One library - Two or more computers

I recently got a NAS device and I'm now running my iTunes library on it. However I have several computers and I would like for them all to use the same libary. I'm not sure if it's even possible, since the files for itunes playlists and such are saved localy?
I don't want just to share my Libary. I want to be able to edit playlists and such from other computers aswell.

As an alternative, and you may find this primitive, but you might be able to remote into your computer, modifying your playlists or the like, from other computers on your home network. If you're running Windows 7 Enterprise or Windows 7 Ultimate (not the Home editions or the Starter edition), you can control you machine remotely via "Remote Desktop". And if you've got Macs that you want to connect to your Windows machine via Remote Desktop Connection Client for Mac 2. Using these apps, you can log into your Windows 7 machine from another computer, and it looks like you're sitting right there at your Windows 7 desktop machine.
I gather this isn't applicable for you, but Windows machines can connect to Macs using a VNC client (such as VNC Viewer Free Edition). You can also connect from one Mac to another using Screen Sharing.

Similar Messages

ITunes library - two (or more) computers, one external library

Hi, apologies if I've posted in the wrong place. I hope someone will be able to point me in the right direction with this.
Basically, I have two computers, iMac and Powerbook, and want to create a big iTunes library on an external hard drive that I can access on both computers. Home sharing is out, given that they are on different networks.
I've worked out how to do this, but any ratings etc. that I do on one computer aren't recognised on the other.
I am going to keep one copy of the library etc files on my iMac so that iTunes will continue to function without asking me to choose a library every time. But is there any way of keeping a copy of this file on the hard drive too, that will update automatically when any changes have been made to ratings etc?
I know I could just copy it across and overwrite it every time I change anything, but is there any way of doing this more easily?
Many thanks

Normally, I would have said this couldn't be done. But I recently started using a product that might just be able to do it.
The product is Dropbox (http://www.getdropbox.com). Dropbox defines a folder on your hard drive as a syncing item. Anything in that folder will be automatically copied up to Dropbox's servers and then downloaded to every computer registered to the same Dropbox account. Dropbox uses one specific folder to do this, but you can use Symbolic Links to files outside of your Dropbox folder to make those files sync. Dropbox is free up to 2GB.
Theoretically, this should work: load Dropbox on each computer. On your main computer create a symbolic links that point to your iTunes database and preference files. Drop the symbolic links in the Dropbox folder. Go to the other computer and replace the iTunes database and preference files with symbolic links that point to the cooresponding files in your Dropbox. That's it.
As long as only one copy of iTunes is open at any time, this ought to work. I wouldn't try to sync your actual music files through Dropbox, as those will fill up your free space fast. But you said the actual library was going on an external drive that was net accessible from both boxes.
Doc

One Mac, one User, one library, two Store accounts possible

Is it possible to buy with two different store accounts?
It's one user on the computer, one Music library but I would like to shop for my daughter without adding another account. She's on an imac G3, so I can't fill her iPod nano there.
Joachim

Hi Joachim,
Yes, you can create two or more accounts to use on the same computer at the same time. For example, in my case, I have one US and other Portuguese account.
Just make sure you authorized your computer to play content from both accounts.
Hope this helps!

One library, two Macbooks...

Hi all! First off, thanks for your time and support! Now on to my question...
I was wondering what is the optimal way to share an iTunes library between multiple Mac computers?
Here's some info:
On the same network at home, my wife has 1 Macbook, I have 1 Macbook and 1 Mini. How can we share our library without putting all our songs, etc. on to each Mac individually? My Macbook only has a 60 gig drive and I have about 50 gigs worth of music. We have a NAS on our network too. I tried changing "iTunes Media Folder Location" (under Preferences) to the NAS but if my wife adds music to the library, it's not in my library, and vice versa. I have to actually re-import everything on my computer to get any additions to show up! That can't be the right way to do it! I was hoping I could use the same "fix" you guys could give me for our iPhoto libraries as well, but that's a different thread, right? Someone please help!
Thanks!

you need to copy the entire iTunes folder (not just the iTunes media folder) to the NAS, then, on each Mac, launch iTunes while holding the option key, click on +choose library+, and select the iTunes folder you copied to the NAS.
only one instance of iTunes @ a time can access the library but changes made on one Mac will be available on the other(s) right away. also, if you and the wife use different iTunes store accounts to purchase stuff, iTunes on all Macs needs to be authorized for both iTS accounts.
finally, you need to make sure the NAS is mounted on the desktop before launching iTunes on either Mac.
JGG

IPhone confusion over whether I can store music on two or more computers?

