How can I make iTunes 11 search bar to act like a filter in my tunes list like it used to be?

Click on the magnifying glass next to search box and disable "search entire library"

Thanks I was sereously not liking this feature!

iam having the same problem,, i like it when it use to just search the songs in the playlist... anyway i can fix that??

If you have dectivated search entire library you can still use that drop down areas to select filters

thanks alot!!... i feel normal agian lol

Disabling 'Search Entire Library' still does not let me seach and organise my ipod classic.

Which bunch if idiots field tested this pile of crap.

Has Apple been taken over by a self-aware Skynet computer core?

Apple needs to admit IT11 was a mistake, give us back the best features of IT10 and allow users to switch off the new IT11 features if they wish, not ram it down our throats.

If you click on your device in the lefthand sidebar and select Search it will search your iPod. Can't speak to organising your music on theiPod classic. For organnising on all my devices I do it within the itunes library and then select to sync over to my device

Thanks for the suggestion Steve Taylor 1 but syncing your device is just a clumsy work around to cover a simple feature that's been taken away.

I don't want to have to right click on my device to search it.

What's wrong with the old and natural method of displaying the ipod, ipad, device libraryin the browser and simply typing in the search box to find a song?

I really don't want a bunch of useless suggestions from the main librar.

And I used to be able to open a separate browser window of an ipod playlist and drag songs from the main library and see what I was doing while I was doing.

That feature has been taken away or hidden under a right click something or other

See also this discussion.

http://discussions.apple.com/thread/4596441?tstart=0

If you turn off Search Entire Library which will speed things up considerably.

Then Show Sidebar ( View > Show Sidebar)

Select your device in the left hand window

Click on the Arrow to the left of it

This will expand to show the types of media you have on your ipod

Select Music from this expanded list

Type your term in the main search window and it will search just your iPod

The Only thing you cannot do you used to I think is open it in a separate window.

Tried your suggestion Steve Taylor1 but it doesn't work, not on my ipod or ipad.

The term just sits in the main search window doing nothing (and I did hit enter).

Surely the main purpose of a media library is to find my songs quickly and anything else is secondary.

Itunes 10 did it and most other media players do so until Applie sort this out I'll use something else.

Thank you! Hated the new search feature so glad you can disable it!