My iTunes preferences/media folder location keeps going to default

Thank you for looking into it from the Plex vantage point. Do you see the "import iTunes playlists" next to the three dots when you click it when you set your library up?

I had earlier edited the XML to remove the second slash as you point out and believe I tested it without success but perhaps the proper sequence wasn't right as you also pointed out to make sure I do correctly.

Here's what I have on my setup currently:

Y drive is mapped and has folder of "MUSIC" and then the Artist & Albums.

On the NAS, that library is represented by "music/MUSIC" (capitalization is as I just typed) with the library with Artist & Album within that sub-folder. This reflects what's in the Y drive.

For Volume1, that library was moved (from Y) directly to the NAS and is contained in the Music1 folder with Artist & Album contained in that folder.

Per the guy trying to help me, on the Y drive (and also on the NAS) I also have an iTunes Media folder with all the folders that are in the My Music/Music/iTunes folders, including the ITL and XML (he said putting the ITL is what helped his version work).

For Volume1 on the NAS, I do not have that folder.

Where did you place your modified XML file? (I'm assuming you modified it on your end as well?) You stated earlier I believe, that I should put the XML in the same folder as where the music is on the NAS? That's what your comments directly above indicate in your example so I'll do that.

BTW, I did use that trick of creating a temporary playlist if the playlists didn't import and then the playlist tab did show up. An interesting twist there is that on my Plex I have both the Music-Plex (represented by music/MUSIC) and Music1 libraries on my NAS so when I create a playlist, they combine. Meaning that if I create a test playlist on the Music1 library, it will be added to the playlist tab (which was created originally by the Music-Plex library). Not sure you follow that but I think I'll have to delete the original Y drive library and only have one library.

I also have a server that is represented by my desktop name but that music is not on Plex.

Anyway, if you have any quick input, that would be appreciated. Really want to know if you indeed, see the import iTunes playlist on Plex using an iTunes library and music on your NAS. What version of Plex did you install?

I may have to uninstall both libraries actually, and start from scratch so to speak. But I'll give it a whirl first and see if I have a successful outcome.

Thanks so much!!

turingtest2 wrote:

Which indicates that you've got iTunes working with the shared folder music1 on your NAS. This needs almost no editing, but you should eliminate the second // in each path. To do this you would take a copy of the iTunes Library.xml file generated by iTunes and edit it with Notepad++. Use the Search > Replace... function to replace localhost// with localhost/ and replace all.

Save the edited file as volume1/music1/iTunes Library.xml

I edited the XML in Notepad+ but couldn't save it per your instructions:

I should just save it as iTunes Library.xml in another location and then copy over it in iTunes where the original one was that I used to edit? Or is there something I need to do to be able to save it as you're suggesting?

And then I would move that to the NAS where the Music1 folder is?

One other minor point is in my XML (because it's 10.7 version), I have this path near the top of the XML file:

<key>Music Folder</key><string>file://localhost/volume1/Music1/</string>

I changed that to remove one slash after localhost as well as in all the songs. That should be okay I would think?

Please let me know.

Thanks!!

Still not seeing Plex's "import iTunes playlists" option.

1. I edited XML file as suggested. Saved it.
2. Uploaded that XML to the Music1 folder on my NAS (same folder music is in). (I also noticed the song files themselves were in lower-case "music1" instead of "Music1" so I changed those as well.
3. I changed the iTunes plug-in location to /volume1/Music1/iTunes Library.xml. (I capitalized Music because it's that way on the NAS folder structure).
4. I right-clicked on Music1 library and scanned the library.
5. I already could see the Playlists tab from previous testing of adding a playlist.
6. I clicked the three dots and all I see were two options "unpin" and "Reorder". No import iTunes playlists.

One thing I noticed was you didn't have a slash in front of "volume1" in your XML plug-in path. I initially did it without it but it didn't show import itunes playlists. So I added the slash in front.

YOU SAID:

"in the space for iTunes library XML path type in volume1/music1/iTunes Library.xml and save changes. "

Can you confirm if you're seeing the import iTunes playlists option next to the three dots?

When you said you installed the Plex server on your NAS box, was that an app type of thing on your NAS? In Synology, Plex was one of many options in the Package Center. Your NAS is much the same I would assume. So you don't have Plex on your desktop computer, correct? At least not as it relates to your trying to replicate my issue?

