ITunes 10.6.1 and Alias 10.7.3 - Not So Much

Question

Just read an article in Macworld (US May 2012 pg 54) on moving iTunes Libraries from the built in HDD to an attached HDD and keeping iTunes intact by using the Alias option in Finder.
Anyone got any ideas on how to get iTunes to use the Alias?
A search of this forum indicates that others believe it should, the latest Macworld mag says the same......
So any insight on how to get it to work would be nice.....
Followed instructions to the letter ..
ie Copied Library from local HDD to a Firewire800 Drobo (5 hours)
Closed down iTunes and iTunes Helper - just to be safe
All Music lived in Music Folder on local HDD now on Drobo folder called Music
Deleted Music Folder on local drive, then emptied Trash
Option Command dragged Music Folder back to where old Music folder used to be.
Started iTunes
Every track I now try to play now complains the file is missing
If you check the Get Info in iTunes, after complaining about missing file goes to Summary
file://localhost/Music/iTunes/+Artists+/J-L/Jethro Tull Discografia/1980 - A/Jethro Tull -'A' - 01 - Crossfire.mp3
If you go to my local HDD /Music opens the Music folder on the Drobo and has :-
/iTunes/+Artists+/J-L/Jethro Tull Discografia/1980 - A/Jethro Tull -'A' - 01 - Crossfire.mp3
So in conclusion it appears that iTunes is not observing the Alias and has therefore 'lost' 40,000 songs

Answer 1

If you just want to use your music files on the external hard drive you can change your iTunes preferences to point to that hard drive folder, you don't really need to worry about Alias's and as far as I am aware alias's files will not let them be played in iTunes, folders might work as you can in Front row.
Your current library is complaining because it is looking at your computers hard drive for its music where it is nolonger.
Rather then edit the path for each, you can just tell iTunes to index your folder on the external hard drive which will then show your music.
You can either delete your files in iTunes (as they are only references and will give your duplicates if not) or make a new iTunes library pointing to your hard drive (hold down alt when opening iTunes and then select to make a new library).
To add your external drive music:
Under the File menu in iTunes select 'Add to Libary' ... then browser to your external hard drive and the folder your music lives in, select the 'Open' button. If you have a lot of music it will take some time, so best to leave it to it.
Once this has completed adding your files, you will be able to play them as though they were on your computer. Bear in mind that if your external drive goes to sleep, iTunes can make out it can not locate the file, so try to ensure the external drive is active before starting iTunes.
This wil now mean that you now have your iTunes Library files on your computer, but the media files are on your external hard drive.
Do bear in mind that if you do not change the Preferences in iTunes to point to this folder on your external drive, it will keep downloading any new files (music from cds/iTunes store, Apps etc) into your computers iTunes folder.
To change this, go into Preferences...Advanced and select the 'Change' icon and browse to your 'Music' folder on your external drive.
You can also tick the 'Copy files to iTunes folder when adding to library' and that will ensure all files are moved to the external drive, even if say they sit on your desktop and you add them manually to your iTunes.
Do bear in mind that if you are not connected to your external hard drive your music files will not play (which can be why having a second library is a plus as you could have some tracks on your computer hard drive for when out and about, then your full library when connected at home).
I use an external drive on the network to share Music, Films and TV shows around the house computers so that everyone can access them as well as using them on the Apple TVs. It is useful in keeping your computers hard drive slim and enjoying all your entertainment files.
I hope this helps you.