Do I need to manually drop files into iTunes?

[DisplacedMic]

Ok this is embarassing for me but I have some serious holes in my knowledge on how iTunes actually works after resisting it for years. I prefer a more "winamp" style of music management... but now that i have an apple tv i am stuck using itunes.


So - I don't want itunes managing my files as that just makes a mess of all my mp3s. However I would like it to "refresh" a bit easier. Is there a way I don't have to drop files into itunes manually or is this a non-starter?

I have set my library location manually - lets say it's just called Video. If i drop a video from my phone into that folder, for example, do i still have to drop the file into iTunes or will it refresh that folder on its own?

Also - when i drop a file into itunes is it making a copy of that file in a library folder somewhere? (obviously it's copying it if i drop a file from external media like my phone, but if i drop in a file from, say for example, the desktop folder is it making a copy?

thanks!

 

[jahala]

Inside your iTunes folder, there is a folder at iTunes Media/Automatically Add to iTunes

Drop the files into that folder instead of Video and iTunes will move it into the Video folder for you and add it to your iTunes library. If you do not want iTunes to rearrange your mp3 files, go to the preferences, the advanced tab and uncheck the box that says Keep iTunes Media folder organized.

There is also a checkbox there to control whether or not iTunes should copy files when adding to the library. Regardless of the state of these two checkboxes, iTunes will move any files placed in the Automatically Add... folder to the appropriate folder in iTunes Media.

Just placing a new file in the Video folder in your example will NOT add that file to the iTunes library. However, iTunes does watch the files in the library if it is running, so moving files around within the iTunes Media folder or renaming files if they are already in the library will not cause problems because iTunes will update the library database automatically. If you move or rename files while iTunes is not running, the database will not be updated.