[access-uk] Re: Exporting the iTunes library
- From: "ANDY COLLINS" <Andy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 13 Apr 2013 15:58:05 +0100
Hi Kevin -
Thanks, that's all clear. Just one thing, When I save the playlist, the default
file extension is M3U, if I change that to txt, will the playlist still work if
I need to import it? -
Andy
----- Original Message -----
From: Kevin Lloyd
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Saturday, April 13, 2013 11:22 AM
Subject: [access-uk] Re: Exporting the iTunes library
Hi Andy.
I see what you want to do I think.
So, you should be able to:
1. Start iTunes.
2. Select all in your current iTunes library .
3. Create a playlist from the selection.
4. Export the playlist as a text file
5. Save the resulting file to your flash or external hard drive.
In the future, should you need to recover, you can load your whole music
collection and then import the playlist to get back your carefully preened
selection.
The playlist includes the location of the music file and so this will mean
that you don’t get similar tagged music tracks in your preened selection.
Here’s what the playlist looks like when you open up the export playlist text
file in notepad and you’ll see the location is part of the data exported.
Name Artist Composer Album Grouping Genre Size Time
Disc Number Disc Count Track Number Track Count Year Date
Modified Date Added Bit Rate Sample Rate Volume Adjustment Kind
Equaliser Comments Plays Last Played Skips Last Skipped My
Rating Location
Slip to the Void Alter Bridge AB III Metal 33630057
291 1 2010 28/04/2012 11:27 29/09/2012 14:09 921
44100 Apple Lossless audio file 1 14/10/2012 06:59
C:\Users\Kevin\Music\iTunes\iTunes Media\Music\Alter Bridge\AB III\01
Slip to the Void.m4a
Thoughts of a Dying Atheist Muse Absolution Rock 22542467
186 11 2003 14/05/2012 18:49 29/09/2012 14:10 963
44100 Apple Lossless audio file
C:\Users\Kevin\Music\iTunes\iTunes Media\Music\Muse\Absolution\11 Thoughts of a
Dying Atheist.m4a
Regards.
Kevin
From: ANDY COLLINS
Sent: Friday, April 12, 2013 8:29 PM
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Re: Exporting the iTunes library
Hi Kevin -
Sorry, bit of a long message here:
Perhaps I've not been too clear!
I dropped a bunch [several hundred] of various artists compilation albums in
the iTunes\iTunes Music\Automatically Add to iTunes folder.
I then went to my iTunes library, and selected 'show duplicates' from the
view menu, in order to cut down the size of the library, as it is going on to
my iPod, so I didn't want duplicate songs.
My concern, is that if anything happens, and I lose the iTunes library, what
can I do so as not to have to import all those various artists albums again,
and go through the lengthy process of having to trawl through and delete all
the duplicates?
I realise now, that when I deleted a duplicate, from the library I could have
also deleted it from the iTunes music folder, thus leaving me with just a
single copy of the song, but I didn't do that, so if I lost the library for
some reason, dropping the various artists albums back in to the Automatically
Add to iTunes, would add back all the duplicates again. Hope that makes sense.
Regarding iCloud, I didn't actually say I had backed up to iCloud, I think I
said in fact, that I've never used the iCloud facility -
Something else that has occurred to me is: could I make a playlist of my
entire library, as it stands, and then if I lost the library, and created a new
one, just dropping my entire music collection in to it, would the original
playlist still work, or would it duplicate it's entries, if it found duplicated
entries in the newly created library.
Hope that makes sense too <smile> -
Andy
From: Kevin Lloyd
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Friday, April 12, 2013 7:41 PM
Subject: [access-uk] Re: Exporting the iTunes library
Hi Andy.
The export function simply produces an XML file of your library contents.
It’s main aim is for use with other applications that may need to use the
iTunes library and it definitely has nothing to do with backing up your music
files.
When you say you’ve backed up to iCloud, are you saying that you’ve
switched on iTunes Match? If you haven’t enabled iTunes Match then you won’t
have backed up any music to iCloud as the basic iCloud backup doesn’t include
your music. iTunes Match will scan your library and try to match your music
files with music from the iTunes store. It will then use these files when you
stream or download to your iPhone or Ipod.
The best and safest way to backup your music is to use windows explorer to
locate the iTunes music media folder and copy and paste from there to your
external hard drive. In the event of a computer failure, you would simply copy
the contents back to your iTunes media folder or set the music folder from
within preference to point directly at your external hard drive instead.
Regards.
Kevin
From: ANDY COLLINS
Sent: Friday, April 12, 2013 4:39 PM
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Exporting the iTunes library
Hi all -
Anybody help me understand the purpose of this? As there is no import
option on the iTunes menu for the library, what is the purpose of exporting it?
I haven't played around with iCloud, but would like to back up the music
library, just in case, and would like really, just to be able to export it, and
keep it safe on an external drive, there to import, if anything goes wrong on
this machine. As there is no import option, what is the point then of being
able to export it, and is backing up to iCloud the only way to create a back up
of the library? I've already done a lot of cherry picking for the library, as I
have loads of duplicate tracks from compilation albums, and now I have it the
way I want it, wish to protect it. Any help?
Thanks -
Andy
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