iTunes deletes/removes podcast episodes it should not

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iTunes deletes/removes podcast episodes it should not

I have a podcast set in iTunes on my Mac to NOT delete played episodes, and also set on the Apple Podcasts app on my iPhone to NOT delete played episodes. Yet when I play an episode of that podcast with the Apple Podcasts app on my iPhone and then sync my iPhone with iTunes on my Mac, the episode disappears from iTunes on my Mac. This should not happen.

Possibly related 2nd bug: When the associated mp3 file of the "disappeared" episode is not deleted from the podcast's folder inside the iTunes Media folder (which used to happen occasionally but now appears not to happen any more for this particular podcast, i.e. the file seems to always stay around), I try to put the episode back into iTunes via the "Add to Library..." command. I can see the mp3 and Add it (via the misnamed "Open" button) but it does not then appear in iTunes, i.e. there is no way to make the episode which iTunes erroneously removed visible again in iTunes.

I have seen some descriptions on non-Apple sites of how to rebuild the iTunes library, and I'm willing to try it if that might help, but I'd first like to see an Apple-authored description of how to do it properly.

AdThanksVance, Rico

Mac mini, macOS High Sierra (10.13.3)

Posted on Mar 5, 2018 8:56 AM

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Answer 1

turingtest2

Level 10

272,731 points

Mar 5, 2018 9:29 AM in response to RicoTetrazini

This is a user to user support forum.

Backup the whole library. Restore if needed and reimport anything that gets deleted in error. Your reimported podcasts tracks might get treated as music under certain conditions so search there. Check also that you're using a view that will include episodes that you have listened to.

tt2

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Answer 2

Mar 5, 2018 10:11 AM in response to turingtest2

Thanks for the reply. I realize this is a user forum. I was hoping nonetheless that someone here might have some knowledge about these bugs (including whether Apple had published anything about rebuilding the iTune library).

When you say "backup the whole library," do you mean something other than a Time Machine backup? Drag-copying in the Finder? Something else? When you say "restore," do you mean overwriting mp3 files with backup copies? If so, what would that accomplish? If not, something else? When you say "if needed," how would you determine whether a "restore" is needed? When you say "reimport," do you mean via the Add To Library command? Something else? Under what conditions would a podcast episode be treated as music? If I find a podcast episode somewhere in the music library, then what? (I know about different views in iTunes. That is not the problem.)

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Answer 3

turingtest2

Level 10

272,731 points

Mar 5, 2018 12:10 PM in response to RicoTetrazini

Not everyone runs Time Machine, some that do might exclude the iTunes folder, but TM is a good start. I use a folder syncing tool which can alert me to unexpected changes to the library which is potentially more useful for troubleshooting an issue like this. You said that in some cases the podcasts are deleted from the library, but not the media folder. Copying from backup is only needed for occasions when that doesn't happen. Yes, you can reimport with File Add Folder to Library or drag & drop. iTunes should ignore a request to add anything to the library that it already knows about. Podcasts should have an internal flag that iTunes recognizes so that reimported episodes are processed as podcasts, but if that isn't there then they would be treated as music, or home videos in the case of video podcasts. You can use the Get Info > Options tab to change the media kind if you can find anything in the wrong place.

I'm still thinking that if nothing happens when you try to add the tracks back to the library then the chances are that they are still in it, just not where you're looking. How about making a smart playlist that ought to match with them?

tt2

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iTunes deletes/removes podcast episodes it should not

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