iTunes is confusing - my rant
I've just updated to the latest version of iTunes and although it looks much prettier than before, it's even more confusing than before (if that's at all possible).
The problem is that that there's no clearly-defined way of getting from A to B. Everything seems to be on display in one go, except for what you want - which is hidden somewhere in a teensy little menu or submenu that you have to hunt for (or sign in for). And then instead of big buttons, it's a small button where you'd least expect it (or even hidden in an options or property menu or submenu or subdialog). Not to mention there are menus and navigation bars on top (sometimes as many as four rows of them) and on the left and down the middle and along the bottom and even a hot-list along the right-hand side.
The designers of iTunes (Apple products) seem to be random visual people, rather than have any idea about how people "flow" through various processes. Ordinary people like me (who isn't an expert in every last detail of itunes and the Appstore and all the other wonderful but impossible to use features) need a starting point and an easy, obvious path to follow. And even when I do discover where they are, I can't remember.
For instance, something as basic as having my audio books available in books. It's not possible. I have to make it a music file and then only access it under music. And even then, it's a great juggling act to make them find them. The search feature seldom works, but I can sometimes find my audiobooks if I select the right genre or list my albums... (and then they're split into more than one album despite the fact that that I've set the name to be IDENTICAL) ???
I've bookmarked this page because every time I try to update something or download something that isn't doing so properly on my iPad, I can't find where to go.
When I open iTunes now, I get my list of music items and no obvious way to find where the Apps are. Only when I plug in my iPad and click on the icon (be careful not to click on the arrow, otherwise it will disconnect the iPad) can I see the iPad control panel. I can't seem to find my apps if the iPad isn't connected.
And because there is no border, somehow I keep missing the iTunes app and end up switching to another app (on Windows). It makes me feel very stupid, but it ONLY happens with iTunes, no other application, so it can't just be me.
I tried to find my purchased apps and there are at least two places to go. Eventually I found that one that lists all the icons and then has the tiny Download All button on the bottom right hand of the page.
The left menu panel doesn't seem to exist any more, so I can't find where to go to update the apps. The main reason why I need to do this is that some apps have been stuck on the "installing" stage for the last week or so, and I'd like to use some of them again.
Maybe "download all" is the new "update all"?
Apple Experts, you can insult me all you want, but if others who are more understanding can explain in explicit detail where to go and how to get there, I - and the other poor sods in this forum - will be extremely grateful.
Update (2 hours later, that's how long it took).
For some reason the little icon showing the iPad had disappeared (surprise, surprise) despite disconnecting and reconnecting several times. Then I tried to find it again and/or the apps that needed to be updated.
All the apps that I had purchased got downloaded onto my PC, so that was something. But not what I wanted.
Then I tried the file menu, but the only options under "Devices" was to sync or transfer purchases (but from the iPad not to it.) I tried the transfer purchases.
No good. But here's the solution:
Somewhere in my random clicking, I clicked on the button that says Library - which can be found on the TOP RIGHT HAND CORNER of the iTunes aapplication, along the THIRD row of controls. (First row is the play controls on the left, then a kind of status bar and then the search box. The second row is the regular File/Edit/View/../Help menu. The third row is the one that changes, and usually shows a button with three lines and next to it the Library button
Note The iPad/iPhone has to plugged in, otherwise you won't see the next screen. Once you get to this screen, there doesn't seem to be a way to go back to the "home" screen unless you unplug the device again.
Now the three lines and the Library buttons changes to the iPad connection button and and the iTunes Store button.
The trick is then to click on another button that's IMMEDIATELY UNDER the File menu on the left hand side. It might show Music or Books or Apps. If it's already on Apps then you're on the right page. If not then click on it, and it changes to a drop-down select box. Select Apps.
[I've just noticed that there are even more menu items on the same row as the drop-down select box when you select Apps: All - iPhone - iPad - iPod Games - List - Updates. You may have to select Updates to see what apps can be updated.]
Then all the apps that are already installed on your iPad/iPhone will show up (I think).
But the important bit is the AT THE BOTTOM RIGHT HAND CORNER are another two buttons, the first of which is XX Updates Available
Click on this button to get the next screen, which is entitled My App Updates.
Here is where you can update individual apps by manually clicking on their respective Get Update buttons, or you can update them all at once, but for this you have to go back to the TOP RIGHT HAND side of the screen. The two buttons just above will have changed back to the three lines and Library and underneath will be a link that says "Download All Free Updates". It seems that this is different from the "Download Apps" that's on the Purchased Apps page.
If you don't see XX Updates Available then select Updates on the menu bar (3rd row from the top) and then you will see Update All Apps on the bottom right hand corner.
It's a very convoluted way of doing a simple, obvious thing - and you have to travel all over the interface in the right order, otherwise you won't get to this point.
Oh and don't forget. You still have to sync the iPad/iPhone with your computer (again)a in order for the updates to "take" on the device itself.
I haven't checked out all the combinations, there may be other ways. But this way seems to work consistently for me.
By the way, when it comes to downloading the apps initially, that's a different story again. But how to do that is covered in my rant above...
