Managing 2 libraries

We have 2 iPods and 2 libraries (1 for daughter and 1 for parents) on the same computer. It is cumbersome to switch between the 2 libraries by holding down the shift key and choosing the appropriate library. Is there a way to put a shortcut to each library on the desktop? When I do it always opens to the last library accessed.
Also, how can we move a song from 1 libary to the other?

Well one way of doing this would be to create short cuts.
Right click on iTunes Library.itl no 1 and select Send to>>Desktop (Create shortcut.
Next do the same for library 2.
Now you should be able to open either library from the shortcuts.

Similar Messages

Managing multiple libraries for multiple family members

I have four family members with multiple iTune libraries, including two that need to be age appropriate for our children. To add to this burden, we now have an iPad as well. How do I best manage these libraries, minimizing duplicate purchases, enabling each to have store accounts for gift card purchases, and sync each iPod simply for those not familiar with the apple software? Can I merge our libraries, create different users with their songs and accounts for purchases and syncing logins? We have two operating systems in the home, mac and pc? Argh, this is cumbersome, my library has over 4000 items, other family members have much smaller libraries, but would like their own individual libraries. Should I merge and make separate playlists for each user? If so, how can I incorporate my own vast library of playlists already created?
Help me please, any suggestions?
Rob Mc

There are 3 options. See this page:
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1495
My advice is to use option #1 and have each user with a separate windows userID. They can each keep their own itunes library database file with ratings, play counts, playlists.
Have all the library content in a public folder to avoid filling the PC's hard drive with duplicates.
You can use a 3rd-party utility program like iTunes Folder Watch to update all the libraries when new content gets added.
Method #2 is easiest, but then ratings and play counts will not be separated. Also, they have to remember to log out of the itunes store and log in with their own ID when making purchases. Something to watch for when kids are involved with their own gift cards....this is not a problem with method #1.
Method #3 seems to give a lot of people grief because all users MUST use a shift-start of itunes to choose their own library. Woe has fallen on many who have tried this method.
As for using both Mac & PC, itunes & ipods are designed to only sync with one PC. There is a way around that, but you either have to do a lot of manual backing up and copying, or buy something like TuneRanger.

Managing multiple libraries with different file types (AAC v. Lossless)

I have set up two libraries, one for my AAC music and the other for my lossless music. The files themselves are located in two separate places on my hard drive. When I switch libraries (option-clicking iTunes), and go to Preferences/Advanced tab, the directory for the files and the import method doesn't change -- I have to change it manually. This is annoying.
Does anyone know of a way to automate this change, so that if I open a new library, the default location of the files and the import format changes automatically? I tried ituneslibrarymanager from Dougscripts, but for some reason can't get this program to install on my machine.

No, it's the same Windows XP user account, but I have two separate music libraries - the music files in library are in a lossless format, while those in the other are in AAC. For convenience, I wish to keep the two libraries separate.
In iTunes 7 it is possible to have separate libraries - start iTunes and hold down the SHIFT key (Windows) while the program starts. A dialogue box then appears where the required library can be selected. However, as far as I can tell, it's not possible to have a different set of preferences for each library.
Say the preferences are set up for my lossless library, which is located on a separate network drive. If I then make the AAC library active and open iTunes, iTunes reindexes the library according to the settings for the lossless library and I end up with the AAC library full of lossless files. I've tried unchecking various things in the preferences box, but I've had no luck fixing the problem. Thanks for your suggestion - I have already reported the problem.
The whole thing is a rather inelegant way of managing multiple libraries in iTunes. Surely the Apple developers can come up with a way of doing it from within iTunes??

