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

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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 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.

Sync manually managed iPod played count etc with multiple iTunes libraries

I have my music and podcasts spread out in different iTunes libraries. So if I sync items, tracks from another library are deleted from my iPod therefore I manually manage my tracks. The downside is when you connect a manual iPod to iTunes your ratings, played date, count don't get synced with the iTunes Library. So I created a simple applescript that syncs tracks on specified playlists on your iPod with matching ones in iTunes. I realise applescripts exist to do this already but I wanted something which required no user input and simply did what would happen if the iPod was in sync mode.
The applescript:
tell application "iTunes"
    set iPodName to ""
    set syncPlaylists to {"Music", "Podcasts"}
    repeat with syncPlaylist in syncPlaylists
        repeat with i from 1 to count of sources
            if the kind of source i is iPod then
                set iPodName to name of source i as string
                set ipodPlaylistId to (first playlist of source iPodName whose name is syncPlaylist)
            end if
        end repeat
        set musicLibraryId to (first playlist whose name is syncPlaylist)
        --update every track itunes syncPlaylist with data from ipod syncPlaylist
        repeat with ipodPlaylistTracksCounter from 1 to count of tracks of ipodPlaylistId
            set ipodTrack to track ipodPlaylistTracksCounter of ipodPlaylistId
            set ipodTrackData to {name, artist, album, played date, played count, rating} of ipodTrack
            set foundTracksInPlaylist to (every track of musicLibraryId whose ((name is item 1 of ipodTrackData) and (artist is item 2 of ipodTrackData) and (album is item 3 of ipodTrackData)))
            repeat with eachFoundTrackInPlaylist in foundTracksInPlaylist
                --use try blocks in case of missing data
                try
                    set played date of eachFoundTrackInPlaylist to item 4 of ipodTrackData
                end try
                try
                    set played count of eachFoundTrackInPlaylist to item 5 of ipodTrackData
                end try
                try
                    set rating of eachFoundTrackInPlaylist to item 6 of ipodTrackData
                end try
            end repeat
        end repeat
    end repeat
end tell
Mac Mini G4 Mac OS X (10.4.8) 1 GB RAM, ATI 9200 32MB, Samsung 940BW 19" Widescreen TFT LCD monitor

btw if you don't know how to use applescripts. Open script editor, you'll find it in Applications/Applescript/. Open a new window and copy the code in it and press compile. Save as a script and place in your home folder at ~/Library/iTunes/Scripts, create a Scripts folder if it doesn't exist. Alternatively, save as an application, on opening it will do its magic! Make sure an iPod is mounted in iTunes otherwise an error message will pop up.

Libraries, File Management, iTunes 11 and Windows 8

I am using WIndows 8 and iTunes 11. I have about 28 Gb of music files that I would like to separate into about 4 libraries. The real issue is when I create smart lists, I am always having to remember to remove Christmas music from my selection. I also have some music that I only listen to when my kids and grandkid are around. I know how to switch between libraries but I don't know how to move files between libraries. Many of the files I want to move are by the same artists that I want to keep. I thought I had it figured out. I duplicated the music library and made a Christmas library and then deleted everything that was not a Christmas song. I then switched back to my music library and there are not songs there. Help! My intent is to do this two more times -- one for my grandkids music and one for the hard rock that my kids enjoy.
Any assitance would be appreciated.
Thanks,
pcaskie

This article may help
http://ipod.about.com/od/advanceditunesuse/ss/Multiple-Itunes-Libraries-One-Comp uter.htm

Managing two libraries in iTunes - weird bug

I have two iTunes libraries (that is both library database and music files) that I am trying to maintain. On my internal drive in my MacBook Pro in which I have a set of AAC files with their associated library databse. On an external drive I am creating a "this is the last time I ever rip these CDs" Apple Lossless library (which can also serve as a backup).
To switch between these libraries I open iTunes while holding down the option key and choose the external drive library file. I then go into advanced preferences and redirect it to the music folder on the external drive. I then import CDs in lossless format as I have the opportunity. When I am done I switch back to the AAC internal library for everyday use. I can use this method to change between the libraries reasonably reliably. However, a strange bug keeps rearing its head.
When I switch to the external library it will commonly have references to AAC files on my internal drive seemingly replacing references to lossless files on my external. I can fix this problem by sorting by type and deleting all the AAC files from my library (this just deletes the references) then choosing add to library to reacquire the lossless files. This, however, is a pain.
Any suggestions as to what is going on and what the safest way to switch between these two libraries is?

