Renaming songs without iTunes losing them

[MeScott]

All my songs are named like <Track#> - <Title> - <Artist> (I am not letting iTunes manage my music). But now I discovered about 60 songs which aren't named like that. So, I was about to rename them to the correct pattern, but I was thinking: when I rename them, iTunes won't know where the songs have gone and can't play them anymore.

The easy way to fix this is by deleting every song from the library, rename them, and insert them again. However, I want to keep the song data (play count, skip count, in which playlists the songs are), so deleting them from iTunes isn't the way to solve this for me. But what is the way to rename tracks in my iTunes library without losing the track data ?

 

[thefunkymunky]

Can't you just rename the songs in iTunes and not in the Finder?

 

[MeScott]

Can't you just rename the songs in iTunes and not in the Finder?

No, that's just editing the ID3-tag, not renaming the song..

 

[thefunkymunky]

No, that's just editing the ID3-tag, not renaming the song..

Errrm. When I rename a song in iTunes it also renames the actual song file on my hard drive. I've just done it now.

 

[MeScott]

Errrm. When I rename a song in iTunes it also renames the actual song file on my hard drive. I've just done it now.

You probably let iTunes manage your music then ? If not, how do you edit the filename in iTunes ?

 

[thefunkymunky]

You probably let iTunes manage your music then ? If not, how do you edit the filename in iTunes ?

OK. I just turned off iTunes Management in the Preferences. I renamed a song in the Finder. Launched iTunes and played the same song and it plays fine. Have you tried it with just one song and see what happens?

 

[MeScott]

OK. I just turned off iTunes Management in the Preferences. I renamed a song in the Finder. Launched iTunes and played the same song and it plays fine. Have you tried it with just one song and see what happens?

I renamed a song (with Explorer, since I'm using Windows, but that doesn't make any difference, does it ?), then tried playing it and iTunes gives a warning that the file couldn't be found and whether I want to search for the song...

 

[thefunkymunky]

I renamed a song (with Explorer, since I'm using Windows, but that doesn't make any difference, does it ?), then tried playing it and iTunes gives a warning that the file couldn't be found and whether I want to search for the song...

Hmm. Might be a Mac thing then. You could tell iTunes to relocate the song after it asked if you want to search for it.

I'm guessing it works on a Mac because iTunes creates Symbolic UNIX links to the actual song files rather than relying on the name of the file.

The same thing happens with apps. You can move apps around and even place them in different folders but the Alias (AKA Shortcut) on the Dock for example still works.

 

[MeScott]

Hmm. Might be a Mac thing then. You could tell iTunes to relocate the song after it asked if you want to search for it.

I'm guessing it works on a Mac because iTunes creates Symbolic UNIX links to the actual song files rather than relying on the name of the file.

The same thing happens with apps. You can move apps around and even place them in different folders but the Alias (AKA Shortcut) on the Dock for example still works.

Oh, that's a pity.. So is there anyway I could do something like this in Windows ?

 

[thefunkymunky]

Oh, that's a pity.. So is there anyway I could do something like this in Windows ?

Not sure off the top of me head. I'll boot into Windows later (in work atm) and have a look. Have you looked whether there is a third-party app on Version Tracker that can do the renaming for you? Might get lucky.

 

[Consultant]

As long as your ID3 tags are complete and consistent, all music player software will organize your songs appropriately. There is no need to manage songs manually via file names and folders.

Why do you need to manually find a song through WE? If you know what song you are looking for in iTunes, type in portion of the song/ album/ artist name, and the relevant songs will come up. You can then right click the song to reveal the song(s) and go to the relevant folder.

 

[thefunkymunky]

iTunes manages songs by <Disk Number>, <Track Number>, <Song Title>. The OP wants <Track Number>, <Song Title>, <Artist>.

 

[MeScott]

Besides, songs without an album are placed in Artist/Unknow Alubm, which I don't like. And it's also impossible to select multiple songs from more than 1 artist, since the songs are placed in different folders.

Thefunkymunky, I already got an application which can do the renaming, that isn't the problem. It's that iTunes won't be able to find them back [in Windows] because they're renamed. I have searched for apps which could rename and let iTunes remember the song, but till now on I haven't found any.

 

[todd2000]

Dude managing you music files with specific file names, and folder structures is so 1997 . Just let iTunes mange them, I think you'll find it does a better job then you think.

And it's also impossible to select multiple songs from more than 1 artist, since the songs are placed in different folders.

If iTunes is manageing your music and you have it named properly you can just highlight whatever songs you want from whatever artist you want in your iTunes library, and be done with it. No need to use Windows Explorer

 

[MeScott]

If iTunes is manageing your music and you have it named properly you can just highlight whatever songs you want from whatever artist you want in your iTunes library, and be done with it. No need to use Windows Explorer

I meant I could not select multiple songs from different artists in Windows Explorer, to copy them to another directory or so.

 

[todd2000]

I meant I could not select multiple songs from different artists in Windows Explorer, to copy them to another directory or so.

And I meant that you need to get away from the habit of managing your music with Windows Explorer, and let iTunes do it for you. I don't know why you'd have to move the files once their in iTunes just use it to play them and your done. If you simply want a copy of certain files in a different directory, then just select the songs you want to copy from within iTunes, and drag them from your iTunes window to the directory you want to copy them too, and iTunes will automatically copy them for you. No need to mess with explorer.

 

[MeScott]

Ok well, you convinced me! Thanks for your help

 

[maxrobertson]

I renamed a song (with Explorer, since I'm using Windows, but that doesn't make any difference, does it ?), then tried playing it and iTunes gives a warning that the file couldn't be found and whether I want to search for the song...

Ok, it's not possible on Windows. On Mac OS, it will automatically find the file for you if you rename or move it, but on windows you'll have to browse for the file yourself.

 

[todd2000]

Ok well, you convinced me! Thanks for your help

Glad you've seen the light. Unless of course your just saying that to shut me up.

 

[MeScott]

No, I didn't say that to shut you up, I actually did it And I kinda like it, I can now just add songs and edit the ID3-tags, without worrying about the filename or if it's in the correct directory