Originally Posted by
Ginger K
Am I just an idiot and can't figure this out? Should I cut and run, but where to go and how to do it? I'm so frustrated!
First of all, I feel your pain. I'm a huge itunes fan, but I know what its like to switch applications and feel like you've lost functionality.
While I think all of your issues can be solved, I thought I'd toss out my recommendation for an alternative player, Songbird.
http://www.songbirdnest.com/
There are several iPod related extensions out there too...
One thing songbird cannot do is play your itunes DRMed tracks. (Of course there are ways around everything)....
Originally Posted by
Ginger K
I feel like I have no ability to manage my music since I got itunes. Previously, my downloaded music went directly into "my music" (I have a PC, obv.) and saved as default mp3 files. Now everything I download and all my old music is in the itunes library.
Go to settings and click the advanced tab (sorry dont have a windows box with itunes handy to tell you the exact steps). In the advanced settings you'll find a number of settings that will help you. One of which is the location for your library. You can safely set that to which ever directory you chose. You also have options to let itunes manage the library for you or not. If you select not to let it manage for you then it just remembers where the files are . If you move it, it will not know where they are.
This is also where you change the encoding format for songs you rip from CD. If you prefer MP3, select it there. Then you can also convert other non-purchased songs to MP3 using the Advanced menu in the application.
Originally Posted by
Ginger K
I can no longer email songs (something I do with my brothers), itunes will only export the whole library, not a single file.
Like others have pointed out, you can only email purchased songs. To email an MP3 you'd have to find the file on your hard drive. Something that I personally think is easier if you let itunes manage the files b/c the directory structure is the same as itunes itself.
Originally Posted by
Ginger K
When I try to export a play list, it saves as a txt. file. All my new music is being saved as AAC files, which I think makes them unuseable except in itunes? Not sure.
Despite being initially proprietary, AAC is actually a great format. If you prefer something higher quality then you can use apple lossless. You can also select MP3...again, all from the advanced tab in settings. If you want to export a play list in XML, just pay attention to the options when saving the playlist...its there. If you want to export a playlist to audio files, then you might be out of luck. The only option there is to burn it to a CD and use some other software to rip it...songbird maybe?
Originally Posted by
Ginger K
Furthermore, since I got the latest itunes update, when I update my ipod, it's putting the entire library into the ipod, even the songs that are un-checked. I don't want to have to go through and delete everything I don't want on my ipod, do I have to put everything in playlists?
As far as the ipod, that is a setting in the ipod settings. When the ipod is mounted, click on it in the left side bar. Then you'll see the options. The 2nd option on the first page is "only syn checked items".