Printing from iTunes Page 2 of 2

Playlist

When iTunes isnt enough

If you want to print a snazzy disc label to go with a CD insert, iTunes won’t help you. You’ll need to turn to an application such as SmileOnMyMac’s $30 DiscLabel 3.0, an easy-to-use program that helps you lay out both labels and CD inserts, import graphics, and tweak fonts for unique results. You can use the program’s built-in templates or design your own, and DiscLabel lets you add custom text to your CD inserts—something that iTunes doesn’t allow.

And what if you don’t want to print a list of your library’s contents but still want a way to share them? Try Trance Software’s free iTunes Publisher 4.1, which lets you create Web pages with the contents of your favorite playlists, or even text files that you can import into a spreadsheet to organize your collection (you can also do this by control- or right-clicking on a playlist in iTunes and selecting Export Song List). iTunes Publisher gives you full control over which columns are included, you can create HTML pages by song or by album, and you can remove duplicates or add your own playlist notes (see screenshot).

Finally, here’s a trick that’s perfect for karaoke parties: print your own karaoke song lists with lyrics. You probably know that you can add lyrics to any track in your iTunes library (select a track, press Command-I, click on the Lyrics tab, and paste the words). AppleScript maven Doug Adams has created the free Make PDF Booklet script, which lets you create a PDF booklet containing tag info from the selected tracks (or every track from the selected playlist), including lyrics, and then add the PDF to your iTunes library. You can print out the PDF, complete with lyrics, and pass it around at your next party—so there’s no excuse for people not to sing.

[ Kirk McElhearn is the author of several books on the Mac and the iPod, including iPod and iTunes Garage (Prentice Hall, 2004). His blog, Kirkville, features articles about OS X, the iPod, iTunes, and more. ]