Some Mac users are aware that many Apple applications in OS X have undocumented command line preferences. iTunes is one of these applications. I thought a thread collecting such preferences might be useful. (Equivalent Windows commands can also be given if known.)
Earlier versions of iTunes showed arrows next to certain fields (Name, Artist, Album) of songs that were highlighted or playing. Depending on which arrow was clicked, users would be sent to the song, artist, or album in the iTunes store. Perhaps more useful, if the arrow was clicked with the option key pressed, the iTunes would display either the album or the artist in the user's library.
With iTunes 10, this default functionality was removed, and the arrows were replaced with button to activate the Ping drop down menu. For iTunes users who do not use Ping, the drop down menu is useless.
All commands are entered into Terminal. iTunes must be restarted before any changes take effect.
To remove the Ping menu activation buttons:
To show the hidden (by default) store link arrows:
That restores the default behavior of previous versions of iTunes. Clicking on the arrows navigates the user to the song, album, or artist in the iTunes store. Clicking on the arrows while pressing the option key navigates the user to the album or artist in the user's library. Still, it would be more convenient if the option key didn't need to be pressed to navigate to the artist/album in the library.
This command causes iTunes to navigate to the library with a normal right slick of the arrows and navigate to the store with an option-click.
Restart iTunes, and the changes take effect.
To undo the previous changes:
Restart iTunes.
Edit:For Windows users desiring the same changes, try the following commands.
For 32 bit:
For 64 bit:
Earlier versions of iTunes showed arrows next to certain fields (Name, Artist, Album) of songs that were highlighted or playing. Depending on which arrow was clicked, users would be sent to the song, artist, or album in the iTunes store. Perhaps more useful, if the arrow was clicked with the option key pressed, the iTunes would display either the album or the artist in the user's library.
With iTunes 10, this default functionality was removed, and the arrows were replaced with button to activate the Ping drop down menu. For iTunes users who do not use Ping, the drop down menu is useless.
All commands are entered into Terminal. iTunes must be restarted before any changes take effect.
To remove the Ping menu activation buttons:
Code:
defaults write com.apple.iTunes hide-ping-dropdown -bool TRUETo show the hidden (by default) store link arrows:
Code:
defaults write com.apple.iTunes show-store-link-arrows -bool TRUEThat restores the default behavior of previous versions of iTunes. Clicking on the arrows navigates the user to the song, album, or artist in the iTunes store. Clicking on the arrows while pressing the option key navigates the user to the album or artist in the user's library. Still, it would be more convenient if the option key didn't need to be pressed to navigate to the artist/album in the library.
Code:
defaults write com.apple.iTunes invertStoreLinks -bool TRUEThis command causes iTunes to navigate to the library with a normal right slick of the arrows and navigate to the store with an option-click.
Restart iTunes, and the changes take effect.
To undo the previous changes:
Code:
defaults write com.apple.iTunes show-store-link-arrows -bool FALSE
defaults write com.apple.iTunes hide-ping-dropdown -bool FALSEEdit:For Windows users desiring the same changes, try the following commands.
For 32 bit:
Code:
"C:\Program Files\iTunes\iTunes.exe" /setPrefInt hide-ping-dropbown 1
"C:\Program Files\iTunes\iTunes.exe” /setPrefInt show-store-link-arrows 1
“C:\Program Files\iTunes\iTunes.exe” /setPrefInt invertStoreLinks 1For 64 bit:
Code:
"C:\Program Files (x86)\iTunes\iTunes.exe" /setPrefInt hide-ping-dropbown 1
"C:\Program Files (x86)\iTunes\iTunes.exe” /setPrefInt show-store-link-arrows 1
“C:\Program Files (x86)\iTunes\iTunes.exe” /setPrefInt invertStoreLinks 1