Catalog your CD collection using iTunes

Apr 20, '11 07:30:00AM

Contributed by: Anonymous

Have you ever wanted to catalog your CD collection in a searchable database but didn't want to shell out the $30 to $40 some cataloging apps cost? You don't have to spend a cent. Everything you need is already on your Mac.

Begin by creating a destination folder with a clever name. I came up with 'CD Collection.'

Get a stack of your CD's and open iTunes. Put a CD into your drive. If the contents of the CD don't appear as a playlist in iTunes, click on 'Advanced' and select 'Get Track Names.' You need to be online and iTunes should then get the track information from Gracenotes.

Next, click Edit » Select All. Right Click in the blue highlighted area and select 'Copy.' Open TextEdit and right click in the white area. Select 'Paste.' Close TextEdit and save the file with the artist's name followed by the album name, like this:

Various Artists_My Big Mix 2

Move the text file you've just created to your CD Collection folder and repeat this process with each CD you want to catalog.

All of your CD's will now be organized alphabetically by artist; and alphabetically by title within that artist's grouping.

To find a particular song, or all songs by a particular artist, use Spotlight to search through your CD Collection folder and display all instances of that song title, a word contained in a song title, or the artist you want. This can come in handy if, for example, you've just returned from a ski trip and want to find music to accompany a slideshow in iPhoto. You could search for keywords like winter, snow, ski; and such to come up with a number of possible sound tracks to use.

Since your CD Collection folder has alphabetized your CD's by artist name; it's also easy for you to physically organize your CD collection alphabetically on a storage shelf. Just remember to keep your database current by adding new CD's as you buy or burn them.

[crarko adds: I tested this, and it works as described. This is a bit more work than using one of the cataloging programs, but does have the virtue of being free.]

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