iTunes 12 metadata: the "description" field

You mean "comment"?

Definitely very sad about this. I also use Description all the time. Really need the ability to edit the "Description" field with multiple files at once. Hope this finds it's way back into the app.

craigi99 wrote:

No, I can access "comment" from the Details tab when I "Get Info". If you right click above the column headings you will see various display options - and "Description" is one of those.

Also, if you go into a video file and try to "Get Info" there is a separate tab with "Description".

Yes, the Description field is for videos.

It somehow can be displayed in columns for music also. Likely that is was previously available for music was an oversight.

You can send feedback and suggestions here-> http://www.apple.com/feedback/itunesapp.html

Oversight or not it's been a feature in iTunes for as long as I remember, taking this feature away has devastated my work flow. I have a massive library and I've utilized the description field on all of my files. Extra fields of metadata are precious for anyone dealing with enormous libraries, so taking away one is a blow. It's a huge slap in the face for me. Hoping they bring it back or some one like Dougs Script makes a plug in. To hammer home the point, it's not being able to rewrite something in the "Description" field with multiple files selected that is the issue.

Dj Sal Paradise wrote:

Hoping they bring it back

Why not tell Apple you want it back?

I did contact apple before I found this thread.

On another note. Dougs Scripts has come to the rescue!!

http://dougscripts.com/itunes/scripts/ss.php?sp=enterdescriptiontext

Hi when this field first popped up in iTunes I started using it for a few of my songs to generate a smart playlist. I needed something in addition to the grouping criteria. Later I came across an issue where the smart playlists based on description field no longer wanted to transfer to the iPod classic, so as someone mentioned above I don't think it was ever intended for music file use. Nevertheless, I continued to use it so I could search the criteria I had entered into the description to find a specific set of songs. I also ended up creating a manual playlist based on those smart playlists that would transfer to the iPod classic.

Anyhow I just wanted to say you can still edit individual description fields in any music file, not with get info, but individually for each track by double clicking the field if it is enabled in column view. This works for tracks that did not previously have a description entered into the field as well as editing tracks you already tagged. So choose Music as your source on the left of iTunes 12, then Playlists in the middle, right click on the the top column headings where you see tcolumn titles like name, time, date added, album, artist, etc, and you will see the all the fields you can enable in this view, make sure description is selected. If that was not clear, I would be happy to post a screenshot. Hope that eased the pain a bit. Sadly that would be one by one for Windows users who cannot use Doug's Applescripts.

Disappointed with what's MISSING in the new iTunes. Can someone help me figure out how to show, again, "date added" for my songs? Would be a big help in search for a specific version of something. I can't seem to find how to sort that way anymore in the latest version. :-((((( WHOOPS! Just figured it out after posting this question. Will share in case helpful to anyone else. When I placed my cursor on the headers at the top and pressed Control, I was able to sealed Date Added and recover that. As a true non-tech, I'm grateful to the folks here who share their real knowledge. Thanks!

I have found a solution that works for me in the mean time.

Right click on your iTunes song file > Get Info > Options > Media Kind > switch this from Music to Podcast, then instantly the comments section will pop up. Type what you need to then switch the file back to Music and hit okay.

Boom. Done!

Nice, SRodriguez28!

But the OP was looking for the "Description" field, not "Comments" which is always available via Get Info for Music files.

I have tried your suggestion and changing to Podcast (or any other Media Kind for that matter) does not bring back the Description field. At least for me.