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drissa · Oct 19, 2003, 07:34 AM

Sorry to moan and seem very thick, but burning a CD seems to be incredibly laborious. Do I really need to enter info like artist/album for each track individually? Tracks have to plunge into the depths of the library before they can go into a playlist and then finally onto a CD - perhaps it's just poor track management, but I'm left with ten 'track 1's, ten 'track 2's, etc.

I really don't find the iApps as user friendly as they're supposed to be. Things don't seem to happpen in a logical or friendly way. I'm still on iTunes 2 - are things any better with the up-to-date version? I've had similiar problems with iPhoto - shift an image from it's directory and it crashes.

At work, our bog standard office PC can burn things in a much more straightforward way with a few clicks. I'M NOT A TROLL, just pissed-off with things that are supposed to be really easy.

800Mhz G4, 768MB RAM, 10.1.5 (yeah, yeah, yeah)

voodoo · Oct 19, 2003, 07:50 AM

Now if you'd be connected to the internet when you insert a new CD into your Mac with iTunes running, iTunes will search CDDB for all track names automatically. What could be more easier than that?

Colonel Panic · Oct 19, 2003, 07:54 AM

there is a "connect to the internet when needed" check box in itunes preferences and if that failes there is a "get CD track names" in the "Advanced" menu.

Horsepoo!!! · Oct 19, 2003, 08:05 AM

Originally posted by drissa:
Sorry to moan and seem very thick, but burning a CD seems to be incredibly laborious. Do I really need to enter info like artist/album for each track individually? Tracks have to plunge into the depths of the library before they can go into a playlist and then finally onto a CD - perhaps it's just poor track management, but I'm left with ten 'track 1's, ten 'track 2's, etc.

I really don't find the iApps as user friendly as they're supposed to be. Things don't seem to happpen in a logical or friendly way. I'm still on iTunes 2 - are things any better with the up-to-date version? I've had similiar problems with iPhoto - shift an image from it's directory and it crashes.

At work, our bog standard office PC can burn things in a much more straightforward way with a few clicks. I'M NOT A TROLL, just pissed-off with things that are supposed to be really easy.

800Mhz G4, 768MB RAM, 10.1.5 (yeah, yeah, yeah)

What about CDDB?

If you're not connected to the 'net then it's just too bad because CD don't have the metadata necessary to tag your MP3 rips. iTunes can't do miracles.

Surely you have internet...it's *that* easy.

voodoo · Oct 19, 2003, 08:36 AM

Originally posted by Horsepoo!!!:

Surely you have internet...it's *that* easy.

Well he posted on the internet - a safe assumption is that he has internet access.

drissa · Oct 19, 2003, 10:18 AM

Thanks for the replies.

The last CD I transferred to iTunes was 'Secrets and Signals' by Stars in Battledress. They probably manufactured about 5,000. Something tells me there won't be any data for this one out there...

Of course I don't expect iTunes to know the track names on a CD - as you pointed out; impossible. My main issue is the clumsiness of the route from CD to CD-R - why can't I drag imported tracks from the CD interface straight into a playlist? My only option is to name each track in a way that will distinguish them from all the others in the library...however, iTunes then sorts the tracks alphabetically, leaving me to reshuffle the tracks into the correct order in the playlist.

It shouldn't be this much hassle!

DaGuy · Oct 19, 2003, 10:25 AM

Originally posted by drissa:

I really don't find the iApps as user friendly as they're supposed to be. Things don't seem to happpen in a logical or friendly way. I'm still on iTunes 2 - are things any better with the up-to-date version? I've had similiar problems with iPhoto - shift an image from it's directory and it crashes.

You have an 800MHZ G4, a ton of RAM and you still have 10.1.5 and old versions of the iApps. Sorry Dude, I don't get this... You hardware is solid why not update the OS and the iApps??

One of the advantage that iApps have over anything that HP, DELL and even SONY is that APPLE has a well-defined iApp strategy. They are continuously working to make them better. The PC world is full of one shot versions just to sell the machines.

