iTunes and MP3 tags

[milomak]

I recently decided to go through my MP3 collection and re-categorize my music to 5 specific genres. I did this all in iTunes on my MBP.

Now I would like to transfer these MP3s to my desktop computer. However I have discovered that the changes have not been transported with the files. How can I have the info saved on the MP3 file so the new categories appear on my desktop?

on my desktop I am using Linux so iTunes is not available as far as I am aware.

what is intersting is that i have installed Play on the MBP and it is also not picking up the changes. I just do not have the energy to go through my collection all over again.

 

[Synaesthesia]

There are some options. Maybe one of the fantastic scripts for iTunes will work on Doug's Applescript site. -> http://dougscripts.com

Is iTunes set to manage your files and folders? I'm not sure if that helps?

Also I googled around and found this thread on iLounge, with a post that might work check it here -> http://forums.ilounge.com/applescri...es-song-artist-album-id3-tag.html#post1206639

Lastly there are many other avenues, as many 3rd party software programs can read the iTunes XML Library, and there are lots of tips and tricks out there.

 

[koffiejunkie]

iTunes definitely writes the ID3 tags to file. Install easytag in Linux and inspect those files to see what fields have been populated. There are several fields that have roughly the same meaning - some applications use the one while other applications use another.

 

[milomak]

iTunes definitely writes the ID3 tags to file. Install easytag in Linux and inspect those files to see what fields have been populated. There are several fields that have roughly the same meaning - some applications use the one while other applications use another.

i can positively confirm that is not the case on my MBP. If I copy the MP3s onto any other computer, the changes that appear in iTunes for the Genres do not appear. As I say, even when using an app like Play in SL, it does not pickup the changes made to Genre.

on another issue, does an ipod get "locked" to one computer? or is it just the case that apple haven't thought of a way of making a mac ipod accessible on a windows os?

edit - gtkpod on linux is able to extract the files on the ipod with all the relevant info.

 

[koffiejunkie]

OK, I did some further testing. You're half right, half wrong

iTunes writes the ID3 v2 tag, but it ignores the id3 v1 tag completely (at least, when both are present). I took a song that had the genre set to "Rock" in iTunes. Looking at it through a variety of commandline tools, both id3v1 and id3v2 are set to Rock. Then I change it to "Alt. Rock" - now the id3v1 still shows "Rock" but id3v2 shows "Alt. Rock."

Are you not getting the same results? I'm guessing maybe your files are set to read-only? If you copied them off CD/DVD (as opposed to ripping) or a read-only network share, the files would be set to read-only.

 

[milomak]

i think i may be totally wrong

does itunes import the mp3s to another directory?

 

[koffiejunkie]

Aah, you may be on to something. In Preferences --> Advanced, there are two settings that matter:

1. "Keep iTunes Media folder organized"
2. "Copy files to iTunes Media folder when adding to the library"

I imagine, if you don't have these enabled, then iTunes may be saving its customisations in a separate location. But with both enabled, it stands to reason that it can write directly to the files (given that it has already moved them about and renamed them).

Maybe that's the issue?

 

[milomak]

That's bloody it. I created my own MP3 folder. But iTunes has a different folder specified. So I'll point iTunes to my MP3 folder and untick the 2nd option.