Updating metadata for entire iTunes library?

December 18, 2010 4:18 PM

I'd really like to update my entire iTunes library and clear any Genre metadata. Is there a simple way to do this? The library's abou 55GB.
posted by xmutex to Computers & Internet (8 answers total)

"select all" "edit info", click "genre" and delete field. then click "OK" and be prepared to wait half an hour while it updates all the files?
posted by custard heart at 4:24 PM on December 18, 2010 [3 favorites]

Before you do what custard heart instructs make sure that you make all the files writeable. In Windows you would right-click on the main directory and uncheck "Read-Only" if it is checked. Not sure what to do on a Mac.
posted by griphus at 4:26 PM on December 18, 2010 [1 favorite]

Custard heart is almost right. But assuming your files don't all have exactly the same text in their "genre" fields, the field will just show as blank in the info panel when you select all of them. Since it's already blank, you can't delete its contents.

Instead, just click the little check box to the left of the field. This tells iTunes to update that field for all the files, and since it's blank it will blank them out.
posted by cloudburst at 4:52 PM on December 18, 2010 [1 favorite]

Instead, just click the little check box to the left of the field. This tells iTunes to update that field for all the files, and since it's blank it will blank them out.

Unless you enter a change in the field, it may not take. I suggest:

1. Change genre to [any random string you like]
2. Clear genre

That way you're changing the text in the field each time so iTunes will update it (first to $STRING and then to blank).
posted by immlass at 5:57 PM on December 18, 2010

immlass, I do this often the way I described and can confirm that it works, but your way will also work.
posted by cloudburst at 6:08 PM on December 18, 2010

cloudburst, I have had your method fail on me repeatedly with iTunes metadata. Perhaps it's an OS or version difference in iTunes, but without knowing the details of yours, mine, and theirs, I'd rather offer the caveat than see the OP end up frustrated if the change doesn't take.
posted by immlass at 6:13 PM on December 18, 2010

command/control + I is the keyboard shortcut to batch-edit info. In case you were curious.
posted by Sara C. at 6:27 PM on December 18, 2010 [1 favorite]

Mac or PC? I have a Perl script that could do this for you but it'd have to be on a PC as it relies on Windows OLE.
posted by hardcode at 2:58 AM on December 20, 2010