Thanks for the response but still not working correctly.
I was not responding to you in my first post and I did not see I was responding to a someone other than the original poster. I'll go with it since it is relevant. If you ahve any further questions, please start a new topic in the correct forum.
The lossless version was at G:/lossless.
So you are on Windows? This is Forum*: Using iTunes for Mac* .
I started a new library the way you suggested
That's the only way there is to do it.
Create a new library and select completely different locations.
Don't choose the same location as the other library.
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.

How do I use your iPhone with multiple iTunes libraries

Hi, I have my music spread out between 3 seperate Itunes libraries on 3 different profiles on my computer. I have the newest generation Ipod Nano, Ipod Shuffle, and Iphone 4s. My Ipod's are both full, so I've decided to start putting music onto my phone. With my Ipod's, I can plug them into one profile on the computer, download the music on the Itunes library that exists on that profile, then do the same with the other profiles with no issue. However when I try to do this with my phone, It asks me to erase the music I have gotten from one Itunes library and sync with the current library, as soon as I plug it in to a different Itunes on one of the other profiles. I have my Iphone configured with the Manually manage music option, and I still haven't found a way to use my Iphone with multiple music libraries. PLEASE HELP

http://support.apple.com/kb/PH12113 - If you use manual syncing, you can sync items from more than one iTunes library to your iPod. (You can sync iPod touch, iPhone, and iPad with only one iTunes library.)
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1202 - When manually managing content, you can add content from multiple libraries to your iPod or iPad. Even when manually managing music, some content may be available from only one library at time. This includes all content on iPhone and video content on iPod and iPad.
They seem inconsistent as far as the iPad is concerned but in both articles the iPhone appears to only be able to sync to one library at a time.
Troubleshooting Home Sharing - http://support.apple.com/kb/TS2972

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.

How do I merge my iTunes libraries and make them accessible from multiple Systems?

Our family has several Macs using several versions of OSX.
My Music collection, mostly converted from my large collection of CDs, is scattered across all the Macs and several hard drives with Systems running OSX 10.6.8, 10.8.5 and 10.9.4.
The older Macs can not be upgraded to either Mountain Lion nor Mavericks.
My most organised library is the latest on the Mac running Mavericks. It is tidy ALAC, and has all the correct metadata such as covers, composers, ISBNs etc. So I have started by organising those onto an external 1.5 Tb Hard Drive in a folder called Central iTunes Library.
I intend to then go through the Libraries on the other hard drives and systems and add them to this central external collection.
1. Will I be able to open the Central Library (created in iTunes 11.2.2) on the older Macs and Systems directly, by plugging in the hard drive?
2. Is there a better way than reopening the files from the other Systems and Hard Drives and importing them all over again into the Central Library?
eg Drag and Drop or File > New or a Dedicated Utility for the purpose
3. Is sharing from my Mac, the only way to let everyone access the library?
4. Will the other Macs be able to add to the Central Library once it is shared from my Mac?
5. How do we manage our various iPhones, iPods and iPads with one central Library?
6. Are there any hazards to watch out for?
7. What is the best way to have a duplicated backup of the library?
Thanks,
Peter

The concept of a central library sounds great (in principle), but unless you can all follow the same rules about handling playlist/ folder/ genre naming it can get into a mess. Are you sure you want to see all of your son's & wife's music when setting up iOS syncing? I also suspect your son & wife may have a different opinion about accessing all your music (with it's larger ALAC file size) - they may be happier not sifting through all your tracks to find the ones they like for use on iOS?
The store authorizes to the Mac not the library - so as you move around on each Mac & use your AppleID to purchase that Mac will get tied to that AppleID. That would be fine accept iTunes has a 90 day limit on changing the Apple ID on a computer. You will have to wait 3 months to switch to using another Apple ID to download music & apps on that device - that also affects apps that sync from iOS for backups.
Personally I think that users need their own Mac with their own library (& each Mac needs to be backed up), especially if they have their own iOS device that needs syncing to a Mac. Home Sharing is ok for moving files that you want to hear from another library - but it can be bad when a client is on wifi.
iTunes is designed to be a single user who can share over the network - it isn't intended to be one large bucket for every family member to store media, the Apple ID issue makes this pretty clear to me.
Your flaky wifi issue sounds like a reason not to rely on anything that requires networking to work too.
You are correct to worry about the library versions, eventually an iTunes update will alter the library format. Only machines that have that version can open the library - this happened from iTunes 10.7 to iTunes 11.
See how many 'old libraries' you have in the Music/iTunes/Previous iTunes Libraries/ folder - that indicates how many times iTunes has backed up & upgraded the library. Is that more than expected? Major iTunes versions will need to be performed at the same time to keep it all working with the 'central music library'.
You may be tempted to access one iTunes library over file sharing on multiple Macs. This can cause problems when one Mac updates something (placing a file lock on the library file). It's hit or miss whether the other Macs can read & write to the library.
PJRS seems to be using a networked iTunes library - I can't understand how it works with iTunes from Tiger to 10.9? What version of iTunes is used PJRS?

