iRate - Never forget to rate your iTunes songs

[big_daddy]

Using the iTunes COM interface this script monitors the currently playing song within iTunes. If that song is not rated the GUI will pop-up allowing you to easily rate the song.

Current Version: 1.0

iRate.zip

Command line parameters:

• Method used for rating alert. FromEnd (default) or FromBeginning
  • -Method:FromEnd
• Specify whether to always display GUI. True or False (default)
  • -Persistent:False
• Amount of time in seconds to alert based on alert method. 30 (default)
  • -Time:30

Known Issues:

• Labels containing song information do not wrap or scroll.

Edited February 17, 2012 by big_daddy

[LiquidNitrogen]

Very Nice.

[TheSaint]

Thanks for sharing.

I've always been in two minds about rating songs, especially as I have enough trouble assigning Genre &/or Category, which are far more useful.

From a personal point of view, I find rating a mixed bag, so I've never used it.

If I was more of a Radio or Party listener, perhaps it would be useful, but I tend to be in moods where I want to listen to a certain type of music.

It's always pissed me off too, that iTunes & other software put more emphasis on rating than something way more important & relevant, like Year.

That's my two cents anyway, but I'm always interested in alternate views & observations ... convince me.

I can see some possibility of worth when Rating is coupled with Year.

[big_daddy]

The reasoning for my emphasis on the song rating is due to the size of my music library. Even though I have a 32GB iPhone that's still not enough space to sync all my music. My solution is to only sync music that I have rated 4 or 5 stars. The problem is I've only rated half my library and that has taken 5+ years. I listen to music most of the day at work, but get focused on what I'm doing and forget to rate the songs. That's why I wrote this script.

[UEZ]

I cannot really test it because I don't have an iTunes but I like the look of the GUI.

Br,

UEZ

[TheSaint]

The reasoning for my emphasis on the song rating is due to the size of my music library. Even though I have a 32GB iPhone that's still not enough space to sync all my music. My solution is to only sync music that I have rated 4 or 5 stars.

Me likewise, except I have a full 160Gb iPod, and in recent times have started removing stuff, using a range of criteria.

I applaud your fine attempt, but we obviously listen to our music differently. I tend to just get stuck listening to my iPod most of the time, so not including stuff that might grow on me, is very limiting to my mind, and even with your program, it would still be a heavy workload to rate songs ... especially as I know many would cause me to umm & aah big time, which would give me a mind-bender and reduce my musical pleasure.

I tend to be an album, rather than song listener, but I do indulge in creating all types of playlists, based on all sorts of parameters (mood, etc).

Still trying to get all my Various Artists material completed, which would then put me into a better position to listen more to song based music.

The problem is I've only rated half my library and that has taken 5+ years. I listen to music most of the day at work, but get focused on what I'm doing and forget to rate the songs. That's why I wrote this script.

I've also been working on my library for several years (& more when I consider earlier organizings). I'm very methodical (as George knows) about my tags, artwork, ripping & loading etc, so I've written many helper programs myself, that are tailored to my specific needs ... still takes a long time but.

[James]

This would have been an awesome addition to something I was working on, iTunesTweet

Very nice!