you play a song, they will be rewritten.
When you skip a song, they will be rewritten.
Rate a song, change a playlist, edit any info, add/delete/change a song, these files will be rewritten.

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Answer 2

Scarecrow237 Author

Level 1

10 points

Nov 17, 2010 4:28 PM in response to Chris CA

I would have 5,372 playlists, because that is how many albums I own. Why would anyone have otherwise? This is how everyone I know does it. This is how every other program that organizes music does it. This is how my mp3 player (other than iPod) does it.

Rather than criticize how I organize music, why not answer the question? I already have the *.m3u files. How do I move them?

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Answer 3

Chris CA

Level 10

82,434 points

Nov 17, 2010 7:02 PM in response to Scarecrow237

Why would anyone have otherwise?

It's not needed.
iTunes already does this for you. Making playlist for everything makes iTunes much, much more difficult to manage.
iTunes menu View > Column browser.
Select the album you want.

This is how everyone I know does it.Only because they are used to doing it this way. Doesn't mean it's the best or easiest way.
I already have the *.m3u files. How do I move them?

File > Library > Import playlist.

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Answer 4

Scarecrow237 Author

Level 1

10 points

Nov 18, 2010 5:46 AM in response to Chris CA

"File > Library > Import playlist."

One at a time? 5,000 plus times? I'm sorry, I don't have that much time to wast. iTunes is useless, and I'm deleting it.

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Answer 5

Nov 18, 2010 5:51 AM in response to Scarecrow237

What Chris is trying to explain to you is that you don't need individual album playlists in iTunes in order to listen or find music by album. By using the browser function in iTunes, you can easily navigate to an individual album. There is absolutely no need to put each album into its own playlist. That was necessary in older, less sophisticated music applications which is why a lot of people got into the habit of doing it.

Change is not always bad.

Best of luck.

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Answer 6

Chris CA

Level 10

82,434 points

Nov 18, 2010 7:48 AM in response to Scarecrow237

iTunes is useless, and I'm deleting it.

Okay. Good luck!

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Answer 7

Dec 8, 2010 12:56 PM in response to Chris CA

Good reply Meg.
Chris, lose the attitude - it was a legit question.

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Answer 8

Chris CA

Level 10

82,434 points

Dec 8, 2010 3:10 PM in response to Vincent Curry

Don't know where you saw any "attitude".
If, as you wrote, iTunes is not for you, then don't use it. I have no problems with you using it or not.
I understand it was a legit question.
Just because you may have always done it this way does not mean it is the best/correct/easiest way to do it. It's simply how you are used to doing it.

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Answer 9

TommyC51

Level 1

0 points

Dec 30, 2010 10:40 AM in response to Chris CA

I use OSX and iTunes and have the same approach as Scarecrow. I have about 1170 Albums/CD's which have been copied at various times over the years into my Music Library file - with each Album/CD being a subfolder. Multi-CD releases are all in one subfolder. Many CD's were not copied using iTunes and as I no longer have those old CD's - I cannot recopy them. Importing them into Music makes a real mess with many subfolders now in Music as individual non-grouped songs. So, it is easier and neater for me to make each album or CD it's own playlist. It is also then very easy to access my library via my Roku Soundbridge and copies neatly into my iPod and iPhone. It would be a real plus to have a 'bulk-copy' methodology into Playlists or Music that keet all of these items 'together'. Dragging 1170+ items took a long time! If anyone has any specific approach or recommendation I would be most interested in learning it. Thanks.

Message was edited by: TommyC51

Message was edited by: TommyC51

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Answer 10

Jan 11, 2011 10:11 AM in response to TommyC51

hello everyone.

I ask my question as my problem is identical to the one expressed here.
Though I perfectly understand Chris's irritation (why would have one playslist per album??? can't you see them under albums both in iTunes and / or in your iPod???), I still think he might have simply answered the question, whihc is also mine:
can I import multiple /// all my playlists into iTunes library instead of doing the same operation Import >>> select >>> as many times as many lists I have?

Thanks in advance

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Answer 11

Apr 9, 2011 1:02 PM in response to Scarecrow237

I have a slightly different version of this problem. I have all the music in the library, but wish to import my playlists alone (no music) so that I do not have to rebuild the playlists from scratch.

How do I go about doing this?

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Answer 12

Apr 22, 2011 5:12 PM in response to Scarecrow237

I, too, may not agree on how some people in this discussion are using Playlists. However, the fact is that there is no no way to export or import multiple Playlists within iTunes. This is an important missing function. One of my clients creates Playlists for the places she's travelled to, friends, family, etc. When I move her iTunes Library over to a new laptop or computer, I have to move some 100-150 Playlists one at a time. It's simple enough but highly repetitive.

Individual Playlists can be exported/imported via the File/Library pull down menus within iTunes. They must be saved as .xml files. I highly suggest creating a sub-folder in your iTunes Media folder (I call it Playlist XML's) to copy them into or pull them out of... This will not interfere with any normal operation of iTunes and serves as a logical place to find them.

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Answer 13

Chris CA

Level 10

82,434 points

Apr 23, 2011 1:58 AM in response to cmaronmurphy

"clients creates Playlists for the places she's travelled to, friends, family, etc. When I move her iTunes Library over to a new laptop or computer, I have to move some 100-150 Playlists one at a time"

No you don't.

To copy the iTunes library to a new computer, simply copy the entire /Music/iTunes/ folder from old computer to new computer.

Everything including playlists will be exactly the same.

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Answer 14

Apr 23, 2011 4:22 PM in response to Chris CA

Great, Chris CA, thanks! Question. I am generally clearing truly messed up Libraries and adding back content from multiple drives by dragging and dropping - simple. However, if I can export/import an existing, clean Library to a new computer, will iTunes "find" the media files on the new computer without it yet being actually in the new Library? I.E., if I correctly copy the files into the appropriate iTunes Media folder, will the Playlists "know" that the files are acutally present? My concern is the Playlists dropping songs, because it can't find the content. THX.

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Answer 15

Chris CA

Level 10

82,434 points

Apr 23, 2011 10:43 PM in response to cmaronmurphy

"However, if I can export/import an existing, clean Library to a new computer.

If by import/export, you mean using iTunes, this is not needed.

As noted, just copy the entire iTunes folder.

"will iTunes "find" the media files on the new computer without it yet being actually in the new Library?"

Do you mean you can see the song in iTunes but they are not in the media folder?

If you attempt to play the song in iTunes and it is not in the correct location, iTunes will ask if you want to locate it.

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