Cannot Drag And Drop Music

troothteller wrote:

I have a file that I wanted to test to see if it plays on iTunes.

The fact that you are trying to test it suggests that you already know there is a problem, so perhaps that's why is doesn't work.

What format is the file in?

A point I missed earlier:

This pertains to music files already on my computer, not CDs.

If I understand correctly, this is a music file (in AAC format) that you have obtained from "an unknown source". In that case, does it have all the tag information one would normally expect in a music file, such as the artist name, or even the song title?

Even if the file name is related to the song (such as <title_artistname.m4a>) that doesn't necessarily mean that the title and artist will show up in iTunes. So if you look under Artist, but this song doesn't have the artist name filled in, it will not show up as you expect it to.

• You could try looking at a Songs view, and displaying the songs in Date Added order. Can you see it listed by date added?
• Alternatively, look in the folder that the file is located in and double-click it. Does it begin playing in iTunes? If it does, then it is listed in iTunes.

As I stated, the filename does not necessarily mean that the tags for the song have been completed. The tags contain the information about the song, such as title, artist, genre. So the filename is irrelevant. So too is the fact that the iTunes Store has the artist.

What is relevant is where you obtained the file you have, something you appear to be avoiding mentioning.

troothteller wrote:

...I downloaded it anew .... The new file plays on my other players; but I cannot add it to an iTunes playlist.

Then there is still something wrong with that file. AAC, the format you state that the song is in, is Apple's proprietary format, so it would seem unlikely that it cannot be added to an iTunes Library and subsequently to an iTunes Playlist.

troothteller wrote:

According to your last post, fiend, maybe you are correct in not being able to use iTunes here.

I did not say or imply that.

Use the Automatically Add to iTunes folder inside the iTunes Media folder. If iTunes can make sense of the file it will be added to the library, otherwise it is moved to a Not Added folder. There won't be any error, and you won't know what the problem is, but at least you'll know for certain that iTunes is rejecting the content rather than ignoring your instruction.

tt2

There will be a folder at C:\User\HOST\Music\iTunes\iTunes Media\Automatically Add to iTunes. Drop a file in here to see how iTunes reacts to it. iTunes has a perfectly functional mechanism for purchasing music which ensures that the artists who make it receive some recompense for their work. When you play back a video steam the artist may receive some small cut of any advertising revenue and a validated increase in the number of plays. When you capture the audio to play back at your leisure you're stealing. 😟

tt2

I think tt2 has covered the point, but...

Streaming is downloading a file for immediate use, not for long term storage. A "media grabber" appears to be a method for enabling long term storage, but unless you have paid the owner of that music, what you're doing would appear to be copyright theft - aka stealing.

So don't be surprised when this entire thread gets removed from the forum. I do think however, that it should be left up as an explanation of copyright theft (among other things).

That apart, a media grabber such as the one you're using probably has no mechanism for adding the song title and artist to a file, it simply creates a filename with that information. That's not the same thing. It may be in your Library, but without the name of the song or the artist, how would you find it in there?

On the other hand, perhaps your programme doesn't make such good copies after all.

You get what you pay for.

That result confirms that iTunes isn't happy with the structure of the file being offered. Adjust the options. or find another tool.

tt2

troothteller wrote:

Forgive me for not pointing out that, regardless of the legality or lack of it involved, the file is an example of music that the industry does not promote today, where actual people are playing it circa 1930's in this case.

While I empathise with your frustration about music that the industry does not promote, or more specifically, make easily available to anyone who wants it, discussions in Apple's discussion pages about how to obtain music illegally is against Apple's Terms of Use. That was the point I was making, along with "you get what you pay for".