How to quickly find and remove duplicate tracks in iTunes

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Maintaining my iTunes library has always been a task that was just too daunting to undertake. Consequently, I've built up a ton of duplicate tracks in the iTunes library. Well, I recently decided to clean house and came across a helpful tool.

This guy, Eric Pugh, has released a hacked (ie., improved) version of Doug Adams' Corral iTunes Dupes script. Adams' version pops up all over the web when your search for a tool that will find and delete duplicate songs (dupes), but as far as I can tell, it's not that different from iTunes' native Show Duplicates View.

Pugh's version isn't that much different than Adams'. You can still select the criteria that the script will use to find duplicates (ie., Name, Artist, Album, Size, Kind, Bit Rate). And like Adams' version, Pugh's will automatically place the duplicate tracks in a playlist in iTunes labeled "Dupes". Pugh's version, however, gives you the option to only place the extra copies a song in the Dupe playlist. Adams' version places both the original and the duplicate in the playlist, which is why I don't understand how it is any different than iTunes' Show Duplicate View.

Anyway, when you run Pugh's version, you'll have only the actual duplicates in the Dupes playlist. Then you just select all and hold down Option and Delete. This will send the duplicates to the trash rather than just deleting them from the playlist.

I just completed the process and freed up 6 GB of space that was being taken up by duplicates songs. Nice!
 

eric


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eh, hacked software - sketchy ground in this forum.
 
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The thing to watch out for is that while iTunes places all files which are duped into a seperate list, they are all just aliases and it's easy to mistakenly delete the active alias and keep the dead alias.

I take great care when it comes to deleting dupes, I click on each dupe to determine if iTunes still has an active link to that song or if it'll put an exclamation mark next to it.

Also I have "All Along The Watchtower" by Bob Dylan & Jimmy Hendrix. I also have several other songs with like titles so it's a bit of a minefield when it comes to cleaning out duplicates and one job I insist I do myself.
 
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pruppert
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eh, hacked software - sketchy ground in this forum.

Sorry about the hacked software. I'm still a little new to the forum and wasn't aware that this might be taboo. I posted it with the hope that others would find it useful, but I'll try to more sensitive to that stuff in the future.

Also I have "All Along The Watchtower" by Bob Dylan & Jimmy Hendrix. I also have several other songs with like titles so it's a bit of a minefield when it comes to cleaning out duplicates and one job I insist I do myself.

This script allows you to use Title, Artist, and Album specifiers all at the same time when it is discerning dupes which is why I think it's almost comparable to going through and checking each one yourself.
 
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eh, hacked software - sketchy ground in this forum.
That is just one of those words that is often misused and misunderstood. "Hacked" is one thing... "cracked" is another thing entirely.

If someone were to "hack" software that was already under the free GNU license, then that isn't such a big deal. Hacking generally implies improvement or other modification in that situation, and in this case the person who "hacked" the software even took the time to send the modified version to the original creator. He wasn't breaking any laws or violating any copyright.

"Cracking" software is simply finding ways to circumvent a piece of software's copyright and license restriction that isn't covered under GNU. This is obviously illegal and isn't the type of thing discussed here.
 

eric


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than never mind... :p
 
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Has anyone got a copy of this script that they can send me?

The link on the website doesnt work.

Thank you!
 
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Differences and Duplicates

Pugh's version, however, gives you the option to only place the extra copies a song in the Dupe playlist. Adams' version places both the original and the duplicate in the playlist, which is why I don't understand how it is any different than iTunes' Show Duplicate View.

What exactly is the "original" and what is/are the "duplicate/s"? While you yourself may be certain that you have created dupes from the same file types, what about dupes of different file types? (And that's only one example of how an AppleScript can "get it wrong".) This is why iTunes' Show Duplicates and my own "Corral iTunes Dupes" shows every occurrence of tracks meeting the search criteria. You have to decide which tracks can stay or go. Read up on my thoughts on duplicates.
 
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Can someone please send me (as an email attachment) THEIR copy of corral itunes dupes v1.0???

I ask this because the current corral itunes dupes v1.0 available on the website has been changed and doesn’t work as well.

My email: [email protected]

Thanks for the help,
Ben
 

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