Anyway, I believe most people find the iApps really easy. Nevertheless, if you want to do things by the book then buy a book... There are a gazillion books on iApps out there. I know my way around iMovie pretty well but buying a book brought in a fresh perspective, variations on the workflow and neat tricks and tips.

starman · Oct 19, 2003, 10:31 AM

Originally posted by drissa:
Thanks for the replies.

The last CD I transferred to iTunes was 'Secrets and Signals' by Stars in Battledress. They probably manufactured about 5,000. Something tells me there won't be any data for this one out there...

Of course I don't expect iTunes to know the track names on a CD - as you pointed out; impossible. My main issue is the clumsiness of the route from CD to CD-R - why can't I drag imported tracks from the CD interface straight into a playlist? My only option is to name each track in a way that will distinguish them from all the others in the library...however, iTunes then sorts the tracks alphabetically, leaving me to reshuffle the tracks into the correct order in the playlist.

It shouldn't be this much hassle!

It's not impossible. CDs are starting be released with CD-Text which has the tracks already on the CD.

Mike

Mithras · Oct 19, 2003, 10:34 AM

Originally posted by drissa:
Thanks for the replies.
Of course I don't expect iTunes to know the track names on a CD - as you pointed out; impossible. My main issue is the clumsiness of the route from CD to CD-R - why can't I drag imported tracks from the CD interface straight into a playlist? My only option is to name each track in a way that will distinguish them from all the others in the library...however, iTunes then sorts the tracks alphabetically, leaving me to reshuffle the tracks into the correct order in the playlist.

It shouldn't be this much hassle!

Do you give the album a name before importing it?
1. After inserting the CD, and if your album for some reason is not in CDDB, then click on the album in the 'Source' pane, and select File: Get Info. Change the name of the album there.

2. Then import.

3. Your library now contains the tracks from the album, each labeled with the artist + album, and each track named 'Track 1', 'Track 2', etc.

4. In the Library, select all the tracks in the CD you want to burn -- either by using the Browse button, or sorting by Artist or Album.

5. Drag the tracks into the Source pane to make a new playlist.

6. If they are sorted by name, and not track #, click on any of the column headers:
(1) the leftmost column with the track #s
(2) Artist
(3) Album

and they will be sorted by track #.

7. Burn.

Visnaut · Oct 19, 2003, 10:41 AM

Originally posted by drissa:
The last CD I transferred to iTunes was 'Secrets and Signals' by Stars in Battledress. They probably manufactured about 5,000. Something tells me there won't be any data for this one out there...

It's worth a try. I've inserted arguably more rare CDs and I got solid results.

Originally posted by drissa:
My main issue is the clumsiness of the route from CD to CD-R - why can't I drag imported tracks from the CD interface straight into a playlist?

You can. I've been able to do this since at least iTunes 3. In fact, thats how I regularly import CDs: Create a playlist, and drag the CD tracks to it. Conversion starts automagically.

Originally posted by drissa:
I'm still on iTunes 2 - are things any better with the up-to-date version?

I'd actually try using the latest version of software before complaining about it. All of the issues you mention have been resolved.

What stuns me most is that you took the time to write a long-winded post about your gripes about iTunes 2 instead of trying out 4.1 which was released just days ago. You meet the minimum requirements.

ryaxnb · Oct 19, 2003, 12:13 PM

Originally posted by drissa:
Thanks for the replies.

The last CD I transferred to iTunes was 'Secrets and Signals' by Stars in Battledress. They probably manufactured about 5,000. Something tells me there won't be any data for this one out there...

Of course I don't expect iTunes to know the track names on a CD - as you pointed out; impossible. My main issue is the clumsiness of the route from CD to CD-R - why can't I drag imported tracks from the CD interface straight into a playlist? My only option is to name each track in a way that will distinguish them from all the others in the library...however, iTunes then sorts the tracks alphabetically, leaving me to reshuffle the tracks into the correct order in the playlist.

It shouldn't be this much hassle!

