Archive: April 2006

UPDATED: Join Together v4.0.1

A quick update for Join Together. This script will enable you to join the files of selected iTunes tracks together--including CD tracks--with QuickTime and export them as a single AAC file/track. Optionally, with Apple's ChapterTool application installed, it will create a "chapterized" audio file of the exported AAC file. The latest version no longer prohibits using same-named tracks.

UPDATED: Play Hourly BBC/Hourly NPR News Podcast Episodes v1.1

I have updated Play NPR Hourly News Summary and Play BBC Hourly World News Bulletin each to version 1.1. These Stay-Open script applets will download the latest episode of news from either podcast as soon as they become available, play them after the current song ends, then continue to the next song with no interruption. These latest versions make sure play counts are updated correctly, prevent inadvertent play of less recent episodes, and transpose the time in the episode name to your local time zone; the latter displays in the app's startup screen.

iCal Calling iTunes! Update Coming Soon

I have been testing a new version of iCal Calling iTunes! This app will let you schedule iTunes playlists as iCal Events. The new version is pretty much re-written from scratch and the whole dynamic of the playing and queuing of playlists is much more efficient and accurate. The delay is because I have to test it in real time in as many situations as possible to snag any bugs. I hope to have version 4.1 ready by the end of the weekend.

NEW: Play Hourly BBC/Hourly NPR News Podcast Episodes

The two script applets, Play NPR Hourly News Summary and Play BBC Hourly World News Bulletin, each download and play the latest hourly episode of the respective podcast when it becomes available. If iTunes is playing already, the script will wait until the current song ends before playing the News episode and then play the next song in the playlist once the News episode has finished. Now, you can integrate an hourly newscast into your daily playlist listening.

UPDATED: Join Together v4.0

Join Together got a nice little mention in the latest Apple eNews, so I figured I'd better make it more respectable. Join Together 4.0 will enable you to join the files of selected iTunes tracks together--including CD tracks--with QuickTime and export them as a single AAC file/track. Optionally, with Apple's ChapterTool application installed (download link included), it will create a "chapterized" audio file of the exported AAC file. The latest version works with enabled (check-marked) CD tracks and works properly with FileVault enabled.

UPDATED: iTunes Library Manager v4.3.1

iTunes Library Manager version 4.3.1 is now available. A small number of users had reported getting a "Bad name for file" error when loading a library. This is now fixed.

iTunes Library Manager is an AppleScript application that makes backup copies of the iTunes Music Library database file and iTunes Preferences, allowing users to easily save multiple iTunes Library and Preferences configurations that can be retrieved and loaded at any time.

The previous version, 4.3, works properly when FileVault is active, cautions about loading a new library if current library has not been backed up previously, includes several interface and performance enhancements, and includes new Helper AppleScripts.

FileVault, AppleScripts, and the home Folder

If you use FileVault, AppleScript will be unable to access files in your encrypted home folder using Finder commands. As a result, I've been working on updating some of the scripts that use Finder commands, substituting UNIX commands. One of the more popular scripts that this affects is "Join Together". I am working on an update now and hope to have it ready in a day or so.

NEW: iTunes Print Helper

iTunes will automatically remember the settings you have set in the Print Window dialog while it is running. However, if you Quit iTunes, those settings are lost and iTunes will default to "CD jewel case insert" and "Text only" theme when restarted. Print Helper stores your current iTunes Print Window settings. When you run the script later you can apply those stored settings to the Print Window dialog.

UPDATED: Export Artwork to iPhoto v1.3

Export Artwork to iPhoto v1.3 will export the artwork of the selected tracks--or tracks of the selected playlist--to iPhoto. This latest version can add artwork to a new or existing iPhoto album. You can also choose to import one track's artwork or all artwork from tracks with the same Album name; this is handy for exporting movie tracks' artwork, where the Album may be the same, but artwork may be different.

UPDATED: iTunes Library Manager v4.3

iTunes Library Manager v4.3 is a shareware AppleScript application that makes backup copies of your iTunes Music Library database file and iTunes Preferences, allowing you to easily save multiple iTunes Library and Preferences configurations that can be retrieved and loaded at any time.

This update is free to registered users of iTunes Library Manager v4.x

Latest features in iTLM v4.3:
• Works properly when FileVault is active
• Cautions about loading a new library if current library has not been backed up previously
• Several interface and performance enhancements
• Includes new Helper AppleScripts

NEW: Check For Purchases

Like every other Truth-Loving American, I have a Multi-Pass subscription to Comedy Central's The Colbert Report. The show is available four days a week, so every morning I await my email from the Store letting me know that the last night's show is available. Then I trudge to iTunes, hit "Check For Purchases...", enter my account info and let iTunes download the show. Four days a week I do this. Typing my password every morning is so tedious. So I wrote Check For Purchases. This script will fire the Account Name and Password window, enter my account info, and log into the iTunes Music Store to grab undownloaded purchases. Even better, I assigned it to a Mail Rule so that when the email from iTMS arrives, the show is downloaded automatically. You'll have to edit to the script to include your account information, a simple operation and instructions are included in the Read Me.