Managing multiple libraries

Hello everyone,
is there a way (even through a third-party add-on) to manage multiple libraries (I actually need to have only 2 libraries) in iTunes?
I'm asking so because I need to move part of my podcast collection to an external drive (I want to keep only the most "important" podcasts in my Mac and the rest of them in a external drive). But I'd like to make this change transparent to iTunes (I don't want to choose the library I want to mount every time I use iTunes).
Thanks and have a nice weekend.
Sig

I'm asking so because I need to move part of my podcast collection to an external drive (I want to keep only the most "important" podcasts in my Mac and the rest of them in a external drive).
You don't need a separate library to do this.
iTunes prefs -> Advanced.
Set the *iTunes media folder location* to the external.
In iTunes, select the items you want on the external then right click -> Consolidate selected files.
This will copy these to the external drive.
You can then delete them from the internal.
Then set iTunes prefs -> Advanced, *iTunes media folder location* back to the internal.
I'm looking for something integrated within iTunes
Then no, you cannot manage separate libraries except holding Option when starting and selecting the library you want.

Managing two libraries

hi there,
I am having problems managing two libraries. I am trying to create two separate libraries, AAC and Lossless. I was given the advice below, which I followed, problem is when you switch back and forth between the libraries, if switches songs from my Lossless library which are stored correctly in the Lossless folder to files from the AAC library and vice versa.
Also, each time you switch libraries you have to go to advance preferences and indicate where you want to store the files. Example, I have the Lossless library open, the preference is set as G:/music/lossless; when I exit that library and open the AAC library the preference is set to the Lossless library. I don't mind changing that if I have to but the problem of the libraries switching content from AAC to Lossless is the big problem. Any advice?
PREVIOUS POST INFO:
Do this.
Create 2 folders on the external.
G:\Music\Lossless
G:\Music\AAC
Hold Shift (for Windows), Option (for Mac) and launch iTunes
Select Create new library and select the AAC folder you created above.
This will create a new iTunes folder in G:\Music\AAC. You should now have G:\Music\AAC\iTunes\.
Go to Windows Exploder and move all your AAC files into G:\Music\AAC\iTunes\iTunes music\ folder.
Go to iTunes menu File -> Add folder to library and select G:\Music\AAC\iTunes\iTunes music\.
Quit iTunes and restart holding Shift (for Windows), Option (for Mac).
Select Create new library and select the Lossless folder you created above.
This will create a new iTunes folder in G:\Music\Lossless. You should now have G:\Music\Lossless\iTunes\.
Go to Windows Exploder and move all your Lossless files into G:\Music\Lossless\iTunes\iTunes music\ folder.
Go to iTunes menu File -> Add folder to library and select G:\Music\Lossless\iTunes\iTunes music\.
Next time you launch iTunes hold Shift* (for Windows), Option (for Mac) select Choose library and select teh iTunes library.itl file in teh folder you want.
Make sure you first set your Import prefs to AAC or Lossless, depending on which folder you are in.

I have a similar situation. I have a 8gb ipod touch and a 30gb ipod video. I only have one library and what I did was to have the video sync with my entire library (about 25 gb). For the touch, I have it sync only playlists that I select. (You can edit how a ipod syncs when you connect to the computer) this setting is under the music tab.
If you want to move the library off the computer, make sure you follow apple's instructions.
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1449
For the photos, each ipod can be setup to either sync the entire library or selected events. the settings for this are under the photo tab.

Newbie question abount managing java libraries

Hello all,
I'm rahter new to Java and have a question about how to manage java libraries in a central location. I've been told to use Maven, but I don't need/want to use it.
I'm only asking a way to have centralized the different Java libraries that a Developer Team may use in a form that they could download to their PCs and use in their projects, thinking in a free IDE environment where could be JDeveloper, NetBeans and Eclipse in use.
I'm thinking in use Subversion to upload the different Java libraries files to a Subversion Repository and then each Developer Team doing a checkout of what they need, but I think it's not the primary use to do with the versioning system.
Please, could somebody point me out if there is any product that could fit my needs about managing Java libraries ?
Thanks in advance.
Angel.

