Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

milf · Oct 12, 2003, 08:52 PM

Could anyone point me in the right direction for creating an Applescript that when run would generate smart playlists for all albums currently listed in iTunes. It'd be nice to have this ability automated...as in when I pop in a new CD or download something from the iTunes music store, a new smart playlist is automagically generated. Anyone? Thx.

cpac · Oct 12, 2003, 10:51 PM

not sure I understand you, but if what you're looking for a playlists that are the same as albums, why not just browse by album?

Same effect, none of the duplicate effort...

tritonus · Oct 13, 2003, 07:20 AM

Originally posted by cpac:
not sure I understand you, but if what you're looking for a playlists that are the same as albums, why not just browse by album?

Same effect, none of the duplicate effort...

I use playlists for albums, too. It's faster than browsing for me.

My sntax:

%Artist% - %Album%

with classical music:
%Composer% - %Title% - %Conductor%
%Composer% - %Title% - %Artist%

tritonus · Oct 13, 2003, 07:23 AM

Originally posted by milf:
Could anyone point me in the right direction for creating an Applescript that when run would generate smart playlists for all albums currently listed in iTunes. It'd be nice to have this ability automated...as in when I pop in a new CD or download something from the iTunes music store, a new smart playlist is automagically generated. Anyone? Thx.

I use this procedure:

1. Enter CD
2. Verify CDDB information
3. Mark all titles
4. Rip CD to AAC
5. Drag (still all titles marked) to empty space in playlist column

-> creates:
%Artist% - %Album%

You can also do that later (when alreday ripped).

milf · Oct 16, 2003, 04:46 PM

Tritonus,

Your method works well and is what I was looking for, but once the small window in iTunes is filled with playlists, it's rather difficult to drag and drop an album to create another new playlist. It seems to only allow me to add songs to exsiting playlists, which is not entirely what I want to do.

Any further suggestions?

Goldie · Oct 16, 2003, 05:00 PM

Try this guy's website

simonjames · Oct 16, 2003, 05:27 PM

If you select the songs from the library then type apple-shift-n this will create a playlist with the format artist - album

DougAdams · Oct 16, 2003, 08:17 PM

Originally posted by milf:
Could anyone point me in the right direction for creating an Applescript that when run would generate smart playlists for all albums currently listed in iTunes. It'd be nice to have this ability automated...as in when I pop in a new CD or download something from the iTunes music store, a new smart playlist is automagically generated. Anyone? Thx.

AppleScript cannot create Smart Playlists.

Have a look at SmartPlaylists.com

tritonus · Oct 17, 2003, 02:17 AM

Originally posted by milf:
Tritonus,

Your method works well and is what I was looking for, but once the small window in iTunes is filled with playlists, it's rather difficult to drag and drop an album to create another new playlist. It seems to only allow me to add songs to exsiting playlists, which is not entirely what I want to do.

Any further suggestions?

Yes, milf, I know that problem, too.

Here's what I do:

1. Select all songs from CD to rip (Apple + A).
2. Use page down slider to get an empty space at the bottom of the playlist pane.
3. Drag selected songs in empty space.

Too complicated?

tritonus · 02:34 AM

Originally posted by simonjames:
If you select the songs from the library then type apple-shift-n this will create a playlist with the format artist - album

That's nice, but unfortunately won't work when the album is not already ripped (in the library).

brinj · Oct 18, 2003, 07:41 PM

Originally posted by tritonus:
That's nice, but unfortunately won't work when the album is not already ripped (in the library).

put in the disc and get cddb info
select all and drag to the playlist window.
this method makes the smart playlist as it rips the cd. So its a one step process but it takes the time of ripping the disc to complete the list.

if you're not going to rip it you don't need to save the playlist. As for some reason, after you've accessed the cddb for a specific disc, itunes remembers the info the next time you put that disc in.

icruise · Oct 18, 2003, 07:55 PM

I'm guessing you don't have 500+ albums... But I don't really see the point of making playlists for albums in any case.

clarkgoble · Oct 18, 2003, 10:19 PM

Originally posted by DougAdams:
AppleScript cannot create Smart Playlists.

Have a look at SmartPlaylists.com

While Applescript can't make Smart Playlists you can use Applescripts to make playlists that are smarter than Smart Playlists. Smart Playlists are rather limited in what they do. All you do is write an Applescript with complex logic to define a playlist and then copy all tracks that meet its criteria to this playlist (deleting it first). You even have control about when it is run and when in randomizes unlike Smart Playlists.