[iTunes] iTunes: podcasts problem

[Michael Prete]

On Jul 6, 2008, at 11:22 AM, Becca wrote:
>
> --- On Sun, 7/6/08, Ken Stevens <kestevens at mac.com> wrote:
>
>
>> Hi Becca:
>
>> 1. Under the advanced tab in your menu bar there is a
>> "Consolidate Library" item. If you choose this option iTunes will  
>> search your hard
>> drive and copy all iTunes compatiblefiles to your Music Folder.   
>> Now you should go back and
>> delete these items from other folders where they exist or you will  
>> have duplicates, one
>> in the music folder and one where-ever iTunes found it.
>
> I spent such a long time organizing my music and audiobooks on my  
> hard drive - will this copy every thing to someplace else? we have  
> my hd partitioned, with one of them being the data drive; on that  
> drive/partition, I have a folder titled Books and Music - books are  
> in one sub-folder and music in another. Will this consolidation move  
> everything over to the applications drive/partition where iTunes  
> resides?

Perhaps your folder system is the source of your troubles. Your  
computer doesn't think like you do. Imposing a system on iTunes that  
makes sense to you hasn't helped, it may be the problem.

> what if I don't want them there?

I suppose it depends upon what is important to you, your personal  
filing system or the proper functioning of iTunes.

>> 2.  If you don't have too many, simply click on the exclamation point
>> and iTunes will ask you if you want to find the file.  Click "yes"  
>> and
>> navigate to the proper file.  When you find it, select
>> it and click "open" and it will be added to your library.
>
> how do I know where to find the podcasts?

You can do a search for them. XP has a search function.

> becca, feeling really stupid and overwhelmed at the chaos this  
> problem has caused

You really should have a good backup. If you do, you should be able to  
experiment with these suggestions, and be able to return to your  
previous setup if you don't like the results. I know I can do that  
with my Mac. There is software to clone my entire hard drive, so that  
I have a total, complete and accurate copy (definition of a clone, I  
suppose) of my hard drive. Then, when I install new software or make  
some big changes, I am confident that if it all turns to crap, I can  
simply revert to my backup and erase the mistake and begin again.

The iTunes preferences/advanced allow you to specify and/or change the  
location of your iTunes Library folder. Everything that iTunes needs  
to access should be in that folder for optimum functioning. I allow  
iTunes to arrange the files as it wishes, and I don't encounter the  
problems you seem to be having. This whole saga reminds me of a  
Chinese proverb:

If you continue to do what you've always done,
You will continue to get what you've always gotten.

I would also suggest you consider Macintosh the next time you shop for  
a computer. I've used both, and I wouldn't own a PC anymore. My  
reasons have to do with Window's non-intuitive filing system and the  
difficulty in accomplishing what should be simple tasks.

Good luck with this, be sure to share how you finally overcome the  
problem.

------------
Michael Prete

More will be revealed.