Getting Music into iTunes Library?

[terrypin]

After some initial problems (separate thread) I got iTunes running on my Win XP PC and specified \My Music as the source for its music library. I had also set it to convert my WMAs. However, I hadn't anticipated the size of the task to convert these 4,200 files. At the rate it was going it would take most of the day so after 2 hours I closed that process. I thought it would then finish by placing all my 3,000 or so MP3s in the library. But there's not a single MP3 in it. -- Terry, East Grinstead, UK

 

[King Hal]

There's an option (they've moved it about between versions) to "consolidate" your library. Try that. Do your conversion artist by artist and then consolidate.

 

[King Hal]

Just thought too. Have you first imported the folders?

 

[King Hal]

Back again:

Probably none of us has ever encoded our music into the WMA format, but most of our cousins have. iTunes refuses to manage WMA files (just for a marketing reason?), but here's how we can fool it:
Install Flip4Mac's WM Components (from their download page), required to play WMA in QuickTime, the Finder's preview column, and many other applications -- but not iTunes!
Open your WMA file in QuickTime Player (Pro version required), then save as reference movie.
Drag the newly created .mov file onto iTunes. Now you can play it as you would any other song.
Some metadata is copied to the QuickTime file, and you can edit/add tags in iTunes. Remember to keep the original WMA files in place, as your reference .mov files still point to them. If you don't mind one more conversion step, you can then liberate your WMAs within iTunes. Select your WMA songs in iTunes, go to the Advanced Menu, click Convert selection to MP3/AAC, then enjoy your music on the iPod you just won at Mac OS X hints.

 

[King Hal]

From a Google search btw -I'm not that good

 

[terrypin]

OK, sorted thanks. I hadn't grasped the distinction between the DATABASE and the folder called C:\Docs\My Music\iTunes\iTunes Media\Music

--
Terry, East Grinstead, UK

 

[King Hal]

Takes a while to understand how Apple stuff works if you've brought up on Windows

 

[pallentx]

Welcome to iTunes, I hope you have better luck than I did. I ended up getting tags all jacked up and spent a couple of days sorting them all back out again. Coming from Windows Media Player and the Zune player, iTunes is a piece of junk when it comes to managing music in multiple formats from various sources. I'm sure it works beautifully if you buy all your music through iTunes.

 

[Bluesjam]

I've had iTunes import many mp3's. Always worked great for me. It converts them and then your good to go.