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Transfer iTunes' lyrics to older iPods via AppleScript Apps
Those of us with non-Nano/Video iPods don't have the great new feature in those iPods that allows for the automatic syncing of, and inline viewing of, iTunes track lyrics on our iPods. However, I've created a script that transfers any existing lyrics in iTunes 5 (or 6) onto an iPod as an iPod note, complete with a "Play Song" link.

This script is an adaptation of Doug Adams' Lyrics to TextEdit script for iTunes, and Apple's own Clipboard to iPod Note script. I used both concepts, and script lines from both, but the overall script is my own. It does the following:
  • Checks for a mounted iPod, and prompts for a selection if more than one iPod is found.
  • Takes the lyrics (if any) for the currently playing track (if playing) or the currently selected track[s] (if iTunes is not playing) and converts them to an iPod compatible note, complete with a "Play Song" hyperlink.
  • If a mounted iPod is found, it will transfer the lyrics note[s] to the iPod in a subfolder of the Notes folder called Lyrics (you must create this yourself first!).
  • Within the Lyrics folder, it will check for a folder named for the artist of each track -- this is where the lyrics note[s] will actually reside for each artist. If no artist folder is found for the track's artist, it will create it.
In order for this script to work, you must have iTunes 5 or later, your iPod must have Disk Use enabled, and you need to create a folder in your iPod's Notes folder called Lyrics. I'm no expert AppleScripter, so it might not be the prettiest code, but it does the job nicely.

[robg adds: I haven't tested this one.]
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Transfer iTunes' lyrics to older iPods via AppleScript
Authored by: DougAdams on Oct 31, '05 07:08:02AM

Hey! Send it to me and I'll post it! :)

---
Doug's AppleScripts for iTunes
http://www.dougscripts.com/itunes/



[ Reply to This | # ]
Transfer iTunes' lyrics to older iPods via AppleScript
Authored by: maddys_daddy on Oct 31, '05 08:22:27AM

The script is linked in the hint. Being the expert at this sort of thing that you are, perhaps you can clean it up, improve the functionality and what-not. Like I said, it works well the way it is now, but there's always room for improvement.
Thanks for the starting point and the inspiration!



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Transfer iTunes' lyrics to older iPods via AppleScript
Authored by: neuralstatic on Oct 31, '05 09:54:35AM

indeed! give unto caesar...



[ Reply to This | # ]
Transfer iTunes' lyrics to older iPods via AppleScript
Authored by: maddys_daddy on Oct 31, '05 08:30:26AM
Since I originally posted this script, I noticed one little annoyance in my original script--each file name has the artist's name in it (i.e. "Artist-TrackName"), which isn't really needed, since each note is stored in a folder named for the artist. So, if you don't want this extra little bit of overkill (and extra text on the small iPod screen) just change this line:
set file_name to (art & "-" & nom)
to this:
set file_name to nom
. Now, inside each artist folder, you'll just have the files named by track, instead of "Artist-TrackName."

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