2 Libraries co-existing at the same time?

Question

Hey folks:
Here is my problem. I've got a PowerBook with a 40gig hard drive. That size hard drive isn't nearly big enough to house my music collection, so I put all of my music on an External HD. Everytime I want to listen to music however, I don't want to have to plug in to my external HD.
Is there anyway of having two libraries on iTunes? One with its location on my External HD, the other with its location on my local HD? I feel like that would be the easiest way to keep everything orgnaized. I know I couldn't play anything from my external HD when it's not connected, but I don't want to have to recompile a 40,000 song library everytime I want to move songs from my local to my external drive.
Anyone have any creative solutions to this problem?

Answer 1

These instructions are for moving specific Music data files between the Boot Drive and an Ext. H.D. or the other way around... this from a previous post of mine to another poster with same question.
My problem is a little bit more complex. Right now I have the complete library on the Internal HD...
I want to have my favorite music on my laptop and the rest on the external HD
To do:-
*Open the iTunes folder and drag a copy of both library files as a backup to the external hard disk. (safety measure)
*Create on the desktop a empty folder called iTunes Music. (this folder will be used to move the music)
*Start iTunes check preferences are set not to copy files when adding to library.
*Drag the iTunes Music folder from the iTunes folder to the playlist area and create a new playlist, name this list 'Home Music'. (this will check that all the music is linked and can be read by iTunes)
*Open the Home Music playlist and select all songs you want to move to the external hard disk and drag them to a new playlist and delete them from the Home Music playlist, you can do this in stages. move and delete etc..... Do not put in trash if asked. when you are happy name the playlist 'external Music'
*Select all songs in the external Music playlist and drag them to the new iTunes Music folder you created on the desktop. remember to pick them up and hold for 10 seconds before completing the move.
*Quit iTunes .... hold down the command key and drag-and-drop the iTunes Music folder from the desktop to the external hard disk, when copy is complete check with the Finder 'Preview' function that they are OK and can play.
*Start iTunes and drag the iTunes Music folder, you just moved to external hard disk, to the playlist area and create a new playlist, check that this list matches the 'external Music' playlist if so continue. Note:- if 'date added' is important do not do this step as today's date will be used..... (see Special note at bottom if playlist of contents of Ext. HD is needed)
*Check preferences are set location = iTunes Music folder at home, say okay if changes needed.
*Select all songs in the the 'external Music' playlist and hold down the option key and hit delete, this time answer YES to question re- move to trash.
*Leave the location set for home iTunes Music folder and you can move any new additions or anything else you don't want on laptop the same way.
*If all is working okay backup the 2 library files again.
Special Note:- if you require a playlist and do not want to lose your original 'date added' select all the songs in the Home Music playlist and bulk edit them... add some value to a field like 'grouping' and update... now when you install the heading for the field you added a value to in your library and sort on it the tracks that do not have the same value will all be together... select them and make a new playlist
Not clear on anything come and ask.... TP