I also tried putting the XML file in a different folder as most Plex forums I read said had to be done. That didn't help. Perhaps I need to stop and restart Plex package on my NAS (or the NAS itself - both of which I also tried doing after putting in the new XML path with the updated XML file).

Per my notes earlier this afternoon, I'm thinking that perhaps the issue now might be that I have two music libraries on Plex which were added from Plex (one is the Y mapped and then the volume1 libraries).

Not sure this matters but when I click the Y MUSIC-PLEX library and look at the Playlists tab, it will show two playlists. When I click the Volume1 "Music1" library and look at the playlists tab, it only shows the one I created. When I click the DS720 Playlists (DS720), it contains FIVE playlists. Don't recall why, but I deleted the two that show up additional to the 2 and 1 from each respective library.

Anyway, I wonder if this problem is that I have two libraries? But that shouldn't matter since I can only set one XML path in settings and the Y Music library isn't part of it.

Also, my Plex friendly name is DS720. Did you name yours? Could the naming of that matter? I'm trying to think of everything. I see this underneath the field I typed DS720 in:

This name will be used to identify this media server to other computers on your network. If you leave it blank, your computer's name will be used instead.

Should I leave it blank and then let it find the name of my "computer" (or in this case, my NAS?) Though I also have my desktop named computer server on the NAS. Perhaps I should remove that?

So I'm back to square one, though it's possible I didn't follow your steps. Frustrating as all get-out.

Really, REALLY appreciate you trying to help. It may come down to a clean install on Plex but I would want to make 100% sure of the correct steps. If you got import itunes playlists to work, and you installed Plex fresh, perhaps you could do the step-by-step that you did (though that appears to be covered above). There are a couple of questions and quirks based on that though that I'm hoping you can clarify.

Thanks so much as always!

Here is a quick rundown (I may be missing something or putting out of order)...

1. I created a new library in iTunes as instructed and put it on the D: drive just as you did.
2. I signed out of iTunes.
3. I added an album that I had copied onto the D drive to iTunes and created the playlist in iTunes.
4. I created a shared Folder on my NAS (called it Plex Test) and made sure permissions were set so Plex could read/write.
5. I created a copy of the XML (XML Library (Copy) as you suggested and edited the line as you suggested.
6. I copied that onto the Plex Test shared folder on the NAS and then renamed it (removing "Copy").
7. I copied the album from the D drive to the Plex Test folder on my NAS.
8. I added this Plex Test folder to Plex.
9. I followed the steps you did in enabling the iTunes plug-in, shutting down Plex and restarting, then put the XML path in. Like you, I had to create a dummy playlist. I didn't get the import iTunes playlists to show up.
10. When you add a Music library folder from the NAS to Plex, you browse to it as you know. And there's a check-box to select the iTunes plug-in.
11. I still didn't see playlists. However, after signing out of Plex, then going to the NAS and stopping Plex and restarting it, for the first time EVER, I am seeing the "import iTunes playlists!!" This is from my Plex just now:

And then when I click, I see the folders that "should" have iTunes playlists on them.

Before I take the next step/leap and choose the library....

1. Remember, the XML on Plex right now is pointing to the Plex Test XML file (with only one album, one playlist), not one of the two main ones I've imported.
2. Plex is showing me the four Music Libraries in the drop-down as you can see.
3. Given that Plex is showing me options for the main "Music1" library, which is the "volume1/music1" folder where music directly resides (not mapped - I used CustomRenamer to move from Y mapped drive to the NAS).... do you think that I can browse to this Music1 library? Will it find the playlists in the XML file which is on that folder on the NAS?

Do you think I should change the XML iTunes plug-in location before I choose the library I want? Meaning, I would put the XML location to be "volume1/Music1/iTunes Library.xml. Or do you think that would get rid of the "import iTunes Playlists" from the option? And also remember that the XML on Music1 does not have the same change you made to your XML that you set up in your outcome.

This is what's on my Music1 XML: (The first one directly below is on 10.7 but the guy on the forum says his version of iTunes (12 I believe) does not have this line of code. Nonetheless, here's what's in my XML.

