Uploading apps from computer to itunes

[powelrainbow]

I had to reinstall my computer a while ago but now when I have done that and installed itunes I'm trying to place my already purchased applications in the "mobile application" folder again(made a copy) but they won't show up in itunes...how come? I've already bought them...don't tell me I have to buy them again?? That's stupid!!

 

[mkrishnan]

EDIT: This was in the iPod and iTunes section... but you're talking about App Store apps for an iPhone or iPod touch, correct, and not the old iPod games? I'll move it to App Store based on that assumption. If you're talking about iPod games, I have no idea and apologize.

When I tried to move my iTunes library from one computer to another, the same thing happened -- everything was recognized except the apps, which appeared in iTunes (for me) but were not usable / uploadable to the iPhone.

Options:

- The ones already on your device will sync back to iTunes.
- You don't have to pay for anything again, but if you can't get your computer to recognize the copies it has, you can go to the App Store, and attempt to re-purchase all the apps you had. When you attempt to purchase it again, you will get a dialog stating that you already bought it and will be offered the option to download it again for free.

Sorry, don't know a better way.

 

[dZp]

Instead of adding the files to the "Mobile Applications" folder directly, did you try dragging them all onto iTunes, just over the "LIBRARY" pane on the left-hand side ?

The reason why the apps do not otherwise show up in iTunes when manually adding them to the "Mobile Applications" folder, is because although you placed them in the folder, iTunes has no reference to them in its database file on your system.

 

[mkrishnan]

The reason why the apps do not otherwise show up in iTunes when manually adding them to the "Mobile Applications" folder, is because although you placed them in the folder, iTunes has no reference to them in its database file on your system.

I'd be interested to hear if that works... the thing when I did it was that they did show up in iTunes, but they showed up with the generic black and white Apps icon, and they couldn't be synced to the iPhone. In fact, when the iPhone was synced, duplicate copies of the Apps were placed inside the iTunes library, and then the app showed up twice in iTunes -- once with a generic icon, nonfunctional, and once with the proper icon, having been copied from the iPhone.

So it seems like there's something different about the way Apps are treated than everything else, although I'm open to any workarounds, since it could still be a nuisance if you had a lot of apps in iTunes that were not on your phone.

 

[Night Spring]

I'd be interested to hear if that works... the thing when I did it was that they did show up in iTunes, but they showed up with the generic black and white Apps icon, and they couldn't be synced to the iPhone.

Weird. When I put app files directly into my Mobile Applications folders, they don't show up in iTunes at all. Only way to get them to show up is to drag them into iTunes. I'm on a Windows computer, however, so maybe it works differently on Macs?

And btw, I'm not sure why you consider this a nuisance -- it takes just a second to drag the apps into iTunes! You do realize you can just drag all the apps you have into iTunes at once, not drag them one by one?

 

[mkrishnan]

And btw, I'm not sure why you consider this a nuisance -- it takes just a second to drag the apps into iTunes! You do realize you can just drag all the apps you have into iTunes at once, not drag them one by one?

Not dragging them into iTunes -- that didn't work for me. I meant that re-downloading them through the app store is a nuisance (albeit free).

So did you verify that they not only show up in iTunes but are actually functional? That was my whole point.

 

[dZp]

So did you verify that they not only show up in iTunes but are actually functional? That was my whole point.

Dragging all the apps (.ipa files) onto iTunes works fine for me. Yes, they are functional, show their icons properly and sync to my iPhone with no issue.... that's why I suggested it.

I'm on a Mac.

 

[Night Spring]

So did you verify that they not only show up in iTunes but are actually functional? That was my whole point.

Seconding dZp, yes, I drag apps into iTunes all the time. I often delete apps I'm not using at the moment from iTunes, but keep the .ipa files saved on my hard drive. When I want to use them again, I just drag them back into iTunes, and they work without a hitch.

 

[mkrishnan]

Hmmm, thanks -- maybe I tried dragging the folder in or something. Anyway, good to have lots of options to fix it. So you can just grab all the IPA files and then drag them all into the library, and they'll be re-added, right? Excellent.