Hi,
I have an iPhone and the music+videos are all on my computer at home.
I would like the ability to play back using a laptop at work.
I work in two locations and have access to two laptops, and there are discussions about me travelling to regional offices and to use the computers there.
1.
What options are open to me if I want to play back video from my iPhone in say 3 or 4 locations?
2.
What options are open to me if I want to put an additional track on my iPhone while I am at a regional office?
3.
Will that erase all my files and how can it be added to the Library?
Thanks

1) You can watch on your iphone or buy cables to watch via television.
2) You can add the track, but erase all of the current music. Iphone will sync itunes content to ONE computer at a time.
3) Yes it will erase the current itunes content.

Sync Lightroom between two (or more) computers. Why is it so complex?

I am a staunch fan of Lightroom (have 3.4) because of its versatility both for cataloguing and editing. One big minus however is the complexity of working in a networked/multicomputer environment.
Here is what I want: Just sync between a PC and a laptop, in such a way that what I do off-site on my laptop can be easily copied/synced to my PC and vice versa, including settings, collections etc..
My findings/experience thusfar with two options:
NETWORKED
I am aware that the catalogue files cannot/will not work on a network drive (I have Netgear NAS). Using the NAS as a central repository for all image files being addressed by Local catalogues (resp. on my PC and laptop) works but is slow. Could be slow because of a slow Wifi connection between the laptop and NAS, which is normally not the case (I have n-network router..). Because of the often large RAW files I process this is not the preferred route. Since the .lrcat files and lrpreview files won’t work on the NAS, they need to be synced between PC and laptop anyhow. Same for any LR settings that may change during processing.
GO BETWEEN HDD DRIVE
Since I avail of a nippy Diginote 2.5” HDD box filled with a 320 Gb SATA drive with both USB 2.0 and e-SATA I followed Scott Kelby’s advice to use it as a go-between.
I took the following steps:
1.       Copy over all image files, lrcat, lrpreview and Lightroom settings (set in LR preferences to be with catalogue in one folder) from my Laptop data drive Photo folder to the Diginote HDD
         Obviously (was it?) the copied lrcat file (still) pointed to the Laptop datadrive folder so I changed it to point to the Photofolder on the Diginote
2.       I created a new folder with new catalogue, etc. on my PC and imported the lrcat and all files from the Diginote into this new PC catalogue. All well but the LR settings (includes my web gallery settings) were not copied over! Had to do manually..
3.       Next I edited photos, created new collections, made new virtual copies and rated images on the Diginote.
4.       Thent imported the (updated) lrcat from the Diginote into the PC catalogue. All well, modification and virtual copies now included in the PC catalogue.
However no sign of the new collections even after copying over the LR settings!!! They are clearly not included in the settings.
So Ref 2 and 4, I am a bit a loss where the Collection settings are saved. Anyone with an answer?
5.       Since the Diginote in this setup is the “policeman” and I rather be safe than sorry I copied back/backed-up the Diginote folder to my laptop. Lo and behold! Guess what I see, the Local lrcat points to the local datadrive and all new collections etc are nicely shown. It seems a "simple" windows back up transfers the Collection data whereas a LR managed export/import action does not
Questions: What is good or bad in this procedure and why are the collection settings behaving so oddly? QQ where are they filed?
Think that ADOBE should come up with a no nonsense program option to sync between at least two computers or make things work in a network. I can’t be the only one with a similar setup.

Dear Sprengel,
Followed your advice. Works wonders! Thanks a million
Using Goodsync for sync/backup
Regards,
Met vriendelijke groet /Salutations/Salam Sejahtera/Tahiyati/Namaste/Mit freundlichen Grüßen/Schéi Gréiss/Cordiali saluti/Saludandolo cordialmente/Saludos/Cumprimentos/Atenciosamente/Maligayang Bati/Venlig Hilsen/Vänlig Hälsning/Ystävällisin terveisin/Ni Hao/Toate cele bune/S uvazhenijem/Dobry denj/Mooi Bly/Mei freonlike groetenis/Afablajn salutojn/Με φιλικούς χαιρετισµούς/Slán agus beannact/Üdvözlettel/Attayb Al Tahiyyat/Malugod na bumabati, С уважением, Mahalo, salam mesra, مع تحياتي

Problem: One library two locations?

