Automator question

[JurgenWigg]

So I've been fooling around with iTunes perhaps too much, trying to shift my music libary unsuccessfully to an external harddrive, but the files go... and then are copied back to my itunes library. I want to know if there's a way to just grab the files from an external but not have them on my internal.

But the reason why i made this thread is because right now I have like 5000 songs, technically, but really I only have 2000. Yeah, 3000 duplicates. Is there some way that i can make that tedious task easier for me? can I do it with the cool automator?

 

[mad jew]

Maybe check out this link for keeping two libraries (one internal and one on the external). As for the double ups, have you tried deleting them manually from the Show Duplicate Songs feature in the Edit menu? If you sort by Date Added, you might be able to remove them in bulk.

 

[Mhaddy]

For removing duplicates, there are a number of AppleScripts that can automatically do that for you (or at least put them all in one list and you can hit the delete button!). Unfortunately, I don't have a link w/me (it was in an old issue of MacWorld that I had) -- but Google it, they're out there.

 

[baummer]

1. Remove ALL of your songs from the library, but don't delete the actual songs from the hard drive.

2. Copy all songs from your internal to your external into either organized folders or one folder like I have on mine called Music.

3. In iTunes, go to Preferences > Advanced > General and make sure Copy files to iTunes Music folder when adding to library is UNCHECKED. Then click OK.

4. In iTunes, go to File > Add to Library > Click your external drive's icon on the left > Find your Music folder > Click Choose

This will add the music to your library flawlessly. I have done this on two of my systems and on several friends as well. If you have a lot of music, be patient as it may take some time to copy the entries over. The important thing here is that we're merely adding to the library the songs and the song information lists where the song is located (external drive) and not copying it to your internal.

 

[mad jew]

For removing duplicates, there are a number of AppleScripts that can automatically do that for you (or at least put them all in one list and you can hit the delete button!). Unfortunately, I don't have a link w/me (it was in an old issue of MacWorld that I had) -- but Google it, they're out there.

Doug's AppleScripts for iTunes is an excellent place to start.

 

[Mhaddy]

This is what I was looking for, and I believe what you're after, JurgenWigg. Thanks mad jew!