can't delete podcasts in iTunes 11.1

Charlene,

I have a "Podcasts Already Played" Smart PlayList that may do some of what you need. Here's its definition:

Match *all* of the folliwing rules:

Media Kind is Podcast

Plays is greater than 0

Date Added is greater then 1/1/2014

√ Live Updating

The Date Added is totally optional--I use it limit the list to recently heard podcasts (there are some older podcasts I actually want to keep but that I don't want to see in this list).

Every week or so I delete (Option-Backspace) the oldest ones of each podcast (not that it always helps).

Jonathan

Jonathan:

FYI

Just out of curoisty I looked at my smart play list options in 11.2.1. Podcast is not listed as a Media Kind.

Danny

That's odd - I still see it in 11.2.1.

I'm looking at this and trying to follow thier logic. I think the 11.2.1 update would work well for all except archivists.

I expect many users here enjoy having the downloaded and "un-downloaded" podcasts available in a single view so they can quickly ascertain which ones they need. And I also expect (like I do) is that they then archive podcasts out of the iTunes library to a dvd or removable media (hard drives fill up fast). This breaks the functionality of having "saved" podcasts, since they are no longer in the library and thus show up as cloud-ready.

So unless you use your iTunes Library to archive, it's a lot more swiching between views and/or manual labor.

I am an archivist. I have been fighting these changes since last October with workarounds and alternatives. The last try was to go ahead and adopt their Podcast app only to have the latest updates make the app do exactly what I do not want it to do. Broken record here.

I am hitting the local retailer in just a couple of hours to see what it's going to take to scrape this disgusting wad of used gum from the bottom of my shoe.

So long, Apple.

Yes, having the feed always show every available podcast increases clutter. And while I love automation, it's never quite worked for me. I quit syncing with my iphone years ago.

So it's either choose which episodes to download; or subscribe, auto-download, delete unwanted episodes. Either way involves manual file management and having available podcasts show up almost identically to the downloaded ones slows things down considerably.

I figured out what you are doing. It was not too clear since I have never done a smart list before. I did notice that the Date Added function was "is after" instead of 'Is greater than"

Thanks for the suggestion. I'm sure it'll be helpful for some folks, but I'm not sure it'll work for my situation.

I have a "Podcasts Already Played" Smart PlayList that may do some of what you need. Here's its definition:

There are several podcasts that I subscribe to where I don't listen to all episodes. For example, interview-type podcasts I'll skip if I'm not interested in the guest; documentary-type podcasts I'll skip if that particular topic doesn't interest me. Also, I'll occasionally keep an episode so I can share it with my husband or as a reminder to send the link to a friend, etc. So any method that uses played/unplayed doesn't fit my needs.

Every week or so I delete (Option-Backspace) the oldest ones of each podcast (not that it always helps).

From where are you deleting the podcasts? I'm assuming it's not from the smart playlist (which they broke with 11.1) or you wouldn't need the above method to create a playlist.

Thanks for your help,

--Charlene

11.2.0 seems to be the most recent version for Windows and it still shows "podcast" as a media type. My smart playlist uses genre=podcast. You might try that.

--Charlene

I wonder if something like this will help our cause.

https://www.facebook.com/events/580342175415170/?context=create&ref_dashboard_fi lter=upcoming&source=49

It's an open event. Invite all your friends and podcast produces.

I really like the Podcasts already played idea.

Option-backspace or delete does not work though. Nothing happens.

> Thanks for the suggestion. I'm sure it'll be helpful for some folks, but I'm not sure it'll work for my situation.

> There are several podcasts that I subscribe to where I don't listen to all episodes. For example, interview-type podcasts

> I'll skip if I'm not interested in the guest; documentary-type podcasts I'll skip if that particular topic doesn't interest me.

> Also, I'll occasionally keep an episode so I can share it with my husband or as a reminder to send the link to a friend, etc.

> So any method that uses played/unplayed doesn't fit my needs.

Same here. I right-click on those podcasts and mark them as Played. I use Played to mean I don't need to listen to it again.

> > Every week or so I delete (Option-Backspace) the oldest ones of each podcast (not that it always helps).

> From where are you deleting the podcasts? I'm assuming it's not from the smart playlist (which they broke with 11.1)

> or you wouldn't need the above method to create a playlist.

It is from the smart playlist, and they are deleted. But if the podcast is too recent it gets re-downloaded. So I only delete podcasts that are a a few episodes old. This smartlist is, for me, only a dozen or two podcasts, so keeping track of how old they should be before I delete them isn't too bad a chore.

Jonathan

> I really like the Podcasts already played idea.

> Option-backspace or delete does not work though. Nothing happens.

I don't know why it works for. me, but it does.

I was able to delete whatever podcast I wanted, but not inside itunes ...but go to home folder >>Music>>iTunes >> itunes media>> poscasts>> then the one you want to delete. This makes sense ... you go to where the podcast is stored.

I exclusively use the List view to manage my podcasts. I find the other views just needlessly complicated. I've been able to delete episodes and have them stay deleted. The only big problem with the last iTunes update is that it completely ignored whether I was unsubscribed to a podcast (but had saved episodes for listening) and re-subscribed me. It also re-downloaded podcast episodes that I had previously listened to and deleted. Several years worth, in some cases. I had to manually delete them (again) and they've stayed deleted so far.