<key>Music Folder</key><string>file://localhost/volume1/Music1/</string>

Then this for each song.

<key>Location</key>string>file://localhost/volume1/Music1/Beach%20Boys/Little%20Duece%20Coupe/Beach%20Boys%20-%20409.m4a</string>

Let me know if you think my XML is okay before I try to import playlists. And I may get an error like you did depending on whether I need to change the XML path in Plex to the "music1" or maybe make any edits to my XML if there's something wrong. Now keep in mind also, that my XML in music1 (which is also on that iTunes library) resides on the C:/My Music folder structure. I don't want to lose all my playlists obviously so I'm hoping just pointing it to the Music1 folder on the NAS with the XML will suffice.

With that in mind, do you think I need to anything related to that? In other words, the major thing here is that you created this new library, put it on the D drive. You created a playlist with this test library you created. You copied that XML to your NAS after editing it, you added it to Plex, etc.. Do I need to do anything?

I think the takeaway for me is that you somehow tricked (?) Plex into seeing iTunes in a different location other than the C:/My Music folder that it usually is located at? Or doesn't that matter? No matter, we need to make sure the files aren't lost by iTunes or the playlists would be meaningless

If you think I can just go ahead and import the XML from Music1 (or even the MUSIC-PLEX (Y mapped), let me know either way.

THIS IS AMAZING!!! MONTHS of effort trying to get this to show. What do you think was the secret in layman's terms?

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! Please let me know per my questions above. I'm leaving my computer on and won't do anything to import any playlists until I hear back from you. I really want to make sure I'm doing the right thing.

Again, you're amazing. Just awesome. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!

(Side note: One thing that was left out I think was what you checked (or didn't) when you were "Adding the library" into Plex. When you do that, you also should check the iTunes plug-in there too. And there are areas to choose (Scanners and Agents, prefer local metadata (or not) and things like that). Did you make any selections there?

THANKS!

I've scanned the Plex Test library so that should be fine for testing the import. So you don't think I could just browse to the Music1 XML on my NAS? Would/should I change the path first?

So how do you think I should handle successfully replicating my Music1 library so the XML of playlists will be successful with the kind of approach you took for this to work (show the import itunes playlists?

Let me ask this: could I create a new library on D: drive again as you did (or use a different drive) and copy all the music of artists and albums? And then import that into iTunes?

What becomes of all the hundreds of playlists I created by manually though? How would you approach this now that you've experienced it on Plex?

The other option maybe being to change the XML path in Plex to be the Music1 one, stop and restart Plex again so it takes Etc.? My fear is it would lose the import iTunes playlists.

What approach is best to get these darn playlists into Plex?

One other request, could you make a playlist in iTunes and put some special characters in it to see if a Plex reads it?

A playlist something like:

1-AM Pop & Classic Rock (4-5*) #1's

That would test Plex to know whether I need to first edit a bunch of playlists. Would you mind doing that for me? I'd REALLY appreciate it.

I see you're up very late, so thank you for taking time to help me. Very very kind of you.

YOU SAID: Then look into fixing in the XML for the primary library, putting the edited XML in the right location,

ME: Based on these conditions, any input would be much appreciated.

Music1 library:

Songs reside only on the NAS.

Preferences in tunes media location is \\volume1\Music1.

Song files have that path as well.

XML has been edited to only have the one slash as you pointed out before and the path is the same as song files in the XML.

What would I need to change or do? Any sequence of order would be really helpful. For example, if I have to create a new library, or move the iTunes folder off C:My Music. And what would I do about playlists?

Yes, if you can check those characters, it will expedite my testing greatly as I won't know - perhaps - if an import on main library failed because of XML or the characters. Might not matter but it would be good to know.

sleep well, thank you again!!

Just real quick (when you can get to it), what do you think you did to get this to show up in Plex?

What would you think are the 3-4 key things that need to be done (with any captures you can)?

Thanks much again.

Howdy, well guess what? I did this:

1. Unchecked the iTunes plugin and also removed the Test Plex XML path and saved it
2. I logged out of Plex
3. I went to NAS and stopped Plex. I restarted it.
4. I logged in and then checked the iTunes plug-in. I did steps 2&3 again.
5. I put the Music1 path in (I didn't make any changes to the XML)
6. I scanned the library (I may have done that before step 5, per your steps, whatever they were).
7. It imported playlists - but only so many and then it said the server was unavailable.