- limit the set of packages to those which have been approved by the processYou can constrain Maven to only use an internal repository from which to pull libraries. If you don't put the libraries in the repository you can't use them in your project.
- limit the packages by licenseI don't think there's anything built in to do this. There's a space for that information in the pom (metadata) file though, so it would be possible to do so. You'd probably have to do some work on the repository to bring ensure the fields was populated though - I get the impression that it tends not to be by default.
- produce audit logs of what the dependencies and licenses used by each project isDependencies yes, certainly. Licenses again I don't think there's anything existing but you could probably adapt the dependency plugin to report this.
Example dependency tree generated by Maven for JA-SIG CAS:
[INFO] [dependency:tree]
[INFO] org.jasig.cas:cas-server-webapp:war:3.2.1
[INFO] +- log4j:log4j:jar:1.2.15:runtime
[INFO] +- net.sf.ehcache:ehcache:jar:1.4.0-beta2:runtime
[INFO] | +- net.sf.jsr107cache:jsr107cache:jar:1.0:runtime
[INFO] | \- backport-util-concurrent:backport-util-concurrent:jar:3.0:runtime
[INFO] +- commons-lang:commons-lang:jar:2.2:runtime (scope not updated to compile)
[INFO] +- quartz:quartz:jar:1.5.2:compile
[INFO] +- org.springframework.ldap:spring-ldap:jar:1.2.1:compile
[INFO] +- org.springframework.ldap:spring-ldap-tiger:jar:1.2.1:compile
[INFO] +- org.springframework:spring-webmvc:jar:2.5.1:compile
[INFO] | +- org.springframework:spring-beans:jar:2.5.1:compile
[INFO] | +- org.springframework:spring-context:jar:2.5.1:compile
[INFO] | +- org.springframework:spring-context-support:jar:2.5.1:compile
[INFO] | +- org.springframework:spring-core:jar:2.5.1:compile
[INFO] | \- org.springframework:spring-web:jar:2.5.1:compile
[INFO] +- javax.servlet:jstl:jar:1.1.2:compile
[INFO] +- javax.servlet:servlet-api:jar:2.4:provided (scope not updated to compile)
[INFO] +- ognl:ognl:jar:2.6.9:runtime (scope not updated to compile)
[INFO] +- junit:junit:jar:3.8.1:test
[INFO] +- org.acegisecurity:acegi-security:jar:1.0.6:runtime
[INFO] | +- commons-codec:commons-codec:jar:1.3:runtime
[INFO] | \- oro:oro:jar:2.0.8:runtime
[INFO] +- cas:casclient:jar:2.1.1:runtime
[INFO] +- org.springframework:spring-aop:jar:2.5.1:compile
[INFO] | \- aopalliance:aopalliance:jar:1.0:compile
[INFO] +- org.springframework:spring-test:jar:2.5.1:test
[INFO] +- commons-logging:commons-logging:jar:1.1:compile
[INFO] +- org.springframework:spring-webflow:jar:1.0.5:compile
[INFO] | \- org.springframework:spring-binding:jar:1.0.5:compile
[INFO] +- org.inspektr:inspektr-core:jar:0.6.1:compile
[INFO] | +- aspectj:aspectjweaver:jar:1.5.3:runtime
[INFO] | +- aspectj:aspectjrt:jar:1.5.3:compile
[INFO] | \- org.springframework:spring-jdbc:jar:1.2.9:compile
[INFO] | \- org.springframework:spring-tx:jar:2.5.1:compile
[INFO] +- org.jasig.cas:cas-server-core:jar:3.2.1:compile
[INFO] | +- org.jasig.service:person-directory-impl:jar:1.1.1:compile
[INFO] | | +- org.jasig.service:person-directory-api:jar:1.1.1:compile
[INFO] | | \- commons-collections:commons-collections:jar:3.2:compile
[INFO] | +- jdom:jdom:jar:1.0:compile
[INFO] | +- org.springframework:spring-orm:jar:2.5.1:compile
[INFO] | +- org.apache.santuario:xmlsec:jar:1.4.0:runtime
[INFO] | +- org.opensaml:opensaml:jar:1.1b:compile
[INFO] | +- javax.persistence:persistence-api:jar:1.0:compile
[INFO] | \- javax.xml:xmldsig:jar:1.0:compile
[INFO] \- taglibs:standard:jar:1.1.2:compile

How to manage iPhoto libraries

How to easily switch from one iphoto library to another, move photos from one library to another etc.

