IMPORTANT -- Manual Mode Changes in iTunes 7

[Jesse Hollington]

Holding down the SHIFT+CTRL key (Windows) or OPT+CMD key (Mac) while connecting the iPod will prevent it from automatically syncing.

Alternatively, you can also disable automatic syncing for all iPhones and iPods in iTunes 7.5 under the Preferences, Syncing tab -- this will prevent any iPod connected to your computer from automatically syncing.

[canchaser]

Originally Posted by jhollington

I just got bit by a change in iTunes 7's behaviour that may be less than intuitive...

In previous versions of iTunes, the preferences for syncing your iPod were controlled through the normal iTunes Preferences pane. There were three options... Automatically update all of my songs and playlists, Automatically update selected playlists only, and manually manage my songs and playlists. These options basically controlled whether the iPod was in manual or automatic sync mode.

With iTunes 7, the iPod preferences are now shown in the main screen when you select your iPod from the source tree. A number of tabs appear across the top of the screen for the various content types (ie, Music, Movies, TV Shows, etc). On each of these tabs is a check-box to select whether or not you want to sync that content, followed by another setting to determine whether to sync all of it, or only selected items.

Note that this "Sync" checkbox does NOT control manual mode. DE-selecting this checkbox tells iTunes that you want that content to be REMOVED from your iPod on the next sync.

To set your iPod to manual mode, you have to choose the option, Manually Manage My Music and Videos on the Summary tab. This is a global setting for both music and video content.

So if I hit the "Sync" Button will it sync my pictures, podcasts, etc and NOT my music if I have it in Manual Mode???

[canchaser]

Thanks a million!!!

[SpyWriter]

Apologies if this topic has already been covered.

About 1000 songs have disappeared from my iTunes list. If I connect my iPod it will automatically wipe off these songs as it is set for automatic sync.

Problem is it seems you have to connect iPod to alter preference to manually manage music.

Ideally I would like my list back on iTunes so I can manage playlist, but at the very least I don't want to lose songs from my iPod (they are not backed up on laptop due to inadequate free space and it would be an awkward process to get stuff back from individual disks they are saved on.)

[studogvetmed]

Originally Posted by SpyWriter

Apologies if this topic has already been covered.

About 1000 songs have disappeared from my iTunes list. If I connect my iPod it will automatically wipe off these songs as it is set for automatic sync.

Problem is it seems you have to connect iPod to alter preference to manually manage music.

Ideally I would like my list back on iTunes so I can manage playlist, but at the very least I don't want to lose songs from my iPod (they are not backed up on laptop due to inadequate free space and it would be an awkward process to get stuff back from individual disks they are saved on.)

Are you using iTunes 7.5? There is an awesome new preference in iTunes 7.5. Go to preferences, click the syncing tab, and check the box "disable automatic syncing for all iPods and iPhones" Make sure to click apply.

Now when you connect your iPod it won't sync unless you click sync with the iPod connected, so you can change the settings.

Foolproof way of avoiding automatic sync now.

[rockmyplimsoul]

Originally Posted by studogvetmed

Foolproof way of avoiding automatic sync now.

Famous last words ... you know somebody's going to screw this up, lose their music, and then blame Apple

[Howard Brazee]

What I do is very user unfriendly - because I haven't been able to figure what Apple intended.

When I get home, I wait for my iPod to sync, then I uncheck manual syncing. Then in the morning, I tell it to sync, wait, and then check manual syncing. Then I go to work where I have iTunes as well.

This seems to be close, but songs & podcasts marked as played on one machine never do mark as played on the other machine, which is a strong indicator that I just don't get it. I'd love to find out how to automate synchronization.

[rockmyplimsoul]

You're already automating synchronization when you uncheck manual and tell it to sync -- leave the iPod in auto if you want synchronization. If you're using manual mode during the day just so that you can play your iPod on your work computer, your daily activities may not update your home library when you change back to auto-sync. What does and does not update is not clear, but the iPod/iTunes wasn't designed to change back and forth between auto and manual while keeping things updated.

If the only reason to change to manual is so that you can use your work iTunes to play your iPod's music, is there another solution (e.g. external speakers plugged directly into the iPod)? That way you can stay on auto all the time.

[SpyWriter]

Originally Posted by studogvetmed

Are you using iTunes 7.5? There is an awesome new preference in iTunes 7.5. Go to preferences, click the syncing tab, and check the box "disable automatic syncing for all iPods and iPhones" Make sure to click apply.

Now when you connect your iPod it won't sync unless you click sync with the iPod connected, so you can change the settings.

Foolproof way of avoiding automatic sync now.

I have now upgraded to 7.5 and safely connected (thanks for info)

I now need to know how to get my lists back from iPod to iTunes. I have downloaded CopyTrans that I may try but I think that downloads the whole files, all I really want is playlists, number counts etc.