Can you seriously not sort by file location in iTunes?

[MrMatt]

So I just downloaded iTunes, I figured I'd give it a shot since everyone splooges themselves when talking about it. I've got all my mp3s loaded into it now, and at the top of the columns I have titles of songs, time, artist, genre, etc. I don't want to sort the files like that though. I already have them sorted into folders. How do I sort these things by folder location? I don't see any option for it anywhere.



Moved from OT

ElFenix

 

[nickbits]

I've never seen that option either.

 

[rcpratt]

Don't think you can. The way iTunes stores music is obnoxious, which is why I'm very careful with how I organize my music before I load it into iTunes.

Can't say I've ever felt the need to see it in iTunes sorted by my file structure, though.

 

[Gooberlx2]

figured I'd give it a shot since everyone splooges themselves when talking about it.

Eh, you think? Wander into the "software for windows" forum and see the opinions there.

WMP has "file path" available as a column if you really need it. TBO, if your collection is logically organized, you should be able to accomplish the same thing via artist/album sorting.

 

[TheStu]

iTunes is a LIBRARY based player, it organizes as such. Once the files are put into iTunes, they are either A: moved to the iTunes folder and re-organized there, or B: not moved, but the iTunes Library file will reflect the new organization.

In the case of A it will go Artist->Album->File.mp3

Since it already has columns labelled Title, Artist, Album, Bit Rate, File Type, Genre Etc... why do you also need the path? If the point of the path initially was so you could keep them organized by Artist or Album or whatever, then that is taken care of with the column headers.

 

[Nothinman]

So I just downloaded iTunes, I figured I'd give it a shot since everyone splooges themselves when talking about it.

Most of the people I know have the opposite reaction, i.e. their blood pressure rises and they grumble about whatever problem they or someone they know had with iTunes. I don't think anyone really uses it because they like it, they use it because they need it for their iSomething.

 

[TheStu]

Most of the people I know have the opposite reaction, i.e. their blood pressure rises and they grumble about whatever problem they or someone they know had with iTunes. I don't think anyone really uses it because they like it, they use it because they need it for their iSomething.

I do and have always used it because I like it.

 

[dainthomas]

I do and have always used it because I like it.

You're the one!

WMP is so much easier and intuitive, it's ridiculous.

 

[erikistired]

i love itunes. the library functions are top notch. i don't really see the logic in needing to sort by file path, but if that's your thing perhaps you should use something else.

 

[Ns1]

The question is: why?

 

[Kmax82]

I do actually like iTunes.. my major gripe with it is it's system bloat. When I use it as a media player alongside normal day to day tasks, it's not unusual for it to sometimes take up to 40% of my CPU. This is while playing video. If they fixed that and made it respond a bit quicker, I'd be super happy with it.

 

[TheStu]

I do actually like iTunes.. my major gripe with it is it's system bloat. When I use it as a media player alongside normal day to day tasks, it's not unusual for it to sometimes take up to 40% of my CPU. This is while playing video. If they fixed that and made it respond a bit quicker, I'd be super happy with it.

I was actually fairly surprised at how few resources iTunes took up on my old PowerBook (10.5.8 with iTunes 9.2.1? the latest one) 40MB RAM or so and only 2% CPU while playing back music. I have it on library view not coverflow view, which really saves RAM and CPU, but still.

You're the one!

WMP is so much easier and intuitive, it's ridiculous.

I used WMP until about 2004 or so when I switched to iTunes, since then, everytime I have tried it, I have come away annoyed. But, I also switched to OS X in 2006, so at this point it might be that WMP is 'intuitive' to a Windows user, and iTunes is better for an OS X user.

Zune I like better than WMP, but not as much as iTunes.

 

[Narse]

If your MP3s are properly tagged why do you need path type sorting? If they are not tagged then you should tag your music and come into the world of sorting by tags! Folders are so 2003!

This actually was my biggest issue with iTunes when I switched everything over to iTunes a few years ago for my iPhone. I had to spend days tagging my music. After that iTunes is fantastic.

 

[scootermaster]

If your MP3s are properly tagged why do you need path type sorting? If they are not tagged then you should tag your music and come into the world of sorting by tags! Folders are so 2003!

This actually was my biggest issue with iTunes when I switched everything over to iTunes a few years ago for my iPhone. I had to spend days tagging my music. After that iTunes is fantastic.

Word.

I STILL haven't gotten used to switching from a file-based player (I'm winamp, from, like back with it was mp3play.exe) to a library based player. I honestly can't say I like library-based better, but if you tag your files judiciously, and either trust genius or create a ton of playlists, then it's pretty good.

The only thing I hate, is that iTunes DJ is a weaaaaaaaak substitute for what I did the most with winamp, which was on-the-fly, one-off playlist generation (i.e. drag a ton of files to my playlist, and then shuffle between those. Not sure how to efficiently do that in iTunes. (This is where you just have to pick a song and trust genius, or pre-make your playlists)

 

[Ns1]

But, I also switched to OS X in 2006, so at this point it might be that WMP is 'intuitive' to a Windows user, and iTunes is better for an OS X user.

this

hated iTunes on XP, no problems on OSX


my library is religiously tagged though.

