tag:help.beatunes.com,2009-07-24:/discussions/questions/2051-embed-non-itunes-fields-what-does-it-really-mean-and-implybeaTunes: Discussion 2013-06-10T13:55:08Ztag:help.beatunes.com,2009-07-24:Comment/272403362013-06-10T13:09:07Z2013-06-10T13:09:07Z"Embed non-iTunes fields"--what does it really mean and imply?<div><p>Hi Barbara,</p>
<p>some fields like "Key" or "Language" are not supported by
iTunes, which means they cannot be stored by iTunes. beaTunes
always stores values for these fields in its own internal database.
If you want beaTunes to also store those values in the audio files
themselves, e.g. via ID3 tags, check the box. Having the values
stored both in the files themselves and the internal beaTunes
database might be useful, should the beaTunes database ever fail or
if you want to use the values in other third party programs, like
Serato or Traktor.</p>
<p>-hendrik</p></div>hendriktag:help.beatunes.com,2009-07-24:Comment/272403362013-06-10T13:14:53Z2013-06-10T13:14:53Z"Embed non-iTunes fields"--what does it really mean and imply?<div><p>Right. I understand that. But where is a comprehensive list of
the fields,<br>
and what happens to them if I synch an iTunes database? That's what
is not<br>
in the help file.</p>
<h2><a href="#" class="anchor" name=""></a></h2>
<p>Barbara Zanzig<br>
Kirkland, WA</p></div>Barbara Zanzigtag:help.beatunes.com,2009-07-24:Comment/272403362013-06-10T13:19:27Z2013-06-10T13:19:27Z"Embed non-iTunes fields"--what does it really mean and imply?<div><p>Hi,</p>
<p>iTunes does not support:</p>
<ul>
<li>key</li>
<li>tuning</li>
<li>color</li>
<li>language</li>
<li>mood</li>
<li>time signature (mpm)</li>
<li>tags</li>
<li>replay gain</li>
</ul>
<p>On sync with iTunes nothing happens.</p>
<p>-hendrik</p></div>hendriktag:help.beatunes.com,2009-07-24:Comment/272403362013-06-10T13:26:52Z2013-06-10T13:26:52Z"Embed non-iTunes fields"--what does it really mean and imply?<div><p>Thank you. Please put this in your help or FAQ!</p>
<p>Barbara</p></div>Barbara Zanzigtag:help.beatunes.com,2009-07-24:Comment/272403362013-06-10T13:43:40Z2013-06-10T13:43:40Z"Embed non-iTunes fields"--what does it really mean and imply?<div><p>Actually, one more thing. I don't think I believe "on sync,
nothing<br>
happens".</p>
<p>Presumably, iTunes uses some method of checking that two
libraries have<br>
identical files. MD5 hashcodes, checksums, file names, something.
So<br>
although it may be beyond the scope of what BeaTunes does, it's
germane to<br>
ask what iTunes does if BeaTunes adds information to an iTunes<br>
database--BeaTunes changes the database in some way by adding
fields.</p>
<p>Please explain what iTunes does with a modified database--the
information<br>
is not in the help files or FAQ (neither iTunes nor BeaTunes). Does
the<br>
receiving database drop the information if you synch two iTunes
databases?<br>
Does iTunes propagate the information to the second system? Does
it<br>
propagate some information and not other? Does it depend on the
device you<br>
synch with (I can well imagine that an iPod might drop information
that<br>
another full featured computer might retain)?</p></div>Barbara Zanzigtag:help.beatunes.com,2009-07-24:Comment/272403362013-06-10T13:55:07Z2013-06-10T13:55:07Z"Embed non-iTunes fields"--what does it really mean and imply?<div><p>When beaTunes syncs, i.e. displaying somewhere in the UI that it
does so, it reads the <code>iTunes Music Library.xml</code> file
and adjusts its internal database accordingly. Therefore, at that
point really nothing happens concerning those extra fields (key,
etc.)</p>
<p>When you change any data in beaTunes <em>and</em> you are using
an iTunes-based library, beaTunes usually communicates the new
value to iTunes using either AppleScript or COM. Since iTunes does
not support certain fields, this does not happen for those fields.
If you checked that non-iTunes fields box, beaTunes will instead
attempt to embed the values into the audio files.</p>
<p>iTunes does not constantly scan all files in its libraries for
modifications. Only when you play a file in iTunes, it does check.
At this point the internal iTunes database is updated. But I cannot
say what <em>exactly</em> iTunes does - that's a question for
Apple.</p>
<p>Also, I'm not sure what you mean with "sync two iTunes
databases". As far as I know, you cannot sync two iTunes databases.
Syncing iTunes to an iPhone is a different story and well outside
the scope of what beaTunes does. Again, that's probably a question
for Apple.</p></div>hendrik