You can. It least in iTunes 4, I can select tracks from a CD and drasg to a playlist.

voodoo · Oct 19, 2003, 12:34 PM

Originally posted by drissa:
The last CD I transferred to iTunes was 'Secrets and Signals' by Stars in Battledress. They probably manufactured about 5,000. Something tells me there won't be any data for this one out there...

I've gotten automatic results from ICELANDIC cds that were not 5000 manufactured, let alone sold. Don't underestimate CDDB. It is quite extensive and will surprise you at times. Of course it doesn't have everything.

drissa · Oct 19, 2003, 01:15 PM

Thanks for the advice. Although the OS is old, the machine is a fairly new purchase and it made sense to hang-on for Panther.

But you're right - I've been a c**t and I'll try harder.

tr · Oct 19, 2003, 01:27 PM

Originally posted by voodoo:
I've gotten automatic results from ICELANDIC cds that were not 5000 manufactured, let alone sold. Don't underestimate CDDB. It is quite extensive and will surprise you at times. Of course it doesn't have everything.

yeah, don't underestimate CDDB. i mean, i've popped in CD's thinking "there's no way any one has put this up", and all the track names come in, and i'm talking about really obscure bootleg concert CD's.

tr

maxintosh · Oct 19, 2003, 04:14 PM

Originally posted by tr:
yeah, don't underestimate CDDB. i mean, i've popped in CD's thinking "there's no way any one has put this up", and all the track names come in, and i'm talking about really obscure bootleg concert CD's.

tr

Heck, my old 320-student prep school's 1998 A Cappella CD had its tracks pulled up right away by CDDB. *I* was impressed.

torifile · Oct 19, 2003, 05:36 PM

You can get track names from CDDB even AFTER you've imported it too. Just select all the tracks you've imported from that CD and tell it to get track names. To make it easier, just name the cd so that you can find the tracks again later.

LeeG · Oct 19, 2003, 05:37 PM

At least take a look on CDDB - costs nothing, I have had live concerts (legally recorded) show up, and I doubt there are 5000 copies. Just check.

Also, I am happily running itunes 4.1 on a 500Mhz G4 - you can run it easily, and when you upgrade from 10.2 to panther, you're going to DRASTICALLY change your OSX experience - get ready for a new machine!

Lee

Amorya · Oct 19, 2003, 06:01 PM

Originally posted by drissa:
Thanks for the replies.

The last CD I transferred to iTunes was 'Secrets and Signals' by Stars in Battledress. They probably manufactured about 5,000. Something tells me there won't be any data for this one out there...

I dunno - the CDs my choir has recorded are on CDDB and we've probably sold about 200 at most.

Amorya

MountainMac · Oct 19, 2003, 06:23 PM

You can also submit the track names to CDDB once you've entered them in iTunes and make life better for other Stars in Battledress fans...

ryaxnb · Oct 20, 2003, 01:16 AM

Originally posted by torifile:
You can get track names from CDDB even AFTER you've imported it too. Just select all the tracks you've imported from that CD and tell it to get track names. To make it easier, just name the cd so that you can find the tracks again later.

THANK You, Thank You, Oh yeah, Thanks a lot.

- - e r i k - - · Oct 20, 2003, 01:27 AM

Just reading fast around this thread, I can't see that anyone has yet mentioned iTunes capabilites to edit information on multiple songs at once. (Good for when you are not on the internet, and in those cases CDDB do not have info, burned CDs and the like).

Select all the songs on an album, it will pop up a dialog asking if you really want to edit multiple songs at once. Check the "Don't show this dialog again" and edit away. Set artist / album and a three star rating (if you want to use the rating system, you can easily adjust individual songs up and down afterwards).

And yeah, don't complain about three year old versions of a software. iTunes is damn near a perfect piece of software.

mitchell_pgh · Oct 20, 2003, 10:43 AM

A way around the "I'm not connected to the internet, so I'm getting blank track info" is to copy the CD to the HD (Hold Option and drag it anywhere on the desktop or into a folder. Wait until it copies the whole thing. (And then eject the real/original CD)

When you do get connected, drag the disk image to iTunes.

