A.6 Advanced

The Advanced menu deals with several tasks that might appeal to power users, including adjusting ID3 tag formats (Section 5.3.2) and downloading track information from the Internet.

A.6.1 Switch to Mini Player (Windows Only)

Instead of minimizing the iTunes program window completely into the taskbar, you may sometimes prefer to shrink its window down to convenient minibar size . That way, the essential controls are still visible. This command does that trick. Keyboard shortcut: Ctrl+M.

A.6.2 Open Stream

The Open Stream command opens a dialog box where you can type or paste in a URL to go directly to a streaming audio site. If you've never listened to radio streams over the Internet, iTunes has plenty of preprogrammed links for you to check out (Section 4.8). Just click Radio in the Source list and click the kind of music or radio programming you wish to listen to. Keyboard shortcut: -U (Mac), Ctrl+U (Windows).

A.6.3 Convert Selection to AAC (or MP3 or AIFF or WAV)

Depending on the file type (AAC, MP3, AIFF, WAV) you've designated in Preferences for importing songs into iTunes (Section 4.3.2), you can use the Convert Selection command to convert a selected item into your preferred format. For example, if you have some WAV clips on your computer but have chosen MP3 as your preferred import setting, use the Convert Selection to MP3 command to select and convert the files to MP3 and import them into iTunes all in one shot.

A.6.4 Consolidate Library (iTunes and later)

If you have songs scattered around the computer in any folders other than the iTunes Music folder, you can use the Consolidate Library command to seek out the scattered songs and put copies of them in the iTunes Music folder. This command puts your entire collection conveniently in one place, but it means you'll have the same song in two places on your computer, possibly even duplicated within the iTunes Music folder.

A.6.5 Get CD Track Names

If you don't have iTunes configured to automatically dash out to the Internet and download track information for the songs on the CD you just inserted (Section 4.3.1), use the Get CD Track Names command to go fetch those song titles from the Gracenote CDDB database. If you have a dial-up Internet connection instead of an "always on" one, this command lets you connect to the Internet only when you're prepared to dial up.

A.6.6 Submit CD Track Names

The Gracenote CDDB database is a wonderful thing (Section 4.3.1), but it's far from error-free. This command lets you help make things right.

Make corrections in the Song Information box (Section 4.7.4), and then choose the Submit CD Track Names command to upload the fixed track information to the Gracenote CDDB database. (Of course, you need to be connected to the Internet to use this command.)

A.6.7 Join CD Tracks (iTunes 4 and later)

Sometimes you don't want two seconds of silence between songs you import from an album. The Join CD Tracks command imports all selected songs as one big track without those mood-breaking sounds of silence (Section 4.7.6).

A.6.8 Authorize / Deauthorize Computer (iTunes 4 and later)

Apple allows you to authorize up to three different computers to play the songs purchased from the iTunes Music Store (or Audible files). As described on Section 6.5, this system lets you hear your music on more than one computer, while still helping curb the illegal copying of copyrighted works.

If you push your luck and try to authorize a fourth machine, this feature will kick in and force you to deauthorize one of the previously authorized computers.

A.6.9 Check for Purchased Music (iTunes 4 and later)

If you bought some songs in the iTunes Music Store but couldn't download them at the time, Checked for Purchased Music lets you back to get them. (You need to enter your Apple ID and password.)

A.6.10 Convert ID3 Tags

There have been several versions of the ID3 tag format over the years , and earlier versions of the format can store less information than the newer standard. If a song's information doesn't look right, try selecting the song and using Convert ID3 Tags to change the tag format.