When I export a playlist and then open in excel, do whatever sorting I want, I then save the file and reimport into itunes but not all the songs are there. It appears to be from "comma's" in the song name. Any solutions?

I take one thing back, it didn't keep the original artwork. However, if I put the "name" of the album in the ID3 tagging software I use (Tag & Rename), then it keeps the original artwork. Hmmm.

Also, I noticed that the "composer" field was replaced with the composor (which again came from the CD I used to burn obviously). I use the composer field for other means (dividing music into Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall).

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

I'll play around and see what I come up with. You rock!!

Hi - it's me again - (You've been awesome!) -

I have a new issue. (Still haven't solved fully the issue above which was where I wanted to copy over all my existing 160 baud files with 320 and not lose all the fields and playlists. We can hopefully catch up on that but my latest problem/challenge is this;

For some unknown reason, here is what's happening;

1. I have a song that is 3:27 in real length. That's the full length of the song.

2. Prior to playing it in i-tunes, it will show in the playlist window (the list of songs in i-tunes) with the correct length.

3. However, when I go to play the song, it will only play 3:15 of it. The song just stops cold while playing. No rhyme or reason.

4. The other dilemma is songs that are say 4:10 will stop playing and no audio will be heard but, unlike happens in #3 above where it stops cold and goes to the next song, here it might play 2:50 seconds and then the audio drops but the player shows it still playing. There will be no audio until it ends.

Some other input. The song will play the full 3:27 on my iphone, but behaves the same on my ipod (stopping at 3:15 before the song ends).

The other challenge; If I just delete the song and replace it, I lose all the "number of plays", "playlists it's in" and so forth. If I remove it, then put a new version where the old one was and then point to it when itunes can't find it, it will behave the same way.

I tried putting it in a new folder, with the different file but that didn't help either. It's like there are a bunch of songs that got corrupted. They all seem to be songs I edited using Sony Sound Forge 9.0. I sometimes will edit the ends of songs (as I did on all the Beatles Remastered versions) because I don't like the 2-3 (or more) seconds of silence after a song ends. (I used to use a program where I could adjust that when burning them but it's too archaic to work with XP or W7.

Just a note: I backed up my xml and those files in itunes folder on C drive. I then deleted the song entirely. I then imported it. That version did play correctly, BUT I lost all the "# of plays" and playlists the song was in so I'm trying not to have to do that. Further, I would have to do that for each song like this that either stops with quite of bit of silence left in the playback, or stops cold while still playing before the correct length is over.

Do you have any ideas on what I might try? I don't want to lose the number of plays, and don't want to have to delete the song per the above.

You've solved most everything else. I've googled this but can't seem to find any solution. Thanks!

Thanks so much as usual. The start & stop times isn't relevant in this case as it's the the song is, say 4:10, and at some random point in the file, say 3:23, the audio goes away but the file continues to play (just isn't audible). And on songs that are legitimately say 2:37, it will show that time in the "options" pane as you mention. Even if I check it to say to play to that end, the songs in question (that appear corrupt) are stopping cold at say 2:15, even though the song isn't that short. So I have these two scenarios.

I'll try to see if what you recommend works, though I am a bit cofused on the form ## <Name> and 2.<Ext>. Could you clarify that please?

How/why do files just go corrupt? Very strange. Thanks!

I don't think the HD is failing, but that's always a possibiliity. I use pretty good stuff (build my own computers), such as Western Digital Raptor drives, etc. It does seem like there is some corruption in itunes itself perhaps. I also store all the files for itunes on an internal drive different than the "C" drive. In fact, for My Documents, all that is stored on a "D" (internal) drive other than C as well. That keeps the drive more efficient. Lots of room, and better performance. I wonder if uninstalling i-tunes and reinstalling might make sense. I do keep backups on a regular basis of the i-Tunes Music folders containing the xml and other similar files itunes uses. I would backup the most recent itunes files and then ininstall itunes. Reinstall and then copy over the itunes music folder files (xml, etc).

Does that sound like it might help? I do see a coorelation between files that I burned and then edited using Sony Sound Forge Audio software. The only files that are misbehaving are files that have been touched there. That tells me that's where the problem resides. Yet, if I open up the songs in the Sony software, they'll play fine, and the full length, as they will in WMP or other player such as Media Monkey. So that's where I'm confused as to what the solution is. It might even be with the converter I use.

Generally, here's what I'll do to get files into itunes. (I rarely import them directly into itunes).

1. I'll burn a CD to wave.

2. Depending on the song or album, I may edit the end off to keep it tighter so there's no so much silence at the end of songs. I trim the 1-3 seconds you sometimes get after a song ends cold or fades. I used to use Audio Catalyst and could set it up so that it would get it really tight, but that software is so old I have to jump through hoops to get the software to work in XP. (I have Windows 7 but use XP with itunes and is my main computer. I like XP much better).

3. I'll then save the edited file to wave, thereby keeping a wave file of every thing I either burn or edit.

4. Then I'll use Creative Audio Converter to mp3.

5. I'll then use Tag & Rename ID3 tagging software to put artist/title on the file.

6. Then it gets imported into itunes.

In the future I may just burn the stuff into itunes, but I have much more control doing it as I do. With the wave files always saved, that's always my source so if I ever want to reconvert at a higher or different baud rate/type (mp3, aac, wma, etc), I can do that.

Anyway, do you see anything in here that gives you any ideas? And BTW, I never had any issue with the Sony software that I was aware of. It's only been recently. I'm almost wondering if it's an itunes software issue, but probably unlikely as if it were it would affect other files too.

Thanks again!!!

I went to the MP3Val link and was confused as to what to do next. It's basically saying there's a problem and then the other versions don't seem much better.

The reason I don't rip to 256k and do it to wave is for the reasons you mention. I have terabytes of space with the wave files. This allows me to convert at whatever rate/method (aac, mp3, wma,...) I want. And if I set it up as I did with the Audio Catalyst as I told you, then there's no need to go into each and every song (it would be thousands) and edit each one's length in the info tab/stop time (which would be a real pain).

Sure would be nice if wav could carry a tag, but given that tagging software can apply all at once to as many files as you want, doing so with converted files isn't much work.

I've never heart about the Convert Higher bitrate songs to... option. As I'm understanding, if you have say 320 baud rate songs, you can listen to those in itunes, but when you sync to iPod or iPhone, you can say, "copy those in 128 for example"? That could work except I use every nook and crannie of my iPod with my 160gb because I have all the Beatles (and other selected favorite artists) in wave, some songs in 320, 160, 256, 128 bauds.

And I've never asked, but I'm assuming you'd recommend aac files over mp3 for quality?

Please let me know on the MP3Val as I'd defnitely do that. And BTW, some songs that don't play in itunes or ipod will play okay on iphone. Not consistent to spot any pattern but it does happen. I've thought quite honestly of just starting over (despite having about 500+ playlists and stuff) and just rebuilding the library but I have to find a long extended weekend when I feel like sitting in front of the computer for an extended time.

Really appreciate your timely replies and great input. You're too kind. Thanks!

BTW, I forgot to add the image as I copied it into the message and realized it wouldn't allow that.