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.

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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).
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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.

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See:
Syncing to a "New" Computer or replacing a "crashed" Hard Drive: Apple Support Communities

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As Terence suggested iPLM can move rolls between libraries while preserving the comments and keywords. I use it to manage 10+ libraries.
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Do you Twango?
TIP: For insurance against the iPhoto database corruption that many users have experienced I recommend making a backup copy of the Library6.iPhoto database file and keep it current. If problems crop up where iPhoto suddenly can't see any photos or thinks there are no photos in the library, replacing the working Library6.iPhoto file with the backup will often get the library back. By keeping it current I mean backup after each import and/or any serious editing or work on books, slideshows, calendars, cards, etc. That insures that if a problem pops up and you do need to replace the database file, you'll retain all those efforts. It doesn't take long to make the backup and it's good insurance.
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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.
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Merged two libraries. new one is smaller than the largest one!

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Two libraries; one for each iPod

How do I create two libraries in order to sych with two iPods?

To create or access a second (or more) library, hold down the option key when launching iTunes. In the dialogue box that appears you'll have the option to create or navigate to another Library.
However there are a couple of recommended methods for using more than one iPod on a single computer. Method one is to have two Mac or Windows user accounts which by definition would give you two completely separate libraries. Each account has it's own iTunes folder, Library and iTunes Music folder and you load it with CDs etc just as you did with your original one.
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Two Libraries?? One iPod??

I am in the same dilema. I have one iPod and two libraries.
The iPod will not download from two libraries at once. Someone please help!
dell Windows XP

You need to Transfer music manually
The iPod offers three ways to transfer music from your computer. You can select one of the following update modes from the iPod Preferences menu in iTunes (Edit=>Preferences=>'iPod' tab):
1) Automatically update all songs and playlists. This is the default mode, in which your entire music library, including playlists, is automatically synced to your iPod. If the music library on your computer exceeds the iPod storage capacity, you are prompted to select a different update method.
2) Automatically update selected playlists only. With this option, iTunes automatically copies the playlists you have selected to the iPod when you connect it to the computer.
3) Manually manage songs and playlists. You can also choose to transfer music to the iPod manually. This allows you to drag and drop individual songs and playlists from iTunes to the iPod.
Manage the iPod Manually.
How to Create a Smart Playlist
Deleting Songs or Playlists from your iPod

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Is there an easy way to manage two bit-rates per song? I wish iTunes would do this itself, under the covers. Similar to versions in Aperture. What I want is to keep an Apple Lossless version for Apple TV, but have a low bit-rate version for my iPhone and iPod (due to space limitations). I know I can store two versions of the same song but they are treated as two songs, so if I change a rating or a keyword it happens only to the one song. Or I have to manage two versions of the same playlist. Etc.

The short answer is no, theres no good way to do what you want. This has been a shortcoming of iTunes for years. Those of us interested in having a lossless library were forced to use lossless on out mobile devices, which doesn't make sense at all, or to maintain two parallel libraries.
What you guys really want is called on the fly transcoding. The idea is you store a high quality version (ideally lossless) of the track on your computer and that when this track is to be synced to a device it is transcoded to a more efficient format.
This is something that most media players have been doing for years, and yet Apple shows no interest in implementing such a feature.
More Details: http://bit.ly/3F03R3
Message was edited by: KelchM

Managing two libraries

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