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Ever wanted to know how to batch convert a load of Windows WMA files to work with iTunes on a Mac? Here's how to do it without spending money.

Related Links

Converting Window's WMAs to MP4s on a Mac

February 3, 2009

What you'll need:

  • Flip4Mac free WM* codec for quicktime available here
  • Apple's Automator (built in since tiger)
  • Quicktime Automator actions for compression and workflow available here
  • Some WMA's

The Process:

  1. Install all the software you have downloaded above
  2. Choose 1 WMA file and open it in quicktime
  3. Choose export from the file menu and make sure the settings are to export sound to quicktime movie and use the option menu to setup your required target settings, these are the setting which will get used for your batch conversion
  4. Open automator and start a new custom workflow
  5. Find the 'set value of variable' action and add it to the workflow
  6. with this action create a new variable called 'currentfolder', this action will take whatever value is passed to it a store it in the variable for use later
  7. Next, add the 'get folder contents' action to the work flow and check the 'repeat for each subfolder found' option
  8. Next, add the 'Filter finder items' action and set it up to match where: 'name extension' - is equal to - 'wma'
  9. Now choose the 'compress quicktime using most recent setting' action which you have installed. Choose the 'currentfolder' variable you created earlier as the directory for the converted files, and choose Mpeg4 as the format the files will be converted to.
  10. Save the workflow as a finder plug-in, call it whatever you want

Thats it! To use your new workflow simple right-click on the folder containing the WMAs you want to convert and the go to 'more' -> 'automator' -> the workflow you just created! This will then launch the batch process which will convert all WMA files in that directory to MP4. You can then drag these MP4's into iTunes to import them, job done!

The only major issue with this is that this method does not preserve the meta data of each track so you'll lose artist and album names, etc, and you'll have to re-create it in iTunes which might be a bit of a bind!

 

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About me

I've been a high-end professional web developer since the late 90's. During that time I've worked for a variety of government departments and new media agencies in the Norwich, Norfolk and Suffolk area before going fully freelance in 2009.

I'm also a professional musician performing regularly in a number of well regarded Norfolk and Suffolk based function bands.

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