David Neale1 wrote:
iPhoto '11 9.4.2 has the menu item File>Switch to Library…
Can you not manage libraries that way?
No - you can not manage libraries that way - you can switch libraries that way - exactly the same as the more general
You can switch libraries by depressing the option key, launching iPhoto and using the select library command
but you can not manage them that way or move photos between them that way
You can move photos (but not versions) by exporting from one and importing to the other one
But all that being said twice
IPLM. http://www.fatcatsoftware.com/iplm/ is the best tool for managing multiple libraries
It lets you move photos between libraries keeping all versions and all information
LN

Managing Two Libraries With Time Capsule

Hi,
I just got a Time Capsule and an iPhone. I already have an iPod. The space on my Hard Disk is running low - mainly due to a large iTunes music selection and large number of photos.
My question is this. Is there any way for me to manage two libraries - a small one (that will merge with my 8GB iPhone) that remains on my mac, and a large one (that merges with my 60GB iPod) on the Time Capsule? I know that I can create these two libraries, but every time I rip a new album, or download something from iTunes, I would like them to download to both libraries.
Is there a simple solution to sync certain sections of two libraries?
The same goes for iPhoto.
Thanks,
Matt

I have a similar situation. I have a 8gb ipod touch and a 30gb ipod video. I only have one library and what I did was to have the video sync with my entire library (about 25 gb). For the touch, I have it sync only playlists that I select. (You can edit how a ipod syncs when you connect to the computer) this setting is under the music tab.
If you want to move the library off the computer, make sure you follow apple's instructions.
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1449
For the photos, each ipod can be setup to either sync the entire library or selected events. the settings for this are under the photo tab.

Trouble managing multiple libraries

If I option+launch iTunes, I can choose from whatever libraries I've created, or choose "New" to create a new one. If I quit iTunes, then relaunch (without option key), iTunes opens the last library I had open. Okay so far, BUT: If I'm in iTunes, and can't remember which library was chosen, and some of my libraries look very similar, how can I tell which library I'm in?
I know I could quit, then option+launch to choose one. Going to Preferences > General just shows the last library name I picked, which may or may not be the library currently loaded.
I'm either very confused about setting up and managing libraries, or I'm missing something obvious.
Also, is there any way to link preferences to specific libraries? If I'm in Library A, for instance, I'd not want to use the same preferences I'd use for Library B (import settings, default Music folder, for example).

Thank you. My variation of this is: In each library, I create a new playlist that identifies the library (eg., the library for managing AIFF files has a playlist labeled • Don's AIFF library. The bullet puts it at the top of all other playlists. I then create another playlist labeled "Don's AIFF albums" with all the music playlists nested within. The indentation offers an additional visual cue and allows me to collapse the album playlist without losing track of which library I've loaded. I've done this with all three libraries.
It does seem to be a no-brainer that Apple might have developed such a feature within iTunes to begin with.
With this final posit, I'll declare this question "answered." Thanks again to all who provided feedback.

Do not understand how to manage multiple libraries in iTunes

Hope to learn from you!
What I am trying to achieved?
Using the proper procedures as described in "iTunes for Mac: Moving your iTunes Media folder" - I have succesfully moved my iTunes library to an external hard disk. So, I can play from this HDD when it is connected. That's good. I have trashed this library from the internal disk.
I want to keep a smaller iTunes library in my laptop - so I can play music without having the HDD connected. I do not need to keep this library in sync with the external main HDD - but, it is fine if it is.
So, I created a new iTunes in my laptop and named it "iTunes Laptop". I will "option" launch iTunes and select this library. In the "advanced" preference pane - both these "Keep iTunes Media folder organised" and "Copy files to iTunes Media folder when adding to library" are ticked.
Now, when I copy music from CD to this "iTunes Laptop" - it will copy to this folder "iTunes Laptop>Music" AND to the 'iTunes Media" on the HDD.
But, I can play the copied music on the "iTunes Laptop" ONLY when the HDD is connected - but, the music files arte in BOTH the "iTunes Laptop>Music" AND "iTunes Media" on the HDD!
Does anyone understand what I have done correctly to achieve my objectives stated above? Or, what is your ways to doing something similar?
Kind regards.

