How do I stop iTunes from creating duplicate entries and sub-folders?????

I am SOOO SICK AND TIRED of iTunes deciding to create sub-folders all the time. I just want to have one big folder and throw all my music into it. I have now spent several weeks trying to re-create my music library after my hard drive crashed, and iTunes keeps messing everything up.
If I let iTunes do what it wants, I end up with two or three copies of each song. If I try to consolidate my files by deleting extra copies of songs, suddenly iTunes can't "find" anything.
When I go looking for the "missing" songs, iTunes creates endless fractal layers of folders within folders.
I AM SICK OF THIS!
I AM ABOUT TO ABANDON ITUNES AND GO BACK TO WINDOWS MEDIA PLAYER.

CodeVII wrote:
Why when you have a large number of files it is better to have them in sub-folders???
Unchecking both those options still doesn't stop Itunes from putting files in Artist and Album folders..
The problem I see with putting music files in folders is if you want to move them or change the file properties with just the Operating System they take longer to access. So quicktime seems like something I'd try but....
I'd like to have the option to have my files in one Folder/Directory.
iTunes really wants you to use iTunes to manage the iTunes library. If you use the operating system or third party tools to modify tags, iTunes won't detect the change until it has some reason to access the tag, e.g. during playback. In contrast WMP will sniff out changes in your tags and update itself automatically.
Once you've got your media in iTunes why do you need to access it again at the folder level? As it happens I'm quite obsesive over the structure of my files both logical and physical (see grouping & scripts) but I strongly recommend others to avoid the temptation to waste too much time over the physical layout and leave iTunes to get on with it...
Many other programs have offered choices for folder structure, invalid character replacement etc. over many years without iTunes joining in. I suspect that the developers of iTunes have long since decided that extra choice in this area isn't necessary since "it just works", though by all means drop a line to iTunes Feedback.
tt2

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I've transferred my Itunes Media Library to a NAS drive, and pointed Itunes (using the advanced preferences tab) to the relevant folder on the NAS drive. I have done this to free up disk space on a computer I primarily use for work but which I use both at home and at work. The NAS drive is at home. (To clarify, I am not expecting Itunes to function at work, only at home when access to the NAS drive is available).
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angelofromnsw wrote:
Can I put the ".itl" and other database files on the NAS, and if so where would I put them? I'm thinking that if the library file is only available at home then the ITunes library won't get corrupted at work when it can't find the media, in the event that I accidentally start up itunes eg. while opening an attachment or disc that can be read by Itunes.
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Can I put the ".itl" and other database files on the NAS, and if so where would I put them?
Yes.
Quit iTunes.
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Hold Option, launch iTunes, select Choose library... and select the iTunes folder on the NAS.
You can delete /Music/iTunes/ folder on the internal drive.
If you launch iTunes while NOT comnnected to the NAS, iTunes will recreate the /Music/iTunes/ folder and you will have an empty library.
WHen you are again connected to the NAS, just do step 4 above.
Do you know what the advantages and disadvantages are of having the database files like the ".itl" files stored locally versus on the NAS?
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Message was edited by: Katrina S.

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How do I stop iTunes from creating duplicate entries and sub-folders?????

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