Correct iTunes File structure

Thanks. Just a few follow-up questions:

1) In order to make a new library, should I create something like a folder called "iTunes 2" and place it on the same level as my current "iTunes" folder, which now contains all the messed up sub folder structure?

2) If so, how do I go about getting the music (i do NOT care about ratings and play counts. I DO really want to preserve all my playlists and groupings) into the new library?

3) I assume once #1 and #2 are completed, I can delete the old "itunes" folder, correct?

Thanks again!

Do the playlists have all the songs that you want in them? Do those tracks all play? Adding the content that isn't in the library is easy enough. File > Add Folder to Library will take care of that, although best to check your options for Keep... & Copy... and the current media folder before you start. File > Library > Organize Library > Consolidate files will bring in whatever is outside the media folder and turning Keep... off and then back on again should tidy up any inconsistencies inside it.

tt2

Thanks. But I am a bit confused. Should I do the "Add Folder" option or the "Consolidate" option? It seems that, based on what you have said (if I am understanding it all correctly), both should work?

One thing I would like to do, though, is get a well-organized folder and then delete the current mess that I have.

Start with some more details.

What is the location of the media folder under iTunes > Preferences > Advanced?

What are the settings for Keep... & Copy... on the same tab?

Do you know the path to your active library file?

Normally it would be <User>/Music/iTunes/iTunes Library.itl but you can choose a different one, and sometimes people get connected to one inside ../iTunes/Previous iTunes Libraries after a crash.

tt2

thanks. I created a new library and had the computer scan for music. all my music was imported. the playlists were not. But, I found the old library that has the playlists and I am exporting them and then importing them into the new library. The old library is several layers down in the folder structure, so I don't want to mess moving it. Once I have all the playlists imported to the new library, I will delete the old one.

rsc1969 wrote:

thanks. I created a new library and had the computer scan for music. all my music was imported.

Note that when files are added to iTunes, the original is left in place.

If it found files that were not in your previous iTunes folder (which you are going to delete), you should hunt those down and delete them also.

OK. Once you have a library that has all your media and all playlists you can consolidate the media to a new path if needed. Ideally the working library would be at <some path>/iTunes/iTunes Library.itl and the media consolidated to the folder <some path>/iTunes/iTunes Media, as this is the layout which makes it simple to move the whole library as a unit from <some path>/iTunes to <another path>/iTunes without breaking the connections between the library database and the media.

tt2

Sorry to be so late replying... I've had two lost attempts at replying to this thread. Third time lucky I hope.

Adding the content that isn't in the library is easy enough. File > Add Folder to Library will take care of that, although best to check your options for Keep... & Copy... and the current media folder before you start. File > Library > Organize Library > Consolidate files will bring in whatever is outside the media folder and turning Keep... off and then back on again should tidy up any inconsistencies inside it.

Once you have a library that has all your media and all playlists you can consolidate the media to a new path if needed. Ideally the working library would be at <some path>\iTunes\iTunes Library.itl and the media consolidated to the folder <some path>\iTunes\iTunes Media, as this is the layout which makes it simple to move the whole library as a unit from <some path>\iTunes to <another path>\iTunes without breaking the connections between the library database and the media.

See Make a split library portable for a more recent update of my split library advice.

tt2