Hi all,
I have a 2010 Mac Pro and have always had my itunes library on a separate internal drive. Recently I noticed my boot drive had been filling up and discovered that mobile apps have started to be stored in the Mobile Applications folder in an identical itunes library folder on the boot drive.
I'm assuming at some point I did an itunes update and it switched over to the default file location, "Music" on the boot drive.
In the itunes preferences my itunes media folder location is still listed as the separate internal drive, not the boot drive. Newly imported music is still going to the designated location.
Please see the attached image. The top panel is from my boot drive, the second is the separate internal hard drive. There's some minor differences in the way the two are organized. For example, in the boot drive "Automatically Add to iTunes" is under "itunes Music", but in the selected location-- the separate internal drive-- "Automatically Add to itunes" is directly under "iTunes".(just an example of one of the small differences in the way the folders are organized)
Again, the bottom panel is my selected itunes folder location from the itunes preferences and where I've always stored my music. The top panel is from the "Music" folder on my boot drive— an iTunes folder that I don't remember creating and where my mobile apps are now going.
Any way to get this smoothed out?
Thanks very much in advance for any help anyone may have

If you set both accounts to store files in the same place this can work. Each user will still have separate playlists, playcounts, etc.
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=300432
Files added by one user will be available to the other user but must be added to library using add folder or add file option. It is not automatic, there is no iTunes option for it to be made automatic.

One library, two users

Can I have one iTunes library and two users with separate music on their ipods?

Yes. How to use multiple iDevices with one computer.

Sync ipad to two or more computers

my ipad is not conecting now with wifi so im using a laptop that is not mine
no one wants to help
my mom bought it in the usa and im in israel
so i have no support
thats another problem
third - can i add memory upgrade to 32 gb in the shop?
ill ask them but they are hostile
my pc is down
should i wait to buy new or fix it
or sync now with laptop that is not mine and have a major headace later
my shufle wont chaerge batery it wants to delet itself i sync it in the past to the pc
so i have no music player
what do to
how to prevent the shufle to delet itself in this or in the new pc ?
help!
i did a terible mustake that i chose itunes
and im stuck with a 16 gb ipad and sufer
and i stil refuse to jailbreak im afraid of viruses
but that done

There is some wifi troubleshooting on this page which might help http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1398
The storage in the iPad cannot be increased, you can't update a 16 gig version to have 32 or 64 gig. If you want/need more storage then are you within the store's returns period so you can return it and buy the 32 or 64 gig version instead ?
If you want to connect an iPod Shuffle to a different computer then you will lose all of the content that is currently on the shuffle - I believe that they are designed to only be used with one computer at a time. If you want to connect the iPad to a computer that you don't normally sync to then you risk losing all the content that is currently on the iPad, but have a read through this page http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1202

One library, two users question

Hopefully I can explain this clearly. My wife and I share our macbook and we each have our own user accounts. In my account I have an itunes music library. (My account is the administrator account btw.) While she is logged into her account and using iTunes, there doesn't seem to be anyway for her to play songs in the music library in my account. From my account, I've tried to set up sharing the music library folder. I've also tried to point her itunes preferences to my library but the folder is blocked with a red slash. Is there some way for her to play songs in my library while logged into her account?

The iTunes sharing preferences are for sharing music on several computer across a network.
To allow different user accounts on the same computer to use the same iTunes library, the iTunes folder has to be in the Users -> Shared folder.
This shows you how: http://www.computeraudiophile.com/How-To-Share-An-iTunes-Library-Among-Several-U sers-Video

Installing CC apps on 2 or more computers - need to download each time?

Is there a possibility to use or create local installations packets if I need to install CC apps on two or more computers? Or do I need to download each time?
I am on a Mac with OS X 10.8.4 BTW.

