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.

Similar Messages

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 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.

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.

Creating/managing multiple libraries?

My library just hit 50gb and it's taking a long while to copy over from my iMac to my Macbook.
Is there a way I can create a new library? How would I go about doing this?
Would I just rename "Aperture Library.aplibrary" to something else, maybe "Aperture LibraryOLD.aplibrary" and create a new library?

Hold down the option (or alt) key key and launch Aperture. From the resulting menu select 'Create Library'
Regards
TD

Multiple libraries, Pbook/Pmac, advice for management & updating please.

Hi Everyone,
I travel frequently, and am looking for suggestions to keep all my iPhoto libraries up to date. I currently have a g5, Powerbook, and Mini.
I just upgraded to iPhoto 6 and I have several thousand photos on my Dual g5. I just came back with 1000 more from my diving trip. The problem is, they are on my Powerbook, and taking up alot of space on the relatively small hard drive. I managed to work through the rough upgrade from 5 to 6, and now I need some more help...
1) What is your advice for managing multiple libraries of photos.
2) What is the best way to transfer the iphoto pics (and movies) to my desktop, which of course has the larger storage capacity, after travelling...
Thanks,

Jason:
There are several different approaches to what you want to do. Let me just throw out a couple that I'm familiar with.
To get the new photos from your PB to your G5 and maintain any keywords, and other organization effort you put into them, you'll need the paid version of iPhoto Library Manager. It will allow you to merge libraries or copy between libraries and maintain the metadata, etc. That's the only way currently available to move photos from one library to another and keep the roll, keywords, comments, etc. with those photos. You can connect the two Macs with one in the Target Mode, probably your PB, and then run iPLM to move the photos to the G5 library.
Now there is a way to have a library on your PB that reflects the one on your G5 but is only a fraction of the size. That's to have an alias based library on your PB that uses the Originals folder as its source of source files. (My 25,600 files, 27G, are represented by an iPhoto Library folder of only 1.75G). When the PB is not connected with the G5, say with a LAN, it will have limited capabilities which are in part: you'll only be able to view the thumbnail files, be able to add comments, create, delete or move albums around, add keywords (but with some hassle-but it can be done). You can't do anything that requires moving thumbnails around, work with books, slideshows or calendars. Once the two computers are networked together again the library will act as normal.
Now while on the road you can have a "normal" library to import new full sized files, keyword them, add comments, etc. and then transfer to the G5 library. Once in the G5 library they will be represented in a roll(s) and corresponding folder in the Originals folder. You then fire up the "alias" library, and import those new folders in the G5 Originals folder.
It may be a lot of work but it may be one way of doing it.
I've not done any of the "sharing" with iPhoto so don't know if that's another possible candidate for transferring.
P.S. FWIW I've created this workflow for converting from a conventional library to an alias based one.

Multiple Libraries in iTunes 7 (Windows)

Another whinge about iTunes 7!
The multiple libraries feature in the Windows version (I don't know about the Mac version) is very poorly implemented and, quite frankly, useless.
When changing libraries in iTunes 7, the preferences for the new library are not copied across; in effect, iTunes 7 retains the preferences for the previous library. This becomes very annoying if the user has libraries with different preference settings, as I do. I have two libraries, one of which is located on the hard drive of my PC and the other on a network drive. The two libraries have different preferences, ie music location and the encoder used when importing files (one lossless and the other AAC).
Whenever I switch libraries in iTunes 7, the preferences for the previous library are retained. Consequently, when I select a new library I have to change the preferences to match those required for that library. Otherwise, iTunes 7 updates the new library according to the preferences for the old library. Very frustrating, I can tell you!
I have now removed iTunes 7 and restored iTunes 6, along with a third party library manager until such time as Apple comes up with a decent way of managing multiple libraries.
Windows XP

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??

Lossless to ACC Automator Conversion/Multiple Libraries/External Hard drive

I've been playing around with setting up a home media server, and have run into a few issues and have a few questions about this.
Question 1: Best way to rip into lossless format?
-apple lossless vs. other: has anyone had problems streaming lossless files to iTunes/Airport Extreme?
Question 2: Best way to manage multiple libraries?
-Library manager vs. option key during startup?
-see below
Question 3:Any Automator scripts to convert Lossless to AAC, then save to desktop?
Why this is important to me:
-goal is to have large external HD as a media server with a mac mini/iTV as front end.
-would like to have iMac hardwired to external HD via Firewire for data manipulation/editing, then upload into 'Master Source' file for photos, music, movies
-would like mac mini/iTV (eventually) to act as always on front end client for external HD; would be hardwired/firewired to external HD to prevent lag time; thus could use front row for browsing photos, music, movies off TV monitor
NOTE: no desire for cable/sattelite viewing - what I want to watch I would buy on DVD (backup reasons)
-would like to have music stored in lossless format on external HD for home stereo use, etc, and have a duplicate library in AAC on desktop for syncing with ipod nano
-look for my posts on Front Row issues/wish list for TS file viewing, problems with multiple iPhoto libraries
BTW any external HD that have 2 firewire ports? Most that I see either have two USB 2.0 ports or 1 USB and 1 firewire port

Hi Kirby-
My IMac is 10.7.5 Aperture 3.4.5
My MacBook is 10.8.5 Ap 3.4.5
Guess it's been a while since I've posted.
Thanks,
J

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

Aperture and multiple libraries.

