Consolidate selected content: for notebook users
Applies to iTunes since version 9: A workflow to move content from my main iTunes Media folder on an external drive to my local iTunes Media folder on my MacBook, and vice versa. The intention is take selected content with me while I am away from the external hard drive, and to integrate the files back into the main Media folder when the external drive is connected again — all of this without disrupting tag information and as swiftly as possible.
Is there a faster way than this (yes, I could use an iPod to take content with me, but that's not what this thread is about)?
1. Set iTunes Media folder to ~/Music/iTunes/iTunes Media/
2. Wait for iTunes to update the library
3. Confirm with "Yes" that you want to keep the Media folder organized
4. In iTunes, drag selected files to a dedicated playlist - I named it "content in local Media folder"
5. Select the files, open the contextual menu (right-click) and choose 'Consolidate Files...' . As a result, the selected files (and no other) will be copied from the external drive to the local Media folder. From now on, iTunes will play the content from the local drive. Tag information (play count, rating, etc.) has been preserved.
To consolidate the files back into the main Media folder (when the external drive is connected again):
6. Set iTunes Media folder to /Volumes/<Volume name>/<name of main media folder>/
7. Trash the original copies: To first locate them in the Finder, I command-R the files in the playlist (see step 4 above), which shows the files in the local Media folder. I then copy the path into a LaunchBar search template and from there open the original Finder location in the main Media folder. There, I trash the original copies.
8. In iTunes select the tracks, and choose 'Consolidate Files...' from the contextual menu. After that, remove them from the playlist.
9. Trash the local files/folders
Without step 7, iTunes would still copy the files during consolidation, but would append " 1" to the file names and continue to manage those same files. But you obviously don't want to keep duplicates. If you forget step 7, you may manually trash the original copies, and iTunes would take the " 1" away again the next time you choose 'Get Info' on the track.
Is there a faster way than this (yes, I could use an iPod to take content with me, but that's not what this thread is about)?
1. Set iTunes Media folder to ~/Music/iTunes/iTunes Media/
2. Wait for iTunes to update the library
3. Confirm with "Yes" that you want to keep the Media folder organized
4. In iTunes, drag selected files to a dedicated playlist - I named it "content in local Media folder"
5. Select the files, open the contextual menu (right-click) and choose 'Consolidate Files...' . As a result, the selected files (and no other) will be copied from the external drive to the local Media folder. From now on, iTunes will play the content from the local drive. Tag information (play count, rating, etc.) has been preserved.
To consolidate the files back into the main Media folder (when the external drive is connected again):
6. Set iTunes Media folder to /Volumes/<Volume name>/<name of main media folder>/
7. Trash the original copies: To first locate them in the Finder, I command-R the files in the playlist (see step 4 above), which shows the files in the local Media folder. I then copy the path into a LaunchBar search template and from there open the original Finder location in the main Media folder. There, I trash the original copies.
8. In iTunes select the tracks, and choose 'Consolidate Files...' from the contextual menu. After that, remove them from the playlist.
9. Trash the local files/folders
Without step 7, iTunes would still copy the files during consolidation, but would append " 1" to the file names and continue to manage those same files. But you obviously don't want to keep duplicates. If you forget step 7, you may manually trash the original copies, and iTunes would take the " 1" away again the next time you choose 'Get Info' on the track.
MacBook (model A1181), Mac OS X (10.5.8), iTunes 10