Can you put two iTunes libraries on the same computer? what is the best way?

Is it possible to put two iTunes libraries on the same computer? What is the best way to do it so the two libraries are not connected?

MSGTN wrote:
Is it possible to put two iTunes libraries on the same computer?
yes.
What is the best way to do it so the two libraries are not connected?
give them distinct names. launch iTunes while holding the option (⌥) key, click on choose library when prompted, and select the iTunes folder of the desired library.
FWIW, there are 3rd party apps that help with managing multiple libraries, notably:
PowerTunes
iTunes Library Manager

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.

How do I combine multiple itunes libraries

I have multiple (6) itunes libraries scattered across my iMac 24", my Powerbook laptop and 2 external hard drives. Each library has different songs, playlists and meta data. I just bought a Glyph GT062E 4TB external hard drive. I would like to merge all 6 libraries into one and put that library onto my Glyph.
I'm not worried about play counts, date added, etc. I just want ALL of my music in one place. I am concerned about duplicates and how to remove them. Also, after the consolidation is complete, what is the best way to check that I have copied all of the files from each library before deleting the old libraries? I will make a back up of the consolidated library once it is organized and managable.

The simple solution is to go into the iTunes Music Folder on my hard drive and copy all of the songs into my External Library. Like this:
Hard Drive > Loren's Desktop > Music > iTunes Music
Similarly with your secondary library. You should be able to drag files from there to your External Drive.

Multiple iTunes Libraries on single Mac

I have somehow managed to create libraries of music/podcasts/videos in 5 different places on my iMac. I would like to consolidate all of them into one spot that can be shared by all accounts. Is there a way to merge them easily, that is without copying song by song or rewriting the entire library, potentially losing some files that are more current? For example, I have 3 folders of the Killers, only 1 of which has all downloaded songs. Thanks.

If you want to do it that way, each person should have their own computer login which will give each person their own iTunes library.
This would be far easier than using multiple iTunes libraries in one computer login.
To do different content on each device, select the device in iTUnes (menu View > Show sidebar), click the tabs acroos top and select what you want to sync to that device. Do the saem for all devices.

Sync multiple iTunes libraries with iPod?

How do I sync several iTunes libraries (selectable by holding down ALT while starting iTunes) with my iPod Touch (4th generation)?
With limited hard drive space on my Powerbook I've chosen to create an iTunes library which more or less just contains podcasts and internet radio stations etc. and use an external drive for another library which contains all my music.
I was hoping I could switch between the different libraries and have my iPod sync to both of them, but alas I get a message when switching over to the "music" library that my iPod "belongs to" another library and that if I choose to use the current one everything will be erased and overwritten.
So how do I prevent this from happening while allowing me to add music from the second library?

I'm not sure if I've got it right but I've played around a bit after reading the above and come to the conclusion that I first need to check (turn on) the "Manually manage music and videos" (and most likely "Open Itunes when this iPod is connected") options in iTunes when I click on my iPod icon on the left column.
But much to my surprise I can still have iTunes automatically (or so it seems) sync my podcasts which makes things a whole lot easier than doing that manually for each podcast update!
For everything else (music, videos, PDF files/books/audiobooks, iTunes U, Ringtones etc.) I will need to manually drag and drop over to the iPod. To make things easier I created a playlist folder named "Manually transfer to iPod" with various playlists inside (just to make it easier to see what my iPod contains from that particular library and to organize things neatly).
And instead of dragging the items from each playlist over to the iPod I simply select the folder, then drag all the items on the right hand side (contents) over to the iPod.
I haven't tried switching libraries yet, but I assume I'll be able to add media from there as well without any problems.
Was this what you meant?

Managing iTunes libraries

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