Does anyone have this patch or has access to it or any knowledge or idea as to where can i find this?Even though any of us has the patch we are not supposed to mail it as this violates Oracle support agreement policy.
There is no other source to get the patch and most Oracle patches (if not all) can be downloaded from MOS website.
As a back up i've started downloading Oracle apps for a windows server machine as well, in case i am unable to download this patch at least i have a back up. And the bad thing about this is the fact that i am in India and the bandwidth here sucks even with a 2 MB plan. With these speeds this 50 GB download will take another 3 to 4 days. And time is of the utmost importance for me right now..
Any help or suggestions will be much appreciated..We cannot suggest anything about the download speed or the timing, and even if you had a CSI number it would take 3-5 days to get the Media Pack in case you log a SR and ask Oracle support to send you the pack.
Thanks,
Hussein

What is the best way to manage one library on two computers?

My wife and I recently bought Macbook's, switching from our previous Dell desktop. Now that we have two computers we want a way for both of us to be able to access our iTunes library from our respective computers and add music to our iPods. When I add our music into my Library and set my library to share this only seems to allow her to play the songs on her Macbook but not add them to her iPod. Adding our music to her own library raises the problem of new albums I download not appearing in her library unless she manually adds them. I would like a way we can keep all of our music in one folder (on our Time Capsule) but both be able to download music, have it show up on the other persons library, and add songs to our iPods from our own computers.

When I add our music into my Library and set my library to share this only seems to allow her to play the songs on her Macbook but not add them to her iPod.
Correct. You cannot sync an iPod to a playlist provided by iTunes Sharing. The track must be on the computer to which the iPod is being synchronized.
I would like a way we can keep all of our music in one folder (on our Time Capsule) but both be able to download music, have it show up on the other persons library, and add songs to our iPods from our own computers.
iTunes doesn't have any built-in folder watching capability, so without third-party software help, content added from one computer has to be manually added to iTunes on the other computer. Hazel says it can be set up to add content to iTunes automatically, but I haven't tried it myself.
Alternatively, you can each have your own iTunes library on your own computers and use one of the several third-party utilities to keep the libraries in sync. If that's of interest, post back and I can provide links to the utilities I know of.
Regards.

One iPod, Two Computers, Two Countries.

So, I'm sure this has been hashed to death elsewhere, and this will either turn into a rant, or there will be a solution. So, here we go.
I'm an exchange student in Finland, and about 2 months after I got here, my iPod was hooked up my laptop, which then froze and completely wiped out my entire iPod of music. Absolutely blank. So, I've since gotten more music for the stupid thing. Now I'm just worried about when I go home and having that +stupid as ****+ message about "already sync'd with one library, delete everything to continue". I've gotten it here with my boyfriend's computer.
See, thing is, I'm not staying home. I will only be there for about a month and a half. And I cannot put all the music that I had on my home computer onto my laptop, because there is simply not enough room (I had over 12,000 songs, about 47 GB).
Now, if there's a way to have music for my library on an external drive and never have it actually taking up space on my laptop, then I suppose I could live. Please, dear god, tell me that is a viable option. I've been going nuts without my music.

I have two computers and one iPod.
I know I can use both of them with my iPod, as long
as I add files manually.
Just wanted to know if there is a way to update it
automatically in a way that the files that came from
the other computer aren't erased.
Thanks
I also have two computers and one iPod. I have set up one computer to update library/playlists automatically, and have set up the iPod on the other computer for manual updates. Although the songs appear in iTunes, the playlists don't, and I can't move any songs to/from the computer/iPod. The manual says it can be done, but it isn't working. Have you been able to move songs to/from your iPod/computer since you set it up like that?
iPod Video (60GB) Windows XP

2 computers..one library

I have 2 computers. All of my music files are on the desktop computer. Rather than copy everything to the laptop, can I just set up my itunes to play from the Ipod on the second computer? Thanks

If you want to connect and use an iPod on more than one computer or with more than one library you need to change the update preference in the iPod Summary tab to "Manually manage music and videos" and click Apply. The content of iTunes and the iPod are not syncronised in this mode so the two can be different. You can directly access the content of the iPod and play it through iTunes and you can drag and drop whatever you want to the iPod from either library.
Using iPod with Multiple computers
Something else to be aware of when using an iPod in manual mode is that the "Do Not Disconnect" message will remain on the display until you physically eject the device: Safely Disconnect IPod

Can you display more than one library from the same account?

If I open iTunes on two computers in my house, I can only show one library on my apple tv. When I turn on the second computer, the first library goes away.
Can you show one at the same time?
Thanks

Welcome to the Apple Community.
Yes you can share more than one library at a time, just make sure that the homesharing ID and password you use for each one is the same on all of the libraries.

One library - Two or more computers

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