I've just updated to the latest version of iTunes and although it looks much prettier than before, it's even more confusing than before (if that's at all possible).
The problem is that that there's no clearly-defined way of getting from A to B. Everything seems to be on display in one go, except for what you want - which is hidden somewhere in a teensy little menu or submenu that you have to hunt for (or sign in for). And then instead of big buttons, it's a small button where you'd least expect it (or even hidden in an options or property menu or submenu or subdialog). Not to mention there are menus and navigation bars on top (sometimes as many as four rows of them) and on the left and down the middle and along the bottom and even a hot-list along the right-hand side.
The designers of iTunes (Apple products) seem to be random visual people, rather than have any idea about how people "flow" through various processes. Ordinary people like me (who isn't an expert in every last detail of itunes and the Appstore and all the other wonderful but impossible to use features) need a starting point and an easy, obvious path to follow. And even when I do discover where they are, I can't remember.
For instance, something as basic as having my audio books available in books. It's not possible. I have to make it a music file and then only access it under music. And even then, it's a great juggling act to make them find them. The search feature seldom works, but I can sometimes find my audiobooks if I select the right genre or list my albums... (and then they're split into more than one album despite the fact that that I've set the name to be IDENTICAL) ???
I've bookmarked this page because every time I try to update something or download something that isn't doing so properly on my iPad, I can't find where to go.
When I open iTunes now, I get my list of music items and no obvious way to find where the Apps are. Only when I plug in my iPad and click on the icon (be careful not to click on the arrow, otherwise it will disconnect the iPad) can I see the iPad control panel. I can't seem to find my apps if the iPad isn't connected.
And because there is no border, somehow I keep missing the iTunes app and end up switching to another app (on Windows). It makes me feel very stupid, but it ONLY happens with iTunes, no other application, so it can't just be me.
I tried to find my purchased apps and there are at least two places to go. Eventually I found that one that lists all the icons and then has the tiny Download All button on the bottom right hand of the page.
The left menu panel doesn't seem to exist any more, so I can't find where to go to update the apps. The main reason why I need to do this is that some apps have been stuck on the "installing" stage for the last week or so, and I'd like to use some of them again.
Maybe "download all" is the new "update all"?
Apple Experts, you can insult me all you want, but if others who are more understanding can explain in explicit detail where to go and how to get there, I - and the other poor sods in this forum - will be extremely grateful.
Update (2 hours later, that's how long it took).
For some reason the little icon showing the iPad had disappeared (surprise, surprise) despite disconnecting and reconnecting several times. Then I tried to find it again and/or the apps that needed to be updated.
All the apps that I had purchased got downloaded onto my PC, so that was something. But not what I wanted.
Then I tried the file menu, but the only options under "Devices" was to sync or transfer purchases (but from the iPad not to it.) I tried the transfer purchases.
No good. But here's the solution:
Somewhere in my random clicking, I clicked on the button that says Library - which can be found on the TOP RIGHT HAND CORNER of the iTunes aapplication, along the THIRD row of controls. (First row is the play controls on the left, then a kind of status bar and then the search box. The second row is the regular File/Edit/View/../Help menu. The third row is the one that changes, and usually shows a button with three lines and next to it the Library button
Note The iPad/iPhone has to plugged in, otherwise you won't see the next screen. Once you get to this screen, there doesn't seem to be a way to go back to the "home" screen unless you unplug the device again.
Now the three lines and the Library buttons changes to the iPad connection button and and the iTunes Store button.
The trick is then to click on another button that's IMMEDIATELY UNDER the File menu on the left hand side. It might show Music or Books or Apps. If it's already on Apps then you're on the right page. If not then click on it, and it changes to a drop-down select box. Select Apps.
[I've just noticed that there are even more menu items on the same row as the drop-down select box when you select Apps: All - iPhone - iPad - iPod Games - List - Updates. You may have to select Updates to see what apps can be updated.]
Then all the apps that are already installed on your iPad/iPhone will show up (I think).
But the important bit is the AT THE BOTTOM RIGHT HAND CORNER are another two buttons, the first of which is XX Updates Available
Click on this button to get the next screen, which is entitled My App Updates.
Here is where you can update individual apps by manually clicking on their respective Get Update buttons, or you can update them all at once, but for this you have to go back to the TOP RIGHT HAND side of the screen. The two buttons just above will have changed back to the three lines and Library and underneath will be a link that says "Download All Free Updates". It seems that this is different from the "Download Apps" that's on the Purchased Apps page.
If you don't see XX Updates Available then select Updates on the menu bar (3rd row from the top) and then you will see Update All Apps on the bottom right hand corner.
It's a very convoluted way of doing a simple, obvious thing - and you have to travel all over the interface in the right order, otherwise you won't get to this point.
Oh and don't forget. You still have to sync the iPad/iPhone with your computer (again)a in order for the updates to "take" on the device itself.
I haven't checked out all the combinations, there may be other ways. But this way seems to work consistently for me.
By the way, when it comes to downloading the apps initially, that's a different story again. But how to do that is covered in my rant above...
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