How to use iTunes consolidation tool

Question

is the iTunes consolidation tool smart enough to not copy files that are already present in the destination folder?
Scenario - I have two libraries that appeared by mistake. One on my iMac and one on my Drobo. The newest library is on my Drobo. I just changed the destination drive for new music to be my iMac but now I want to move all media that appears on my Drobo over to my iMac, but I don't want to copy any media to the iMac that is already there.
Will the consolidation tool just copy the entire 450 gigs off my drobo and drop it on my iMac, or will it recognized that 445 gigs are already there and not copy them?

Answer 1

This is a little tricky. If iTunes knows about the files in the new location, then it will not copy them again. But if iTunes does not know about the files in the new location it will likely copy them (you'll likely end up with two copies of the files - one that iTunes knows about, and one that itunes does not know about.
Try it with one track. Select a track. "control" click on the track, and choose "show in finder". This will show you where iTunes thinks the track is. If it is in the old location, "control" click again, this time choose "consolidate files". This will copy the file to the new location. "control" click on the file again to see where itunes thinks the file is now, and if you see a duplicate. It is possible that if the file is identical it will not make a copy, but more likely it will make a copy and give it a name with a number added to the end.
If you know the drobo has everything you want, and there is not unique content on the iMac (and iTunes thinks all its files are on the drobo) you might want to delete the iMac folder, then consolidate and have everything copied over.