Where did the files go? (iTunes)

I dragged a dozen .m4a audio files from Finder into the main iTunes
window. There appeared a small window with small progress bar and the
file name currently being copied. Each of the file names appeared in
the box as iTunes apparently worked its way through the list,
copying(?) them.

Then... nothing.

I do not see the files anywhere. I typed the names in the search
field in the upper right corner of the main window. No results.

I do not see them listed in alphabetical order. Nor if I list by date
(looking for today's date). They are not in any of the subfolders
(pod casts, etc.).

I trashed the 3 iTunes prefs files and restarted. No joy.

I trashed iTunes and installed a copy downloaded from Apple. No joy.

I rebooted and ran AppleJack (normally a weekly task). No joy.

I hope it's something simple...

Thanks,
Dave
--
2011 Mac m

Sig got trimmed:

2011 Mac mini 2.7 GHz i7 / 4 GB / 750 GB
OS X 10.6.8 (yes, Snow Leopard)
iTunes 10.6.1

On 2012-04-24 14:27:35 +0000, Jolly Roger said:

> It sounds like the m4a files had incorrect or missing ID3 tag
> information, which iTunes uses to display and categorize music in the
> iTunes window. You can and should fix the ID3 tags within iTunes.

Thinking along these lines: Import one of the files, sort by "date
added" then look to see if there is a file imported within the last few
minutes. Look at the id3 tags and if they're blank that confirms they
need to be edited. If the id3 tags are blank usually iTunes will pull
the file name in as is. So it might mean the file has blank characters
filling these fields or some such.

Anyway, right click on the file in iTunes and select "Show in Finder".
That should verify that it is indeed the file with no tags.

I use Media Rage to edit id3 tags on almost everything since I'm fussy
about it. It's a great program.
--
I do not feel obligated to believe that the same God who has endowed us
with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forego their use.
-- Galileo

In article
<>, DaveC
<> wrote:

> I dragged a dozen .m4a audio files from Finder into the main iTunes
> window. There appeared a small window with small progress bar and the
> file name currently being copied. Each of the file names appeared in
> the box as iTunes apparently worked its way through the list,
> copying(?) them.
>
> Then... nothing.
>
> I do not see the files anywhere. I typed the names in the search
> field in the upper right corner of the main window. No results.
>
> I do not see them listed in alphabetical order. Nor if I list by date
> (looking for today's date). They are not in any of the subfolders
> (pod casts, etc.).

this is not the first time i've heard of this bug.

the first thing to try is create a smart playlist that is songs added
within the last day (or however long is necessary) and see what comes
up. if nothing comes up, itunes screwed up, again.

it's also possible that the songs had something about them that itunes
didn't like. itunes is very picky and it does not usually provide error
messages to the user if something goes wrong, leaving users wondering
wtf happened.

another thing to try is create an empty itunes library and see what
happens with those songs. the easiest way is with a new user but you
can also hold down the option key to switch libraries with one option
being make a new one. you can switch back after verifying the songs are
good or bad.

> Typically it is at ~/Music/iTunes/iTunes Music. Music
> that you import into your iTunes library resides in this folder.

Indeed the files are in this folder in Finder.

They still do not exist anywhere in iTunes.

> the first thing to try is create a smart playlist that is songs added
> within the last day (or however long is necessary) and see what comes
> up.

The files do show up if I create such a smart playlist consisting of
most-recently added files.

When I changed the Media Kind (under the Options tab in the Cmd-I window)
from Music to Podcast, when I again open that window the Type is still
"Music". The tags are not changeable, apparently.

I then selected "Create MP3 Version" from the Advanced menu and waited for
all files to be converted.

These newly-created versions of the files -- at first glance -- seem to
behave normally: they show up in the Music window. But when I change the
Media Kind tag, they disappear from the Music window (as expected) but do not
appear in the Podcast directory or anywhere else in iTunes.

