I have a batch of self-made CD-Rs which I'd like to import to iTunes
for use on an iPod. I know how to do the import work, but I'd like to
avoid having to manually input the song/artist info. Since these are
all compilation CDs with multiple different artist/year of recording
information, it would not really help me to do a "multiple" input of
info manually (using the "Get Info" menu/window), as I would not be
saving any time since I'd have to type in the name of the song and
then artist and year, from scratch. (ie. even a multiple field like
"artist" would not be used, since each song has a different artist).

If the CD had been something that would be found online, this would
not be a problem, since the iTunes software would search Gracenote or
whatever internet database and then permit the easy import of the
music files and the accompanying information. I don't have that
option, since I made these CDs myself; however, I do have database
files for the CDs which have tab-delineated fields for the song/artist/
year etc. Ideally, I'd like to use these files to either have iTunes
grab the information or use a copy/paste action to have the entire
information input into iTunes before the CD is imported/ripped. The
databases I have exist in either FileMaker Pro, Excel or Appleworks
applications.

Hopefully, I've described what I'm looking to do with sufficient
clarity to get some help. Is there any way I can do this? I'm running
iTunes 7.2 on a Mac with OS 10.4.9. Much thanks for any help!

Paul

In article <1180903038.153695.20590@g4g2000hsf.googlegroups.c om>, Paul
Soderman <kidpocono@aol.com> wrote:

I'm not aware of any "pre-canned" method for accomplishing what you
request; however, you say that you have a tab-delimited text file with
the information. You should be able to write an AppleScript that takes
the information from the tab-delimited file and tells iTunes to place
the data in the corresponding fields (the trick will be having the
songs in the correct order so that the data maps across properly).

--
Spenser

I suppose that such a script would be what I'm looking to use or
compile. As I've never written one before, any help that could be
offered would be much appreciated!


On Jun 3, 5:55 pm, sbt <dogbre...@chaseabone.com.invalid> wrote:

Paul Soderman <kidpocono@aol.com> wrote:

Barbarossa:

I strongly recommend that you look into 'Copy-Paste-X':

<http://www.scriptsoftware.com/copypaste/>

Shareware; $30

I understand your problem, as I have some 83,000 tracks, many
of which I have had to correct myself.

Using a clipboard manager like 'Copy-Paste-X' you can "stack"
multiple "copies" from the Database into the clipboard palette
and then switch to the "Get Info" of the track and then Click,
Tab, Click, Tab, ... &c.

I do this, for instance, when I have a Books-on-CD that can
run anywhere from 5 to 26 CDs long. The Gracenote CDDB is
remarkably full of Misinformation, Malinformation, and
Noninformation and even when the Info is nearly correct it never
is in the format that I like to use. So, 'Copy-Paste-X' is
indispensible.

Further it is always best to correct all the info on the CD-R
BEFORE you rip, as you will be simply correcting words on the
screen. If you try to correct mp3 or m4a tag info AFTER you rip
you will be correcting 3 or more levels of metadata, not to
mention moving files and folders around - it literally takes ten
times as long, no kidding!
--
________B___a___r___b___a___r___o___s___s___a_____ ___
Wayne B. Hewitt Encinitas, CA whewitt@ucsd.edu

On 2007-06-03 17:55:54 -0400, sbt <dogbreath@chaseabone.com.invalid> said:

I'm also not aware of any pre-canned method but I can tell you that an
Applescript that can do this is possible to write assuming you know the
basics. The problems would be the time required for it to run which is
dependent on the number of tracks/records involved and error checking.
On a scale of 1 to 10 where 1 is the easiest, I'd rate it as a 3 or 4

If you'd care to contact me off list we can discuss it in more detail.

J
--
Use ROT-13 for email address

I'd be willing to give AppleScript a try. While I haven't yet tried to
create any scripts, since it is a Mac I suppose that things can't be
too unduly difficult. I have only 3 fields which need to be imported,
"Song", "Artist" and "Year", which would be inserted into the
appropriate boxes on iTunes. In theory, I would think that I would
essentially be directing the Mac to do a series of cut and paste
operations from the database/spreadsheet file into the iTunes window
where "Get Info" would be revealing the track names to be imported
from the CDR.

