Q: iTunes Extra not working

I've been doing a little looking around my PC and if I look in the ITunes extra folder for one of the films that has the problem, the video folder is empty, but if I look in any of the video folders that are working there are some videos in them.

Could this be the cause of our problems?

David

Hi David, I meant to copy the following observations into this thread which explains how you can work around the issue for now...

I think the current build of iTunes must be failling to unpack the video files properly. I've had another hunt around the Extras folder structure and it seems the files are detailed in...\controllers\data.js. This is the relevant section from the Batman Begins Extras:

  audioLoop : { src : "audio/batmanbegins_loop.m4a", loop : true},

 

extras  : [

              { thumb : "image_videoBox_mind.png",    structure: "shaping",  string : "Shaping Mind & Body",         src : "batmanbegins_shapingmindbody.m4v",  time: "12:49",      blurb : "Examining the construction of the fight sequences. "},

              { thumb : "image_videoBox_tumbler.png", structure: "tumbler",  string : "Batman: The Tumbler",         src : "batmanbegins_batmantumbler.m4v",  time: "13:40",   blurb : "Goyer describes it as a cross between a Lamborghini and a Humvee. This featurette details it from conception to its current form."},

              { thumb : "image_videoBox_journey.png", structure: "journey",  string : "Batman: The Journey Begins",  src : "batmanbegins_journeybegins.m4v",  time: "14:16",   blurb : "Interviews with Christopher Nolan, David Goyer, Christian Bale, production designer Nathan Crowley, as well as others. "}

            ],

Using this it might be possible to work out what the temp files (somewhere in your ...\iTunes\iTunes Media\Downloads folder) should be called. They need to go into the videos folder.

tt2

Good spot tt2, you're correct, I've just followed your instructions and I've got Sherlock Holmes Extras now working, will do the others tomorrow.

Thanks again

David

Now tell me how to give you a green tick?

David1962 wrote:

...

Now tell me how to give you a green tick?

You can't as you didn't start this thread. However it's nice to get the thanks.

tt2

Depends on how many video files there are to play with. If, for example, there are only two, one large and one small, then the times given in the data.js script (see above) will let you know which is which. Otherwise you will have to play them to identify them. Once done give them the relevant name from the script and move them into the videos folder.

tt2

tt2

I had sent a help request to Apple and of course their initial reply was to download again. I told them I wasmn't going to do that because it would not fix it. I referred them to this thread. They then replied with the following.

This is karthik from iTunes Store Customer Support.

Walter, Thanks for writing back again. I understand the concern and I have read that completely. Apple Updates have that issues in the data base and would like to let you know, these problems will be resolved as much as earlier and we are looking forward for that.

Thank you for your understanding and patience. Apple appreciates your business.

I've been following here and I'm pretty sure I have all the files but would appreciate someone posting this in a step by step solution (hint David 1962) since I'm not quite as savvy as you folks seem to be. And I do not have a videos folder. I have a movies folder. Running the latest version of itunes on Windows.

The videos folder gets created inside the iTunes Extras folder. Again looking at the one I have there are three files matching the three entries in the Extras section of \controllers\data.js

extras  : [

              { thumb : "image_videoBox_mind.png",    structure: "shaping",  string : "Shaping Mind & Body",         src : "batmanbegins_shapingmindbody.m4v",  time: "12:49",      blurb : "Examining the construction of the fight sequences. "},

 

              { thumb : "image_videoBox_tumbler.png", structure: "tumbler",  string : "Batman: The Tumbler",         src : "batmanbegins_batmantumbler.m4v",  time: "13:40",   blurb : "Goyer describes it as a cross between a Lamborghini and a Humvee. This featurette details it from conception to its current form."},

 

              { thumb : "image_videoBox_journey.png", structure: "journey",  string : "Batman: The Journey Begins",  src : "batmanbegins_journeybegins.m4v",  time: "14:16",   blurb : "Interviews with Christopher Nolan, David Goyer, Christian Bale, production designer Nathan Crowley, as well as others. "}

            ],

Sadly file size is not directly related to duration but a two minute file should be short than a 10 minute one. If you can't be certain play the file to see which clip it could be, then give it the name copied from the file and move it into the \Movie - iTunes Extras\videos folder.

tt2

Thank you I finally got it working for all but one of the extras (it had eleven). I don't know why that one won't work, everything appears to be correct. However it is included in one of the "PLAY ALLs" so no big deal. Do you think this happens with every movie with extras now with the current release of itunes or just some of them. It alters my decision to buy any more of them until they get this fixed. Don't see how they can let this ride for very long.

Thanks again.

I've no idea whether it is all packages or some, or if it effects everyone or is also dependent on other factors such as local library structure, AV software or something else. The response you've had from customer support would suggest that, at the very least, the message that there is a problem has made it to somewhere it can be acted upon. I guess all there is to do for now is wait.

tt2

turningtest2,

You are absolutley correct.  I had to go through and gather the files with the use of the data.js and piece things together.

Here a list of names with files sizes:

Place the files into the video folder like tt2 mentioned and everything works well.

Thank you TT2!

This exeact thing is happening to me and I'm just now noticing it!  The problem started sometime in mid November.  I have iTunes 10.5.2.11 and Windows 7.  My library is on a NAS because I have a boatload of movies. I just noticed today that 5 movies have this problem.  I can only recover the most recent movie downloaded because the other temp files for iTunes Extras for the other 4 movies are long gone as I read another post telling me to delete them and start the download over again.  Any idea on when this will get fixed iTunes team?

Its not just on Windows 7.  I am running itunes on a mac and am having the same problem with the extras on Super 8. 

Me too. MacBook Pro and Windows 7. Extras do not work on either.