Stop "Auto Add to iTunes Folder" from making sub folders?

Question

Stop "Auto Add to iTunes Folder" from making sub folders?

So this is making me crazy...

I am a DJ and I use 5 large folders for my music collection arranged by genre. The folders are (Techno, Drum and Bass, Hardcore, Pop and Scratch Records).

I want to have the ability to drop files 50-100 at a time into the Automatically Add to iTunes folder and have them show up in the iTunes Media folder where the 5 folders exist. This way I can preview each file and drag each one individually into each genere's specific folder. I was able to disable the "Keep iTunes folder organized" check box in iTunes itself. But whenever I add a new track into the Automatically Add to iTunes folder it creates a new folder "Unknown Artist" and another sub folder inside the Unknow Artist folder that is located inside Music/iTunes/Media/Music SO ANNOYING. How can I just have it add the song to the inner Music folder without any additional folders created? That way I can sort them without having to click over and over again???????????

Please help and thank you for reading!

Michael

MacBook Pro, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8)

Posted on Feb 13, 2013 9:26 AM

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Answer 1

Feb 13, 2013 10:58 AM in response to djmichaelwenz

Please Help...This will make my music organization take 3 times as long.

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Answer 2

ed2345

Level 9

62,492 points

Feb 13, 2013 6:39 PM in response to djmichaelwenz

Michael, You cannot use the Automatically Add folder to do what you want. You need to do it as follows:

Disable both the "Keep..." and "Copy..." features.
Add any new files into whatever folder you want them to be in.
After they are in the correct place, drag the file icon(s) into the open iTunes Window.

This will cause them to be added to your iTunes library, while the file will stay exactly where you put it.

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Answer 3

Feb 13, 2013 8:43 PM in response to ed2345

Thank you and I am grateful for your reply! Been using iTunes for over 5 years and pretty good with it. However your response is something I was aware of but clearly does not make sense for an answer. When you automatically add songs it creates a folder and another folder inside of it. Really big pain if it is unkown artist and most of it is cause it is not ID3 tagged.

How can I stop Itunes from making folders from automatically add to iTunes location? I did find a great workaround on YouTube using the automator. I think this pretty much cures my problem. I have done this for all my 5 folders and files and tested it and it is cool.

Let me explain why I do what I do. I am using Traktor and mainly addding songs to my 5 folders in traktor. It would be however cool to just hit shuffle in iTunes and listn in the background and have all the new stuff play that I have added without haing to first get the musical key in Mixed in Key and then copying to the genere folder and then copying all the new tracks to a playlist in traktor, and then add to iTunes. Kind of a long process...

I found this tip and it makes sense to use the automator and I think I am close to being happy although I have now to drill down a few folders to get to the music folder in iTunes even though the folder is labeled "Music". If anyone is in the same boat speak up let me know how you manage your Traktor and iTunes.

Here is the vid +1,000,000

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYWyW8HMvbA

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Answer 4

ed2345

Level 9

62,492 points

Feb 14, 2013 4:17 AM in response to djmichaelwenz

DJ Michael,

I am glad it was helpful.

It sounds like you now have something that works. However, feel free also to start a new thread with a question that mentions Traktor in the title, and/or to check some Traktor-oriented forums.

Enjoy the music!

Ed

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Answer 5

Feb 14, 2013 7:43 PM in response to ed2345

I did tag Traktor as part of this topic. However this really has nothing to do with Traktor as I am wondering why apple creates 2 folders around a single mp3....

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Answer 6

ed2345

Level 9

62,492 points

Feb 15, 2013 11:11 AM in response to djmichaelwenz

I am wondering why apple creates 2 folders around a single mp3....

I never liked that particular behavior of iTunes either, which is how I discovered the procedure that I described above. But in fact, iTunes files by Artist/Album folders whenever you let it. "Let it" means (1) purchasing from the iTunes Store, (2) consolidating your library, (3) using iTunes to convert format, (4) adding or changing files when "Keep.." or "Copy..." is active, and of course... (5) using the Automatically Add folder.

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