iPod and iTunes Hacks

Remove Unwanted Characters from Song Names

Remove a specified number of text characters from the beginning of the selected track names.

Track numbers in your Song Names disquieting your chi? Here’s an AppleScript that lets you delete a specified number of characters from the beginning of the name of each selected track; for example, you can delete the initial digits and the space from “01 First Track,” “02 Second Track,” and so on.

The Code

This script asks you for the number of text characters you want removed from the beginning of each of the selected track names and then removes that many:

	tell application "iTunes"
	  -- if no tracks are selected, exit
	  set sel to selection
	  if sel is {} then return

	  -- get a number routine
	  set this_offset to my get_a_number("")

	  repeat with aTrack in sel
	    tell aTrack
		-- use try block; skip this track if any errors
		 try 
		   set name to text (this_offset + 1) thru -1 of (get name) 
		 end try 
		end tell 
	  end repeat
	  if frontmost is true then display dialog "Done!" buttons {"Thanks"}¬
		default button 1 with icon 1

	  end tell
	  to get_a_number(addenda)
		-- ask for a number as text
     	set myNumber to text returned of (display dialog "" & addenda &
		  "Enter number of initial characters to remove:" default answer¬ "" buttons {"Cancel", "OK"} default button 2) -- try to coerce the text string to a number try (myNumber as integer) on error -- if not, handler calls itself again tell me ...