I did take the suggestion offered as to the shareware "CopyPaste";
however, I was unable to get it to open the spreadsheet file in
question. I cut and pasted from that file into the CopyPaste program,
but was unable to figure out how it was supposed to get the data into
iTunes. If anyone could direct me to a site where I might be able to
figure out how to create such a script, it'd be appreciated!

On Jun 4, 6:47 am, J. Stewart <cfnz...@crevtrr.arg> wrote:

Paul Soderman <kidpocono@aol.com> wrote:

Barbarossa:

'Copy-Paste-X' does not open other files; it is a Multiple
Clipboard Manager.

When you open any document you Highlight the Text or Image you
want and click Commmand+C just as usual.

The difference is that you can do this 10 or 20 times in a row
to get all the Info necessary.

At this very moment I am ripping a 10-CD Book-On-CD with the
following Info:

Artist:
Cornwell, Bernard

Year:
2006

Album:
Sharpe 10.5: Sharpe's Fury

Grouping:
Sharpe and the Siege of Cadiz - Winter 1811

Composer:
Read by Steven Crossley

Notes:
Winter 1811 - An attack on a French held bridge goes
disastrously wrong and Sharpe finds himself in Cadiz under French
siege and culminating at the Battle of Barossa. Sharpe is stuck
with the task of recovering some incendiary letters by any means.

Genre:
Books: Novels - Sharpe

After doing this I fix the Track names with:

#10.5 Sharpe's Fury - Track 09-**

replacing the ** with the Track number (the 09 being the Disk
number.) I usually keep the Track Info in the first (#1) Palette
position so I can just hit Command+V to Paste in the usual manner.

When dealing with individual Track Names and Track Numbers for
multiple songs on one Album, the iTunes Info Box has both a
'Next' and a 'Previous' button so you can go up or down as
necessary.

Paul Soderman wrote:

Barbarossa:

It is best and fastest to do this BEFORE you rip (i.e., onto
the CD Info) but it works the same either way.

In 'iTunes:'

If the Album has the same Info for multiple tracks,
Click/Highlight one of the tracks and then click Command+A to
select 'All.' Then click Command+I to 'Get Info.'

If doing one track at a time Click/Highlight the Track and
click Command+I to 'Get Info.' Then click on the 'Info' Tab.

You can try this a few times without hurting or changing
anything. Play around a bit. Do this on a copy of a Track if you
wish.

You will note that when first opened the 'Info' dialog box has
the first item, 'Artist' highlighted. In my case, I would hold
the cursor over the 'P' palette in CopyPaste and then click on
the P next to the copied artist's name: Cornwell, Bernard

Then click Tab; the Highlight will move to 'Year.' I would then
click on the P in the Palette next to the copied year: 2006

Then click Tab, Tab. This will bring you down to: 'Album.'
I would then click on the P next to: Sharpe 10.5: Sharpe's Fury.

[If the title seems a little arcane to you, it is an early
version of a system I tried to keep things in order. Bernard
Cornwell does NOT write his Sharpe stories in chronological
order.]

And so on until all the info is added.

If you see that something in one of the copied lines needs
changing, you may DoubleClick on the line in the Palette and it
will open in a TextEditor (neat, huh?)

If you wish to eliminate any copied line in a Palette, ShiftClick
on the line and it will disappear. You should also play around
with this, too.

Remember that the usual clicks - Cut, Copy, Paste work in the
usual manner with the exception that 'CopyPaste-X' REMEMBERS the
last 20 or so copies or cuts you made so that you can go back to
them and use them over and over, and even edit them. Also
remember that the LAST thing you copy is always at the top of the
list, and that is what is pasted when you hit Command+V.

Album art may only be added to the Mp3 or M4a AFTER ripping;
you cannot add artwork (or anything else) to a CD.
--
________B___a___r___b___a___r___o___s___s___a_____ ___
Wayne B. Hewitt Encinitas, CA whewitt@ucsd.edu