itunes improting creates duplicates

Hi to all,

This is probably a dumb question, asked before, but I couldn't find a reference to it.

I am updating my library from a number of folder on a networked storage. All is going fine, except for importing duplicates of the same files multiple times. Is there a rule that I am not seeing that let's Hazel only import files that haven't been imported before?

Thanks very much for the help.

kcstueber wrote:Hi to all,

This is probably a dumb question, asked before, but I couldn't find a reference to it.

I am updating my library from a number of folder on a networked storage. All is going fine, except for importing duplicates of the same files multiple times. Is there a rule that I am not seeing that let's Hazel only import files that haven't been imported before?

Thanks very much for the help.

You could set a "Date last matched" rule, or have the files moved to a different folder or color label them and add a rule to ignore files with a certain color label.

I have tried using the "date last matched" rule, but cannot seem to make it work the way I need it to. Does Hazel tag items it has matched and keep that info, and does a networked storage device have any effect on this?

If you were using the "date last matched" rule, how might you apply it.

Thanks

Actually, I would have Hazel apply a color label to the files after importing, and also add a rule to import only if the color label was not the color label you apply after import.

In other words, something like this:

If file is MP3, and color label is not blue, then import to itunes and set the color label to blue.

That way Hazel shouldn't import the files next time it matches that folder. I do this with a folder for images to import into iPhoto and it works fine. I also have the imported photos then sorted into a subfolder just for organization's sake.

I am still wrapping my head around the "date last matched" rule, not sure I understand exactly what it does -- does it apply just to the folder itself, or to the contents of the folder?

Thanks a lot. One little tid bit of important information is that the music folders/files reside on a network share (happens to be a Windows PC). I'm guessing the tag is applied to the file itself and that probably wouldn't work in this application. I'll play around with your ideas and see if it'll work.

Thanks again, and i'm happy to have other thoughts, suggestions for this problem.

kcstueber: If you emailed support about this then I think we worked this out but if you are someone else, let me know.

I'm also experiencing an issue with iTunes and duplicates: One of Hazel's sample rules is importing music files to iTunes. When this rule is executed the files in question are added twice (once as duplicates) to the library and a specific playlist is created (although I configured the rule to add the files to the playlist "Mediathek") with the files added ~10 times as duplicates. Furthermore the rule's second action (move files to trash) is not carried out at all.

The log doesn't show any activity about adding the files to iTunes at all and Growl doesn't show anything either.

Is this in the beta? If so, I suggest posting in the beta forum as the issue may be unique to that version.

Otherwise, try turning on debug logging and emailing me the results.