Hi All,
Just a few comments to supplement Darcy's post about using Automator
to import or convert audio files for your iTunes library. Automator
uses your last importing settings for a given kind of audio file when
it imports or converts in iTunes. You don't actually need to have
iTunes currently set to import mp3 files if you also occasionally
import using the AAC encoder, Apple Lossless encoder, etc. However,
you can't set up Automator to prompt you for the encoding rates
because it reads these settings from your iTunes preference file, and
uses them to run the conversion in iTunes. This means you must have
previously chosen importing settings in iTunes for whatever format you
now want to work with in Automator -- it will simply read in the last
set of values you used for that format. The same restrictions apply
to AppleScripts used with iTunes -- they can't set importing bit rates
from scratch. You must have previously chosen some values. Importing
rates for various encoders are set in the general tab of the iTunes
preferences menu. (Command-comma for the preferences menu, interact
with the toolbar, VO-right to the "General" button and VO-space to
press it, then use VO-I to choose the "Import Settings" button and VO-
space to go to this menu. Set the popup buttons for the format you
want and the encoding quality you want to use for that format.)
A second comment for new users: iTunes (or more accurately, QuickTime)
does not natively support OGG files. Will and others are using a
XiphQT QuickTime plug-in that extends QuickTime's ability to recognize
(and play) OGG files, so that iTunes can also play these files. You
can download the XiphQT plugin from the MacUpdate site at:
http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/20014
Hope this helps.
Cheers,
Esther
On Nov 27, 2008, at 10:33 AM, Darcy Burnard wrote:
There's a way to accomplish what you want using automator.
Create a new workflow. You want to add the action "import audio
files". Make sure you pick the right action here, there's one
called "import files in to itunes", but it doesn't transcode, so you
don't want it. Under the settings for "import audio files", there's
a pop-up where you can select what encoder you want to use. You can
pick mp3 here. It will use the bit rate settings that you have set
in itunes.
Save this workflow as a finder plugin. Then in the finder, you can
do a VO shift m on an ogg file, select other, then select automator,
then select your workflow. After it's been re-encoded, you'll find
your file in your itunes library in mp3 format.
What I've described above is a simplified version of what I did in
my automator demo for screenless switchers. If you've not used
automator before, and what I've described here doesn't make any
sense, you might take a listen to that demo. I've been told that
it's easy to follow what I'm doing. You can find it at http://www.screenlessswitchers.com
.
Darcy
On 27-Nov-08, at 12:01 PM, Will Lomas wrote:
so do i have to import the oggs into the library first or can i
tunes see i am importing an ogg when i go to add to library and
convert for me?
On 27 Nov 2008, at 16:41, David Poehlman wrote:
ITunes converts to m4a but I want to go the other way.
I've not had much luck converting to ogg. It seems like something
gets lost
in the process.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Will Lomas" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "General discussions on all topics relating to the use of Mac
OS X by
theblind" <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, November 27, 2008 11:33 AM
Subject: ogg to mp3
hi
which utility converts ogg files to mp3?
i have done it before but i forget, sorry
thanks will
