[m021478]

As I am sure most people did over the first month or two after the app store became available, I downloaded far too many ridiculous and pointless apps just to see what they were like (some free, some not free; some completely ridiculous, some only slightly ridiculous)...

If I wanted to clean up my list of apps so that it contains virtually nothing more than the apps I want synced to my iPhone (instead of a huge multi-page list that requires scrolling), how would I go about removing the 'Non-Select' apps from the list of apps without permanently deleting them, so that if I decide at one point in the future to add them back, I can easily do so?

Any thoughts?

[stevebez]

When your iPhone is visible in iTunes switch to the "apps" tab. There is a check box for "sync selected apps only". it should be pretty self explainatory from there.

[m021478]

I know how to disable certain apps from being synced to my iPhone, but I am looking at a list of about 90+ apps, only 20 or so I'd like to even exist in iTunes (and I'd rather not permenantly delete them - in other words, I'd at least like to have the option to re-add them to iTunes at some point in the future).

I know you can re-download apps from an authorized computer without needing to pay again, but I'd simply like to remove approximately 70 of the 90 apps, keeping only 20 or so, and instead of keeping a list of which apps I've purchased at some point in the past, I could instead refer to the folder of previously purchased apps...

Long story short...how can they be backed up, then removed from the list of apps in iTunes, then reinstalled at a later time?

[gradient]

When you delete an app from iTunes it will give you the option of moving the app file itself to the trash or keeping it. If you select to keep it then it'll be removed from your iTunes list but remain in the Music/iTunes/Mobile Applications folder.

Opening up the folder and double-clicking on the app in question will then launch iTunes and add it back to your list.

Presumably after you've deleted an app from iTunes but left it in the Mobile Applications folder, you could manually move it to a subdirectory of "inactive apps" or something until you want to add it to iTunes again.

If iTunes doesn't give you the option when deleting, you've probably already selected one or the other in the past and checked the "don't ask me again" box. If that's the case, you can reset it in the Advanced iTunes preferences tab -> "Reset all dialog warnings".

Hope that helps.

edit: I noticed that there actually is no "don't ask me again" checkbox on that particular dialog box so it should come up every time.

[m021478]

So what about backing it up first, then removing it (which as you noted, deletes it), then ~ when/if I want to restore/re-add a particular application ~ manually copying the backed-up copy back to the Mobile Applications folder?

How then would I go about getting iTunes to re-recognize it? Would choosing to Consolidate library work? Should I just drag the app back onto the iTunes window? If dragging it winds up being the suggested method of re-adding it, I've noticed that many of the apps have several copies/versions of the app in the Mobile Applications folder...which one would I drag?

Any thoughts?

[gradient]

Originally Posted by m021478 

So what about backing it up first, then removing it (which as you noted, deletes it), then ~ when/if I want to restore/re-add a particular application ~ manually copying the backed-up copy back to the Mobile Applications folder?

How then would I go about getting iTunes to re-recognize it? Would choosing to Consolidate library work? Should I just drag the app back onto the iTunes window? If dragging it winds up being the suggested method of re-adding it, I've noticed that many of the apps have several copies/versions of the app in the Mobile Applications folder...which one would I drag?

Any thoughts?

You can keep a backup copy of the app file in question wherever you want. If you want to add it back in to iTunes, just double click on it and it will appear in iTunes and a copy will automatically be copied back into the Mobile Applications folder. Simply copying the backup back into the Mobile Applications folder won't get the app into iTunes.

As far as the multiple versions go, the one with the highest number appended to the end of the file name will be the newest version so, unless there's a problem with the newest version, that is the one you'll want to keep.

Note that this is also a way for you to revert to an older version of an app if you want/need to (I've never wanted or needed to but it's conceivable that an update may come up of an app that is broken in some way and you'd prefer to revert to the previous version). You can remove the app from iTunes, then go the the Mobile Applications folder and double click on an older version and you'll get an old version of the app in iTunes and thus your iPhone/iTouch.

[scottgriz]

So what you're looking for is a way to view your App list by synced and not synced.
I don't think there is a way to do this now, but that would be a great feature.
Apple needs to do a lot more with sorting and search refining.

[m021478]

Thanks gradient for your response...

[punc]

why not configure time machine for that particular folder in Music/iTunes/Mobile Applications? Couldn't think of an easier way...