You're welcome, Rob.
Thanks again for your prompt advice. Is there any way to merge libraries?
There is not yet a simple, lossless way to merge libraries. It would be better to merge all iPhoto Libraries into one before migrating them to Photos.
You have two options:
Merge the iPhoto Librariess with Aperture, if you have a compatible Aperture version. See: Aperture 3.3: How to use Aperture to merge iPhoto libraries
Merge the iPhoto Libraries with iPhoto Library Manager before migrating. But you would need the full, paid version: See: http://www.fatcatsoftware.com/iplm/Help/merging%20libraries.html
If you want to store the libraries in iCloud Photo Library, you could alternately upload one library after the other by opening it as your main System Photo Library and enabling iCloud Photo Library, This would result in a merged Library in iCloud, but your Faces data would not download again.
And would cause a lot of network traffic and you would need an advanced storage plan for iCloud to store a large library.
iCloud Photo Library beta FAQ
The lossy option is to export all photos from the libraries to be added and to import them to iPhoto.

Managing iPhoto Libraries

I am having trouble with my iPhoto libraries. I'm on a MacBook Air, and I keep running out of drive space. To solve this, among other deletions, I end up moving my iphoto libraries to external hard drives. So now I have three iphoto libraries, and am in need, once again, of clearing space off my laptop.
Does anyone have suggestions how to do this more efficiently?
Thanks

Yes - use iPhoto Library Manager - http://www.fatcatsoftware.com/iplm/ - to merge the libraries on teh external drive and then use iplm to move photos between the MBA and the external libraries
LN

Sharing & Managing iTunes libraries from different countries

Hi Everyone,
I would like some help on sharing and managing content from different iTunes libraries from two difference countries please.
I have:
1 x iPod and its library from the UK (and its UK Apple ID)
2 x iPhone 5's and their libraries from the US (and their US Apple ID's)
I appreciate there are restrictions due to each country's laws so what I want may not work, however, ideally I want it so I can have all three of our libraries in one iTunes library and then both my wife and I can choose which songs we want on our iPhones and iPods.
Does anyone know if this is possible?
Any help much appreciated - cheers!

Y2J wrote:
Thanks Guys.
What you said worked - cheers!
The only thing that didn't was transferring my UK music to USA iPhone. Unless you know otherwise, I assume because I paid for UK music in UK, trying to then play it on a USA iPhone won't work......or is there a workaround?
The fact I've paid for it legally in one country surely shouldn't be a problem playing it on a device?
Or should I create a brand new Apple ID and library - would that help?
Your help is much appreciated.
Thanks.
Y2J,
The problem is much more likely to be the multiple Apple IDs than the multiple countries. Do not start yet one more.
If all the music is in one library located on your computer, but certain songs won't sync, pls post details of the problem and maybe someone here can help troubleshoot.

Managing iTunes libraries

This is a difficult one. I use the third party iTunes library manager to run two libraries/iTunes 6 music folders: one on the iMac's internal drive and the other one on an external drive. While switching between libraries, the internal one got chewed up: iTunes now only recognises 3% of the total number of songs.An older version of the internal library does not recognise any songs added or deleted since the last save a while ago.
How can I fix the internal library. I do not necessarily have to keep the playlists, however I am keen in preserving the settings such as "date added".
Jurgen

Jurgen:
I don't know how big your music folder is but a 50MB library sounds too big. I have a folder of about 3000 songs (20GB) and the iTunes Library file is only 4.8 MB including album art. You should delete the corrupt library file while itunes is closed. When you restart iTunes it will rebuild a new library file but it will be blank. When you run through the Add To Library I mention before it will reload all of your music into the library. Actually, I would trash both of gthe library files and start fresh.
As for the library pointing to the external library, you need to make sure that the music folder is pointing to the correct location in the Preferences/Advanced pane. It should be something like Music/iTunes/iTunes Music for your local folder. You said you are using a tool to switch between a local and external library. If this is using an AppleScript you need to remember that the scriopt may have created new folders with their own library file in each. If things are too messed up you may want to delete the folders and the library files and just start from the beginning.
I am not sure what the xml file does but I don't belive you need to do anything with it. It seems to take care of itself.
David

Holding Option key on startup to manage two libraries

When you start iPhoto if you hold down the Option key it will ask you to select a Library to use or it create a new one. I am using this work around to have two libraries. 1) for personal photos 2) for business photos
Are there any potential complications to managing them this way? Any problems?