Dear members:
I currently have a few libraries I have created with Aperture but don't keep them all in my pictures folder as I am afraid it may cause a conflict when launching the application.
Is there a way or an application that will allow me to keep my Aperture libraries in the pictures folder and ask me what library I wish to use when launching Aperture ? Also, in your opinion what is the easiest or simplest way to manage multiple libraries ?
Thank you in advance for your help,
Joseph Chamberlain

Depending on the precise model of your MacBook Pro, you can likely use a narrow PCI ExpressCard, not the wider ExpressCards.
The following link has some eSATA ExpressCards from a favorite vendor of mine:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2000260421+120842026 9&Configurator=&Subcategory=421&description=&Ntk=&SpeTabStoreType=&srchInDesc=
...not sure of good parts vendors in your country.
eSATA will be the fastest way to access additional storage on your MacBook Pro except for accessing storage via the gigabit ethernet, which brings additional headaches for portable solutions and is less viable.
If you don't really need a Mac Pro, then I agree the price can be a waste if you nor anyone else is really using it - besides being a shame to have such good equipment not being used. This is an ideal case for a less expensive file server, and where I use OpenSolaris and ZFS quite often; however, such systems require more technical expertise to build and setup properly.
eSATA will certainly help your disk access speeds, however, you should use the Activity Monitor application to monitor your exports and imports of projects to monitor if your CPU cores are maxing out. If your CPU is already at maximum speed during the export/import, moving to eSATA may not bring much performance improvement.
Further, your 3GB of RAM certainly isn't bad, but I know you can go to 4GB of RAM, and on some models, I'm hearing on the internet of success running 6GB of RAM on MacBook Pros. A RAM upgrade is probably the best dollar,....er.... pound-for-pound upgrade you can do.

Creating - using multiple libraries

Using iPhoto 8
Can you point me to a tech note or other paper on the subject?

What do you want to know? How to create another Library?
Hold down the option (or alt) key key and launch iPhoto. From the resulting menu select 'Create Library'
How to choose a library to open?
Hold down the option (or alt) key key and launch iPhoto. From the resulting menu select 'Choose Library'
You can only have one Library open at a time.
Managing Multiple Libraries - including moving pics/albums/rolls and metadata between them - is greatly facilitated by using iPhoto Library Manager
Regards
TD

How can I manage multiple libraqries on iTunes?

My HD is getting too full, mainly because of Movies & TV shows. How can I keep my music and Podcasts on my HD and movies and TV shows on my second HD (or and external derive)?
If I can do this, I am usually on Music, but how do I purchase a movie from iTunes store?
Having achieved this, how do I get it onto Apple TV?
Many Thanks
Richard

kingrich wrote:
My HD is getting too full, mainly because of Movies & TV shows. How can I keep my music and Podcasts on my HD and movies and TV shows on my second HD (or and external derive)?
Maintaining multiple libraries is feasible, but ultimately a bad idea unless you have absolutely no other choice. iTunes can handle switching between multiple libraries, but it is not designed to properly manage multiple libraries. The better option is to move your entire music folder (media file library) to a larger, dedicated volume. You have a Power Mac G5 so you have a number of options, but first there are some things that you need to tell us:
1. What is the capacity of your current hard drive?
2. Do you have a second internal drive? If so, what is the secondary drive’s capacity?

Does it work well to have multiple libraries?

I just got a new iMac and am trying to sort out the best way to deal with all the images. I've got a library on my powerbook, and one on a Mac Pro at work and a library from my old G5 iMac.
One thought is to have separate libraries, and from this point on, create a new library for each year.
Anyone have experience with this, and want to advise me?
thanks

Yes it's perfectly possible.
Hold down the option (or alt) key key and launch iPhoto. From the resulting menu select 'Choose Library' to pick between them. The same menu gives you the option to Create a new Library.
Managing Multiple Libraries - including moving pics/albums/rolls and metadata between them - is greatly facilitated by using iPhoto Library Manager
You can only access one Library at a time, however. That means quitting iPhoto to search or view a Library. It can be inconvenient.
As iPhoto is good for 250,000 images in a Library, why would you bother?
Regards
TD

Educator managing 120 iPod Touches with multiple libraries

By using multiple libraries I am able to set each library up for a grade level and content area with their particular needs in mind. I am syncing the iPods sometimes as often as two times per week and changing the library each time. Will this affect the life of the iPod? My school has made quite an investment and I want to be sure we get them to last as long as possible.

No, synching the iPods multiple times per week should not affect their life at all. It's not only presumed but recommended that an iPod be synched regularly for backup purposes. This of course assumes that you take care regarding avoiding static electricity shocks, one of the most common causes of failure in electronic devices.
Regards.

Trouble managing multiple libraries

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for