Posted by Doug Anderson on 04/29/06 18:55

Gary <gary_w1@hotmail.com> writes:

> On 29 Apr 2006 19:57:14 +0200, Doug Anderson
> <ethelthelogremovethis@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> >Gary <gary_w1@hotmail.com> writes:
> >
> >> I've had mp3 players for a long time. Every one I've owned allowed
> >> you to take the files of mp3s, heirarchically arranged, into the
> >> player. So I developed this structure which has worked for me for a
> >> long time:
> >>
> >> mp3s
> >> ---Books
> >> ------Author1 - Book Title 1
> >> ------Author2 - Book Title 2
> >> ---Classical
> >> ------Composer1 - Album Name 1
> >> ------Composer2 - Album Name 2
> >> ---Comedy
> >> ------Performer1 - Album Name 1
> >> ------Performer2 - Album Name 2
> >> ---Folk
> >> ------Performer1 - Album Name 1
> >> ------Performer2 - Album Name 2
> >> ---Popular
> >> ------Performer1 - Album Name 1
> >> ------Performer2 - Album Name 2
> >>
> >> and so forth.
> >>
> >> Withing each folder was a series of mp3s, usually starting with a two
> >> digit track number, giving the name of the particular track. I never
> >> concerned myself with tags...some files had them, others didn't.
> >>
> >> Now the iPod (just a few days old) presents me with a totally new
> >> organization. All the files will go into the same folder and will be
> >> grouped together by their tags. So I have to tag a huge number of
> >> files with Genre (Book, Classical, Comedy, Folk or Popular),
> >> Performer, Album Name and Track. There are programs to help do this,
> >> but the job is still massive. First I have to add the tags...then
> >> organize files into playlists.
> >
> >There are irritating things about such a transition. But let me point
> >out that it might be easier than you may think.
> >
> >For example, make a folder in iTunes labeled (say) Book. Drag your
> >books into that folder. When they are done importing, select all the
> >tracks in that folder, and then type Command-i and select info.
> >
> >Then either take "Books and Spoken" from the pull-down menu under
> >genre, or enter what you prefer for the genre.
> >
> >This will change all tracks simultaneously.
> >
> >It was a huge savings for me when I realized I could make changes like
> >this to large groups of tracks.
> >
> >> Just an afterthought. The Windows-type organization seems more suited
> >> to people who think of their collection as a bunch of albums. The
> >> iPod-type organization seems more suited to those who think of their
> >> collection as a bunch of individual tracks.
> >
> >It may seem that way, but I don't think this is really true. You
> >developed your own very sensible organizational system. iTunes wants
> >you to use their (also sensible) organizational system.
> >
> >Unfortunately for you, your system was based on organizing your files
> >by what directories they were in (and maybe by their name) and iTunes
> >system is based on organizing files by the information attached to
> >them (which ideally includes things like Artist, Album, Composer,
> >Genre, etcetera.
> >
> >The strength of iTunes is then it is easy to decide you'd prefer (that
> >day) to think of your music as organized by artist, rather than
> >album. The weakness is that you need to make sure this data is
> >attached to the tracks.
> >
> >Often when I import a CD into iTunes, I end up correcting the artist
> >and the composer (and occasionally even the album). iTunes usually
> >gets this data from the CDDB, and often it has been entered there in a
> >way I don't like. For example, I want to find Beethoven under "B"
> >for Beethoven, not under "L" for Ludwig. And I want it always to be
> >the same, so that I don't have to wonder whether to look for Elvis
> >Costello under "E" or under "C."
> >
> >Luckily, by the strategem mentioned above, it is easy to make these
> >changes after importing the album.
> >
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>
> Doug:
>
> I tried to follow your instructions, but I'm getting a "do not enter"
> symbol when I use internet explorer and try to drag folders of books
> over to the iTunes "Books" folder I created.

Sorry - I think I gave the wrong impression. I don't think you can
drag the folder. I think you can only drag all the files within the folder.

At least this is how I believe it works on macs - I don't have a
windows machines.

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