Audacity & itunes interaction

[jglunt2112]

I use WAV files with itunes to both import and export files to & from Audacity. However, every time I add or delete a file on either one, it also adds or deletes it on the other. How can I prevent this unwanted interaction?

[allencmcbride]

Remember, these files aren't "in" Audacity or iTunes; they're just files on your hard drive. iTunes keeps a "library", a list of file and where they are. Audacity does not. Where are you keeping these files? In your iTunes Music folder? Or somewhere else? When you delete a file "on iTunes" I assume you mean you select it within iTunes and hit delete. This should remove the file from iTunes' library, but it should then ask you whether you want to actually trash the file or merely tell iTunes to stop keeping track of where it is. (And if it's not in iTunes' own folder, it shouldn't trash the file either way.) But I don't know what you mean when you talk about deleting files "on Audacity". Audacity doesn't do that, as far as I know. --Allen

[kozikowski]

iTunes > Preferences > Advanced > [x] Copy Files to iTunes Music Folder...

If you don't check that box in iTunes, then iTunes doesn't have the music, either. The programs all write the location of the music selection on little Post-It® notes and sticks them to the wall. If anything happens to that one music file, then everybody loses at once.

Checking that iTunes box takes up a lot of hard drive space. All your music is on the machine twice, but it's the safest way to go if you like to manage your songs all the time.

You can bollix this process up really good if you like to manually put files in and take files out of your iTunes library folder. The iTunes librarian with the pursed lips, severe black dress, and hair in a tight bun will not be pleased with you.

Have you ever been lifted from the floor by one ear?

Check that iTunes box and leave /Users/koz/Music/iTunes alone. Make your own music folder somewhere else on the machine and use that for your Audacity experiments.

Koz

[kozikowski]

There are ways of managing iTunes so it manages your music properly.

iTunes > Preferences > General > CD > Import Settings.

If you select WAV encoder, Automatic, I believe iTunes imports music at the save perfect , uncompressed WAV settings you used on the original file. If you're compulsive, you can select WAV Encoder > Custom and put your own bit rate, etc, settings in yourself.

Some iTunes installs do not like 32-bit floating very much and may complain--or fail the import.

Koz