Unsung features in iTunes 9

Jake Widman
Tuesday, 15 September 2009 02:17

Your IT - Entertainment

The result is that iTunes 8 and previous versions present a Music folder within which are folders for each band but also, at the same level, for Movies and Podcasts. My folder list, for example, reads Mothers of Invention, Mott the Hoople, Mountain, Movies, MSTRKRFT....

The nonsensical organization doesn't affect the way iTunes functions, but it's an irritation to those of us who like a logical file structure.

iTunes 9 introduces an Organize Library command (under File > Library) that arranges the folders in a more sensible way.

Inside the iTunes Music folder, it sets up separate folders for Downloads, iPOd Games, Mobile Applications, Movies, Music, Podcasts, Ringtones (another new feature), and TV Shows.

There's still the nagging issue of the primary folder being named iTunes Music (though apparently if you create a new library instead of reorganizing an existing one, the main folder is called iTunes Media), but otherwise this is a much cleaner approach.

The other drawback, reported by at least one reorganizer, is that Time Machine regards the newly organized folder as an entirely new item to be backed up. That means you'll wind up with two complete copies of your iTunes Library on your backup disk, one organized the old way and one organized the new way.

To regain the space, you'll need to launch Time Machine, navigate to the iTunes Music Folder in your previous backup, and delete it. Whether you decide it's worth all the trouble depends on how much you're bothered by illogical folder hierarchies -- as I said, the existing arrangement may not make sense, but it doesn't cause any trouble for iTunes either.

Keep an eye out for more iTWire iTunes 9 coverage, coming soon.