(If you need to listen to the CD before that... it will show up in iTunes as a regular CD)

bmedina · Oct 20, 2003, 10:56 AM

Or just use the Advanced->Get CD Track Names feature.

Yay! Another, "I don't know how to use something, so it sucks" thread.

Lyra · Oct 20, 2003, 11:22 AM

Well what really pisses me off with iTunes 4.1, is that when I want to listen to a track from their store, it after some 7 or 8 previews of the 30 sec, of a song, asks me to join or sign in...

Way to go!!

I would if Apple would release the EU version of iTune Music Store...

I mean it didn't do it before what happened since?

Don't get me wrong, iTunes is great but this new feature drives me crazy.

A real slap in the face for those who can't use the store...

- - e r i k - - · Oct 20, 2003, 11:40 AM

Originally posted by Lyra:
A real slap in the face for those who can't use the store...

Agreed.

mitchell_pgh · Oct 20, 2003, 12:25 PM

Originally posted by Lyra:
Well what really pisses me off with iTunes 4.1, is that when I want to listen to a track from their store, it after some 7 or 8 previews of the 30 sec, of a song, asks me to join or sign in...

Way to go!!

I would if Apple would release the EU version of iTune Music Store...

I mean it didn't do it before what happened since?

Don't get me wrong, iTunes is great but this new feature drives me crazy.

A real slap in the face for those who can't use the store...

Kind of reminds me of Real back in the day. If you would do anything, it would throw up an advertisement...

Even Quicktime does that from time to time...

But for people outside the US, it would be like them saying "Upgrade to Panther!!!" EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT RELEASED!!!

boardsurfer · Oct 20, 2003, 12:30 PM

Originally posted by bmedina:
Or just use the Advanced->Get CD Track Names feature.

Yay! Another, "I don't know how to use something, so it sucks" thread.

GENERAL_SMILEY · Oct 20, 2003, 01:11 PM

Originally posted by drissa:
Thanks for the replies.

The last CD I transferred to iTunes was 'Secrets and Signals' by Stars in Battledress. They probably manufactured about 5,000. Something tells me there won't be any data for this one out there...

Probably true, but sometimes you would be amazed at what it can come back with, I get quite a few pre-release records, even in the rather esoteric World music genre, and it generally works - probably to do with the record company / distributor I guess.

Bobby · Oct 20, 2003, 02:21 PM

yes...

talisker · Oct 20, 2003, 03:16 PM

I even find that CDDB has track names for free CDs given away with some music magazines (Uncut etc). I wonder where it get's its data from?

janmc · Oct 20, 2003, 03:26 PM

"You can get track names from CDDB even AFTER you've imported it too. Just select all the tracks you've imported from that CD and tell it to get track names. To make it easier, just name the cd so that you can find the tracks again later."

That doesn't work for me - I usually name the artist and album when I'm importing - does that make a difference?

BuonRotto · Oct 20, 2003, 03:27 PM

FYI, you can also get info and change tags for multiple items at a time. Just select all the tracks whose info you want to edit using the shift and/or the apple keys, then press command (apple) - i. It brings up a special Get Info dialog where you can alter tags for all of the selected songs at once. You can uncheck any changed info fields in that dialog to back out without cancelling all the other changes.

lavar78 · Oct 20, 2003, 04:54 PM

Originally posted by talisker:
I even find that CDDB has track names for free CDs given away with some music magazines (Uncut etc). I wonder where it get's its data from?

CDDB gets its data from other users.

SomeToast · Oct 20, 2003, 06:25 PM

Originally posted by Lyra:
Don't get me wrong, iTunes is great but this new feature drives me crazy.

A real slap in the face for those who can't use the store...

It was probably done to help dissuade people from sucking up bandwidth using the iTMS solely as an online listening station. With an account, at least they're one step closer to buying.

Granted, that makes life more difficult for those who are unable to make purchases due to geographic restrictions, but how easy should Apple make it when there's absolutely no possibility of there being a sale as a result?