What is PodWorks?
PodWorks is a Mac OS X application that compensates for the iPod's only downside: Apple only allows you to copy songs to your iPod. Its features include:
Setting up your iPod
In order for PodWorks to read your iPod, the iPod needs to be in disk mode. If your iPod is not in disk mode (it does not stay visible on your desktop), you will need to use the following instructions to turn it on:
1. Open iTunes. 2. Click on your iPod in the source list in the left pane of the iTunes window. ![]() 2. Make sure the "Enable Disk Use" checkbox under the options heading in the right pane is checked. ![]() 3. Once the iPod is mounted as a drive on the desktop, it should show up in PodWorks. |
Copying songs to the Finder
To copy song files to the Finder, use the following instructions:
1. To copy a song, simply drag the row representing that song to any location in the Finder. You can select multiple songs by using the shift key (to select contiguous blocks of songs) or the command key (to select a non-contiguous group of songs).
Alternatively, songs can be copied to the Finder using the "Copy All" and "Copy Selected" toolbar items or the same menu items under the "Pod" menu. ![]() 2. You can also control how the files are copied to the destination using the preferences panel. If you would like all of the copied files to be renamed according to a uniform naming convention, use the "Rename files using:" option. If you would like the copied files to be placed in a directory hierarchy as they are copied (rather than all lumped into the same directory), use the "Copy into directory hierarchy" option. The "When a file exists:" option controls how PodWorks behaves when, in the course of a copy, it encounters an existing file with the same name as the one it is trying to copy. |
Transferring songs and playlists to iTunes
To send a song (along with all of its metadata) directly to iTunes, first open iTunes, dismiss any dialogs that pop up, and then use the following instructions:
1. Select the songs you want to transfer in PodWorks, and then choose the "Send Selected Songs to iTunes" menu item from the "Pod" menu. Alternatively, if you would prefer to copy every song in the currently visible list to iTunes, simply choose "Send All Visible Songs to iTunes" from the Pod menu. Finally, to recreate a playlist in iTunes, select the playlist in PodWorks and choose the "Recreate Selected Playlist in iTunes" option from the "Pod" menu. ![]() 2. To make sure that no duplicate songs are transferred into iTunes, you may wish to enable the "Actively prevent duplicates" options in the "Preferences" window. Doing so will cause PodWorks to make sure a song doesn't already exist in iTunes before attempting a transfer, at the cost of a considerable performance decrease. ![]() Warning: It is probably best to avoid actively using iTunes while it is being controlled by PodWorks, to ensure that commmunication between the two apps remains uninterrupted. |