> The names of the sub-folders may give you a
> clue as to what information is in the ID3 tags of the music files, and
> how you must correct them.

I see no clues in the names or tags that might indicate how I might fix the
problem.

If I leave these tagged as "Music" I can probably sync them to the iPhone,
but this tag issue keeps me from utilizing many feature of Syncing files to
iPhone.

Ideas?

Thanks,
Dave

There seems to be a problem with the Podcasts directory, I think.

The podcasts in that directory (which do not include the "missing" ones that
have been giving me so much grief) are sorted by "Release Date".

I can't sort by any other column head. I click on each of the column heads
but no effect. I can reverse the "Relese Date" sort by clicking again on this
head.

Is this normal?

Thanks,
Dave

In article
<>, DaveC
<> wrote:

> > Typically it is at ~/Music/iTunes/iTunes Music. Music
> > that you import into your iTunes library resides in this folder.
>
> Indeed the files are in this folder in Finder.

if they're there, they got copied.

> They still do not exist anywhere in iTunes.

which contradicts what you say next...

> > the first thing to try is create a smart playlist that is songs added
> > within the last day (or however long is necessary) and see what comes
> > up.
>
> The files do show up if I create such a smart playlist consisting of
> most-recently added files.

....that they do show up in itunes.

cmd-shift-r to reveal in finder.

how were these files created? did you download them? if so, from where?

> When I changed the Media Kind (under the Options tab in the Cmd-I window)
> from Music to Podcast, when I again open that window the Type is still
> "Music". The tags are not changeable, apparently.

yet another itunes bug. note that there was no error message. i've seen
this before, and it's usually because the file is not writeable for
some reason. you'd think itunes would tell you there was a problem
changing the tags but no, it doesn't.

> I then selected "Create MP3 Version" from the Advanced menu and waited for
> all files to be converted.
>
> These newly-created versions of the files -- at first glance -- seem to
> behave normally: they show up in the Music window. But when I change the
> Media Kind tag, they disappear from the Music window (as expected) but do not
> appear in the Podcast directory or anywhere else in iTunes.

try creating an aac, although that's really overkill and doesn't
address what the problem really is.

>> They still do not exist anywhere in iTunes.
>
> which contradicts what you say next...
>
>>> the first thing to try is create a smart playlist that is songs added
>>> within the last day (or however long is necessary) and see what comes
>>> up.
>>
>> The files do show up if I create such a smart playlist consisting of
>> most-recently added files.
>
> ...that they do show up in itunes.

I should have said:
These files do not show up in iTunes unless you create a Smart Playlist. Then
they magically appear, even though they can't be found in any other directory
in iTunes.

> how were these files created? did you download them? if so, from where?

Recorded from an audio stream using Audio Hijack.

Thanks,
Dave

In article
<>, DaveC
<> wrote:

> These files do not show up in iTunes unless you create a Smart Playlist. Then
> they magically appear, even though they can't be found in any other directory
> in iTunes.

if they show up in a smart playlist then itunes knows about them.

On 2012-04-24 16:47:29 +0000, nospam said:

> In article
> <>, DaveC
> <> wrote:
>
>> These files do not show up in iTunes unless you create a Smart Playlist. Then
>> they magically appear, even though they can't be found in any other directory
>> in iTunes.
>
> if they show up in a smart playlist then itunes knows about them.

And it displaying them in the parental "Music" display as well.

Use File > New Playlist. Not a smart list, but a plain old playlist.
Drag three m4a's into it. There they are. If you don't see any text
where you'd like it to be, you can add it. But there are three
somethings there.

If you don't see three somethings there, I don't think your m4a's are
m4a's. Click on in the original directory and do a Apple-i on it and
tell us what it says its "Kind" is.

But I assume you'll see three somethings. Then go to "Music" in
library. Use Apple-J and add "Date Added". Click on that header to
sort it. There at the top of your library you will find the same three
files.
--
I do not feel obligated to believe that the same God who has endowed us
with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forego their use.
-- Galileo