By Collin Allen

AtomicParsley

December 26, 2005

I recently found this little utility, AtomicParsley, which has the ability to change data within iTunes M4A and M4V files and make iTunes believe they are of a different type. For example, if you rip your own TV shows to the iPod video format directly from the DVDs (instead of buying them through iTMS), the encoded files will be added to iTunes as Movies. Doing a Get Info on the file(s) within iTunes does not allow you to change the type of content you’re inspecting. AtomicParsley can edit the file, changing the very resource (called an Atom) that iTunes uses to differentiate the content type, thus making your DVD rips of TV shows into true iTunes TV Shows. Edited files will appear alongside any purchased TV shows, as well. For the time being, AtomicParsley is a command-line program and requires some basic Terminal knowledge. If you’re unsure of this, be sure to see the short Terminal primer bundled with the download. Changing the information is as simple as ./AtomicParsley /Users/collin/24_1x01. --genre "TV Show" --stik "TV Show" --TVNetwork FOX --TVShowName "24" --TVEpisode "0101" --TVEpisodeNum 01 --TVSeason 01. Fill in the details for the show name, TV network, season number, and episode number, and let AtomicParsley do the rest. Upon importing the newly edited file into iTunes, it will be moved to the appropriate category.

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