But this is a MAJOR milestone.

Do you have any idea on why it stopped importing the playlists? Maybe it can only handle a certain amount of them?

At least I have success - though not completely. Maybe I can just do this several times and hopefully it will add more with each attempt.

Also, I went to Sonos and was able to bring up, and play from the playlists that were imported. This is AWESOME!!! Man, we almost did it. Almost there - and this year-long project will be completed. Amazing help from you. Feel proud of yourself and good karma is coming your way with hanging in there with me. You did it!!!

I'll let you know on more playlists. I am going to go into iTunes and do some trimming of playlists. Then I'll copy the XML back onto what's in the folder now. Also will make sure the XML is correct, but like I said, I think because the library was already on the NAS, I didn't have to do that (and because I had deleted that second slash after localhost. I'll make sure on that.

THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!

I wrote down a few of the smart playlists. I had checked the XML before I deleted the smart playlists via iTunes itself by doing a search and they did come up. I then removed them from iTunes themselves. Then went back into the XML file and did a search and they were no longer there.

In other words, the XML did have the 15 or so I had in the iTunes library. But after I deleted them in iTunes, the XML no longer showed them. And that's the XML version that's on the NAS Music1 folder - without smart playlists.

I don't know what happened, but it looks like one of my posts was lost because it timed out. Anyway, in it I showed the list of playlists. Did you see this screen capture? You can see many of my playlists.

And I wanted to make sure you saw this query. It may be moot since I've got this far along but for my archiving - or if I need to do it again - I want to make sure I have all my notes right.

ME: What I missed was that you had a folder in your iTunes D:\iTunes 4 Plex\iTunes Media\Music

When I created my new iTunes library and made it on the D drive such as yours, it does not make a Music folder - at least it didn't do that for me. Perhaps that's my version 10.7? Did you actually go in and create this "Music" folder on the D drive? Should I do that? I just put a Paul Simon album on my D: drive.

I also went into a song that was in my Music1 library on Plex and noticed that it did not put the Ratings on it. As you saw when you import, they show this. It says it will import my ratings. Can you test this on your end? I'm wondering if I need to start anew and kind of set things up like you did so I can get this metadata on them. And I did another library scan just to make sure but it didn't help.

I also noticed an incorrect tag being reported, which is odd since I said to use my personal metadata. And they say they import your ratings (which I take to mean - on a per-song basis), but if you go into Plex and look on an individual song, the only Tag (ID3 or metadata or whatever you want to call it) available is "Mood." There is nothing for many of the fields on a song - which is all the more reason why having Playlists from iTunes is so critically important.

See highlighted in yellow below. Then see "Genre" and you'll see "AM Pop and Classic Rock." Those are two tags I use but Plex only does ratings and so forth on a per-album basis - NOT SONG.

One final question; When you add a playlist, or modify one in iTunes and then update the XML, you then copy it over the one on your NAS Music folder, right? Do you scan the library after that? Or do a "refresh metadata"? In Synology, you can refresh the NAS though Plex scan library should be done as well, right?

Just curious what your steps are when you update the XML though it's probably covered above.

Thanks!

turingtest2 wrote:

Hi,

I didn't have time to get a screenshot, but I renamed my test playlist as 1-AM Pop & Classic Rock (4-5*) #1's, copied the updated XML file, corrected to path for the NAS, then used the Playlists > ⋮ > Import from iTunes... command and it imported as expected with the new title.

The only character that I didn't test (or ask you to do) was the forward slash (e.g. " Paul/John Best of"). I wonder if that is a hindrance in the playlist import stopping? I've been going through my playlists getting rid of any slashes. And also trimming quite a number of playlists to cut down on the sheer number.

The key things are to make the right edit to the XML file so that the data makes sense from the perspective of the Plex server on the NAS, tell the iTunes Plugin where the XML file is located, then use Music > ⋮ > Scan Library Files followed by Playlists > ⋮ > Import from iTunes...

From the sound of things all you need to do for your library in the Music1 folder is remove the second // by, for example, replacing //volume1 with /volume1 and replacing all instances through the XML.

tt2