cannot add m4a files

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

It seems that the gtkpod 1.0 from natty used a libmp4v2 library in order to process M4A files. The newer version doesn't nor is libmp4v2 available.

Downgrading gtkpod using gtkpod, gtkpod-data, libgpod4 and libmp4v2-0 packages from natty seems to do the trick.

I found some success with this alternate PPA for gtkpod and libmp4v2

https://launchpad.net/~forage/+archive/gtkpod

Because Ubuntu updates/upgrades have messed with ipod compatibility in the past, I also use some commercial apps from the Apple appstore to manage media on my 2nd gen iPod touch. For podcasts, I have used Instacast but now use Downcast. Both of these can download new episodes via wi-fi. For music and video files, I use Files Pro, which lets me mount a webdav location in Ubuntu. I rarely connect my ipod and computer by cable anymore unless I need to manage playlists.

I try the forage PPA but id doesnt work properly. I try to add MP4 and M4V format (converted by Arista) and it adds the files but on the my IPOD 5.5, recognized them as music, not as video. I had to purge the PPA.

Still a problem in Ubuntu 12.04, Banshee 2.4.0

Seeing same problem with gtkpod 2.1.0 installed on Ubuntu 11.10 and gtkpod 2.1.2 on Lubuntu 12.10; trying to load data to an old iPod Photo

Just before the error dialogue re .m4a files not being recognized, there is a couple of errors reported related to trying to write to the users home directory (eg /home/user ) and 'user.ext'.

gtkpod also does not seem to be consistent in terms of the how/when/if it recognizes the mounted / loaded iPod; dmesg contains complaints about sending ioctl 2285 to a partition.

Fix described above by keplicz works for me on the Lubuntu system (not yet tried the 11.10 machine).

NOTE: you need ensure that whatever programme is creating the .m4a files, the mp3/mp4 'tag fields' are populated with artist name, track etc (not sure what the minimum requirement is).