Nope - that is the way to switch between multiple libraries
An alternative is using iPhoto Library Manager - http://www.fatcatsoftware.com/iplm/
LN

Managing iTunes libraries on different computers

This is a real "101" question, but....I started with iPod & iTunes on my G5. Then I bought a MacBook Pro and transferred most of my G5 stuff to it. I cleaned out a bunch of the music from the MBP (it's mostly a work machine for me), but now when I connect the iPod to the MBP, it auto-syncs and blows out all the music I installed from the G5.
So how do I change the MBP's iTunes settings so that I can connect the iPod and manually work with it on that computer? I might want to add music or audio to the iPod that lives only on the MBP, but I don't want my whole G5-based library to get wiped out every time I mount the iPod.

Plug it into the G5, open iTunes, select the iPod and tick Manually manage music.
You will have to manually manage it if you want to listen to the music on the iPod while connected to a different computer.

Managing large libraries

I have upwards of 40,000+ images in my referenced Aperture library. I create a folder for each year and a project for each shoot. I'm fairly diligent about adding keywords and keeping my files clean but as the cameras keep getting better the megapixels grow larger and the hard drive space (internal) gets gobbled up. I had just about filled a 1TB hard drive with photos dating back to 2004. I decided to get a 3TB, it formatted beautifully and I used SuperClone to move files from the 1TB to the the 3TB. I then removed the 1TB, put the 3TB in its bay and changed the name of the 3TB to "Pictures" ... just like the old 1TB. I thought this strategy would avoid Aperture "losing" the referenced files. It didn't. I know how to reconnect the referenced files to Aperture and my method of organization makes it doable but it will be somewhat tedious. I can do large batches so that should be fine.
But all this makes me wonder if I should be doing something different in terms of organization. I'd be curious to hear from others who have similar numbers of photos and how they organize them as well as any views about moving into an increasingly large megapixel world and what that means in terms of computers. I read somewhere that I can probably put a 3TB drive in each bay of my aging Mac Pro (2.66, Dual Core Intel Xeon) but should I really move towards that or do I need to think about some kind of external storage arrangement that can be connected to the stunning new iMacs that try to seduce me everytime I go to the Apple Store?
Oh, and if there is a more clever way to reacquaint the referenced files and Aperture please let me know.
Thanks very much.

Your set-up is both good and standard.
Once you commit a file to management by Aperture, you must use Aperture and only Aperture to manage that file. When you need to move your Referenced Masters, hook up both drives (if moving from one drive to another), and use "File→Relocate Masters".
For 1 TB of data, this will take some time.
Since you used another program to move your Masters (you used SuperClone), you must then re-connect your Images to their masters. There shouldn't be anything tedious to _you_ about this, and you shouldn't have to do any more but one very big batch. Just select all your Images and run "File→Locate Referenced Masters". It, too, will take some time to run. (Added: after it's done, confirm that no files got left out. Filter "Photos" with the Rule "File Status" set to "missing".)
I recommend buying four identical drives for each large Library:
- one for the Library
- one for the Referenced Masters
- one to back up the Library (I use SuperDuper!)
- one to back up the Referenced Masters (also SuperDuper!)
(All drives FW800 or faster, 7200 rpm, large caches.)
Having each of these on its own external drive makes administering back-ups easy (and in making them easy, they are more likely to be done). I tell people that a pair of 1 TB drives holds about one photographer-year of work, at a cost of $200 US. Imho, this is a bargain.
Message was edited by: Kirby Krieger

Managing 2 libraries

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