 

[TheStu]

I'd like to know where the OP went.

 

[TheStu]

Word.

I STILL haven't gotten used to switching from a file-based player (I'm winamp, from, like back with it was mp3play.exe) to a library based player. I honestly can't say I like library-based better, but if you tag your files judiciously, and either trust genius or create a ton of playlists, then it's pretty good.

The only thing I hate, is that iTunes DJ is a weaaaaaaaak substitute for what I did the most with winamp, which was on-the-fly, one-off playlist generation (i.e. drag a ton of files to my playlist, and then shuffle between those. Not sure how to efficiently do that in iTunes. (This is where you just have to pick a song and trust genius, or pre-make your playlists)

Well, if you drag a file to the playlist section in the sidebar, it will create a new playlist, then just drop more files upon that playlist name. Select playlist, select shuffle... bam. Unless I have misunderstood.

 

[speg]

So I just downloaded iTunes, I figured I'd give it a shot since everyone splooges themselves when talking about it. I've got all my mp3s loaded into it now, and at the top of the columns I have titles of songs, time, artist, genre, etc. I don't want to sort the files like that though. I already have them sorted into folders. How do I sort these things by folder location? I don't see any option for it anywhere.



Moved from OT

ElFenix

Not another one of these....

Come on people, it's not 1999 anymore. You should not be browsing through hundreds if not thousands of folders to browse your music.

 

[Anubis]

Not another one of these....

Come on people, it's not 1999 anymore. You should not be browsing through hundreds if not thousands of folders to browse your music.

why not?

music -> artist -> album - > song in (Artist - ## - Title) format

everything with proper id3 v1.x and v2.x tags

why would you organize it any other way? i have over 100 gigs of music something like 20k files organized that way. works flawlessly

 

[MJinZ]

I do and have always used it because I like it.

Same. iTunes is the best software for managing music ever created. It is single handedly Apple's Masterpiece, and OSX Sucks balls.

Left column - Intelligent Playlists, my custom playlists, DJs, library etc. Drag and drop is beautiful here.
Top - Play functions
Search - find any song by partial in a second
Burn and rip - in 2 seconds in high quality Mp3 VBR
Volume normalization
Rating system

I can basically take my thousands of songs, put it into iTunes and I could do things in a few snaps, clicks, pops.

Everything else I have ever used it a shit-infested music player that just doesn't do the most important thing you need a player to do - ORGANIZE.

 

[MJinZ]

I do actually like iTunes.. my major gripe with it is it's system bloat. When I use it as a media player alongside normal day to day tasks, it's not unusual for it to sometimes take up to 40% of my CPU. This is while playing video. If they fixed that and made it respond a bit quicker, I'd be super happy with it.

I never really care, since that would be like 10% usage of one core on my 4.2ghz Quad i7.

 

[speg]

why not?

music -> artist -> album - > song in (Artist - ## - Title) format

everything with proper id3 v1.x and v2.x tags

why would you organize it any other way? i have over 100 gigs of music something like 20k files organized that way. works flawlessly

You can easily browse by artist -> album -> song in iTunes, among other things.

 

[Ns1]

why not?

music -> artist -> album - > song in (Artist - ## - Title) format

everything with proper id3 v1.x and v2.x tags

why would you organize it any other way? i have over 100 gigs of music something like 20k files organized that way. works flawlessly

Arist - Album - Song, 1 folder

why use folders at all?

 

[Anubis]

Arist - Album - Song, 1 folder

why use folders at all?

its neater, and faster, also i dont use a media player for anything playing music, i have 1 giant master play list with everything in it, another that is cut down so i don't have comedy or an audio book in with music and then a few other random ones, 99% of the time i just let the custom list play on random. if i want to listen to something specific its like 2 KB shortcuts and minor mouse work to change. All my music folders have album specific play lists in them.

I don't are about album art, smart play lists (i like dumb lists TBH), visualizations, rating songs,...

Folder structure also makes burning CDs for Use in the car much easier IMO.

that being said IDK why you would want to sort by file location per OPs rant in anything. unless you have music in 2 vastly different locations and not under a universal MUSIC header, which would make no sense at all

 

[Ns1]

its neater, and faster, also i dont use a media player for anything playing music, i have 1 giant master play list with everything in it, another that is cut down so i don't have comedy or an audio book in with music and then a few other random ones, 99% of the time i just let the custom list play on random. if i want to listen to something specific its like 2 KB shortcuts and minor mouse work to change. All my music folders have album specific play lists in them.

I don't are about album art, smart play lists (i like dumb lists TBH), visualizations, rating songs,...

Folder structure also makes burning CDs for Use in the car much easier IMO.

that being said IDK why you would want to sort by file location per OPs rant in anything. unless you have music in 2 vastly different locations and not under a universal MUSIC header, which would make no sense at all

I don't really see how it's faster, since you now have to drill down folders =P

but hey, whatever works; I managed my music like that for eons