Question: This is my first time trying to put together a recording of something which will become a podcast, and it seems like I have 10 "post processing" steps which I am currently doing manually.

It's entirely possible (in fact, it's likely) that I'm doing this in a way which is much harder than it has to be, but I don't know how to automate and/or simplify it. I'm hoping others who know more about this process might chime in and tell me how to make it simpler.

I'm starting with an AIFF file which has to be edited (cutting off time at the beginning and ending). This strikes me as the only step which can't be automated.

1. Edit AIFF in Fission to just contain the recording
2. Export as AIFF
3. Open Intro (a pre-recording mp4), Outro (same), and new recording (AIFF) in QuickTime7
4. Create new document in QuickTime7, and then Copy/Paste: 1) the Intro, 2) the new recording, and 3) the Outro.
5. Export AIFF from QuickTime7
6. Open AIFF in Levelator
7. Import leveled AIFF in iTunes
8. Export leveled AIFF to MP3 (iTunes) at a certain bitrate
9. List item
10. Add tags to MP3 (iTunes) checking to make sure I'm using same tags I used in previous episodes in all required fields except for the episode title which is different.

It seems like steps 2-10 should be something I can automate, even the tagging, except for the episode title, which I can manually add before I upload it to the server.

So how can I automate this, or otherwise make it easier / less error-prone?

Answer: 
[Reset the SyncServices folder](http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1627). Not sure why I didn't think of this earlier.

In short:

```
/System/Library/Frameworks/SyncServices.framework/Versions/A/Resources/resetsync.pl full

```

Apple has some other tricks to try if you're on an OS prior to Mountain Lion, but it looks like this should work for Leopard through Mountain Lion.

You can confirm by comparing output of

```
grep -ir "device" ~/Library/Application\ Support/SyncServices

```

before and after resetting the SyncServices folder. You should see some lines about your device prior and no lines about it after.
If you go to the **iTunes > Preferences** menu and select the **Devices** tab you can delete backup's from particular iPhones. Also you can go to **iTunes > Preferences > Devices**, and check the box 'Prevent iPods. iPhones, and iPads from synching automatically'.