Settings

Every tab and setting in ClassicTunes' Settings window, what each one does, and which ones belong to each library.

To open Settings, choose ClassicTunes › Settings… (⌘,). On macOS 12 Monterey the menu item is called Preferences….

The window has five tabs: General, Advanced, Backups, Scrobbling and Libraries.

#Settings and libraries

Most settings belong to the library that's open, so each library can be set up differently. When you have more than one library, the top of the General tab says which library you're changing: "These settings are for the library…".

These settings are the same for every library on your Mac:

• Open ClassicTunes when an iPod is connected
• Under Play key: Open ClassicTunes when the Play key would open Music, When it starts and Always open ClassicTunes instead of the Music app (what plays is set for each library)
• Other players
• Notifications
• Updates
• Everything on the Backups, Scrobbling and Libraries tabs

#General

#Appearance

You can change an iPod's color on its page (see Connecting an iPod). A new highlight color appears after ClassicTunes restarts; click Restart Now to restart straight away.

#Syncing

See Connecting an iPod and Syncing.

#Adding songs

See Your library and Artwork.

#Importing CDs

Imported songs are saved in the library folder. To stop the Music app opening CDs, set "When you insert a music CD" to Ignore in System Settings › CDs & DVDs. See CDs.

#Playback

See Playback.

#Play key

The Play key on your keyboard (and the play button on headphones or AirPods) normally opens the Music app when nothing is playing. These settings send it to ClassicTunes instead.

The key only comes to ClassicTunes when no other player has it: if another app was playing, the key still goes to that app. A small helper runs in the background to notice when the key would open Music.

#Other players

Whether this is on or off, ClassicTunes pauses when AirPods or headphones are taken out, and carries on when the same ones are back.

#Notifications

If notifications for ClassicTunes are turned off in System Settings, the section says so, with an Open Notifications button.

#Updates

An update never restarts ClassicTunes while it's syncing, taking a snapshot or importing. See Updates.

#Info

See Tidying up and Artwork.

#Backup

These buttons back up your library's information (not the music files themselves).

See Metadata backups.

#Podcasts

Episodes set to always or never sync, and shows that no iPod syncs, are left alone. See Podcasts.

#Library

The library folder holds songs imported from Music, songs added as files while Copy files into the library when adding them is on, artwork, podcast downloads, converted files and backups. Moving it copies everything and checks the copy before switching; the old folder then goes to the Trash, and you're asked to restart ClassicTunes. If the folder you choose already has a ClassicTunes library, ClassicTunes offers to switch to it instead. See Libraries.

#Advanced

#Simulated iPod

For testing without hardware, a folder with an iPod_Control directory can stand in for an iPod. ClassicTunes writes a real database into it.

• Create Test iPod Folder… makes a new test iPod folder and attaches it.
• Attach Existing Folder… attaches a folder that already has an iPod_Control directory.
• Each attached folder is listed with a Detach button.

#Remembered iPods

Every iPod this library remembers syncing, with how many songs and episodes it last synced and when. Forget… makes ClassicTunes forget what it synced to that iPod and its sync settings, and releases it from this library, so connecting it again asks which library to use. Nothing on the iPod changes, but the next sync copies every song again. See Connecting an iPod.

#Backups

Settings for snapshots, copies of a whole iPod you can put back later.

#iPod snapshots

Snapshots are never taken without asking; Take Snapshot on an iPod's page saves one any time.

#Where snapshots are kept

The folder snapshots are saved in, at first "ClassicTunes iPod Backups" in your Library's Application Support folder. Change… picks another folder; Use Default goes back. Each snapshot only stores what changed since the last one; the rest is shared. An APFS drive keeps them smallest. Snapshots already taken stay where they are.

#Scrobbling

#ListenBrainz

#Plays

How many plays are waiting to be sent, with Send Now to send them straight away. Plays wait here while the Mac is offline, and are sent when it's back. See Scrobbling.

#Libraries

Each library has its own songs, playlists, podcasts, settings and iPods. An iPod belongs to the library that last synced it; plugging it in opens that library. The tab lists every library, with these buttons for the one you select:

• Open: switches to it (ClassicTunes restarts).
• Rename…
• Show in Finder
• Remove from List…: takes the library off this list. Its folder and files aren't deleted; use Add Existing Library… to bring it back. Its settings are forgotten.
• New Library…
• Add Existing Library…

See Libraries.

#From AppleScript and Shortcuts

A few settings can be changed from a script or shortcut:

tell application "ClassicTunes"
    set scrobbling to true
    set automatically checks for updates to true
    set audiobook speed to 1.5
end tell

In Shortcuts, use Turn ListenBrainz Scrobbling On or Off, Set Volume and Set Audiobook Speed. See AppleScript and Shortcuts.