Podcasts files gone in macOS Catalina

6 replies
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After updating to macOS 10.15, all the podcasts files are gone from their respective folders for each podcast show. I am currently waiting for a solution from Apple. Apple customer service was unable to locate the files during a screen share session. Because of that, I am unable to listen to Podcasts via Sonos. Is Sonos aware of this? Anyone else has the same issue?

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Airgetlam

This is a Sonos community forum. Wouldn't you get a better chance of an answer regarding an Apple issue on an Apple forum?

Bruce

P

Pete Dilloway

Trending Lyricist I

If your podcasts appear in the Podcast app, simply drag each one to the folder in finder that you want them located in.

If not, the actual files should be in the library under group containers/podcast/cache
they will have strange names but once copied to a new folder, the metadata should sort them out.
hope that helps

R

rrrnycAuthor

Trending Lyricist I

Thanks Pete. While not ideal, dragging all podcasts episodes to the previous location of the Podcast folder worked. However, this would have to be done manually moving forward. If I delete an episode I already listened to, I'll have to manually delete it from the location I dragged it to. If I download new episodes in the Podcasts app, I'll have to drag them to the same location. It should be a easier than that.

For everyone else having the same issue, or for Sonos, in case they care to find another way to access the Podcasts library: I heard back from Apple about this issue:

They developed the new Podcasts app hoping that users will only use this app to listen to their shows. They didn't care about third-party applications not being able to access the actual files for podcasts. With this in mind, and from Apple's point of view, there is no problem. Everything is working as they intended.
It's Sonos fault for not spotting this problem while macOS Catalina was in beta (as per Apple).
This would not be a problem in a complete Apple environment (computer, tablet, phone, speakers).
There is a very clunky workaround to find the files for the podcasts: go to Library, Group Containers, then look for a folder that looks something like this: 243LU875E5.groups.com.apple.podcasts. In this folder, look for the Library folder. Open it and you will see a Cache folder. This is where all the files for all Podcasts episodes are now located. The suggestion was to bookmark this folder and add it to the Favorites bar in Finder. Then go to Sonos, and try to add it to the list of music library sources by going through the usual set-up. Make sure you have the right sharing options in place in order for this to work. Once I did all this, the podcasts episodes appeared once again in Sonos, but they are not grouped by show, as it used to be. It's just a long list of episodes from various shows I subscribe to. Again, not ideal.

I will personally move to Pocket Casts to access my podcasts until Sonos and Apple come up with a solution to this.

P

Pete Dilloway

Trending Lyricist I

Thanks Pete. While not ideal, dragging all podcasts episodes to the previous location of the Podcast folder worked. However, this would have to be done manually moving forward. If I delete an episode I already listened to, I'll have to manually delete it from the location I dragged it to. If I download new episodes in the Podcasts app, I'll have to drag them to the same location. It should be a easier than that.

For everyone else having the same issue, or for Sonos, in case they care to find another way to access the Podcasts library: I heard back from Apple about this issue:

They developed the new Podcasts app hoping that users will only use this app to listen to their shows. They didn't care about third-party applications not being able to access the actual files for podcasts. With this in mind, and from Apple's point of view, there is no problem. Everything is working as they intended.
It's Sonos fault for not spotting this problem while macOS Catalina was in beta (as per Apple).
This would not be a problem in a complete Apple environment (computer, tablet, phone, speakers).
There is a very clunky workaround to find the files for the podcasts: go to Library, Group Containers, then look for a folder that looks something like this: 243LU875E5.groups.com.apple.podcasts. In this folder, look for the Library folder. Open it and you will see a Cache folder. This is where all the files for all Podcasts episodes are now located. The suggestion was to bookmark this folder and add it to the Favorites bar in Finder. Then go to Sonos, and try to add it to the list of music library sources by going through the usual set-up. Make sure you have the right sharing options in place in order for this to work. Once I did all this, the podcasts episodes appeared once again in Sonos, but they are not grouped by show, as it used to be. It's just a long list of episodes from various shows I subscribe to. Again, not ideal.

I will personally move to Pocket Casts to access my podcasts until Sonos and Apple come up with a solution to this.

I had hoped to use Apple script to drag and drop from podcasts but it simply doesn’t work!
I’m not impressed with the podcast app at all. I like podcasts sorted in the order I want and the app to open in the view I want. It does neither very well!!

M

Macchansv

Lyricist I

After reading a lot, trying a lot I got to a solution by buying a Symphonic speaker from Sonos / Ikea. Inexpensive and good enough quality. I set it up near my main computer and now I can stream it through Airplay 2 and al my Play1 I can put in the group and I have my podcast everywhere.

R

rrrnycAuthor

Trending Lyricist I

After reading a lot, trying a lot I got to a solution by buying a Symphonic speaker from Sonos / Ikea. Inexpensive and good enough quality. I set it up near my main computer and now I can stream it through Airplay 2 and al my Play1 I can put in the group and I have my podcast everywhere.

How do you access the podcasts files through Sonos app? These files are no longer accessible through the Sonos app in macOS Catalina.

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