tacitus99
Level 1 (6 points)
iPad

Q: itunes cannot find library

I have just restored my iTunes folder via Time Machine and now I cannot get iTunes to recognise my library..  At present it shows a default screen without any of my playlists.  I have signed into the iTunes store so I am assuming that this authorises my  machine.  However it seems to be creating new files of the forrm, "iTunes Music Library.xml" 

 

Does anyone have ny ideas on how to sort this?

PMac G5 2GHz: MBk Pro 2.2 Ghz, Mac OS X (10.4.11)

Posted on Mar 12, 2012 12:00 PM

by Limnos,Solvedanswer
Limnos Limnos
Level 9 (54,642 points)
Mac OS X
A:

iTunes will  create a .itl file (on some versions the .itl is missing and the file is just called iTunes Library) and use that from now on.  The .xml file is one that is created and periodically updated while using iTunes so other applications that cannot read the .itl can use information from iTunes.

 

According to Apple the .xml files does not contain all the information the .itl file contains. I am not sure what the differences are but they are relatively minor unless something like playcounts (and I don't know what it is that is different) is absolutely critical to you.

Posted on Mar 13, 2012 12:05 PM

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tacitus99

Q: itunes cannot find library

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  • Helpful answers

  • by Limnos,Helpful

    Limnos Limnos Mar 12, 2012 12:07 PM in response to tacitus99
    Level 9 (54,642 points)
    Mac OS X
    Mar 12, 2012 12:07 PM in response to tacitus99

    Start iTunes with the option key held down and guide it to the file Library.itl in your iTunes folder.

     

    .xml is an alternative form of the library file but iTunes itself does not use it.  Where you have .xml you should also have the real library file.

     

    If you start from the real library.itl file and it is still all blank then you did not restore your library file along with everything else.  You either need to do that or start your library from scratch.

     

    Getting music to show has nothing to do with authorization.

     

    What are the iTunes library files? - http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1660

     

    More on iTunes library files and what they do - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ITunes#Media_management

  • by tacitus99,

    tacitus99 tacitus99 Mar 13, 2012 11:34 AM in response to Limnos
    Level 1 (6 points)
    iPad
    Mar 13, 2012 11:34 AM in response to Limnos

    Hi Limnos:

     

    Thanks for the reply.  The only .itl file I could find is one that is pretty old.  There is a more up to date.xml file so I navigated to that one.  Everything seems to work OK but in using this file rather than a .itl file, am I storing up problems for the future? 

     

    Since I didn't know itl files existed - I only knew about xml and .itdb files - I've already learnt something

  • by Limnos,Solvedanswer

    Limnos Limnos Mar 13, 2012 12:05 PM in response to tacitus99
    Level 9 (54,642 points)
    Mac OS X
    Mar 13, 2012 12:05 PM in response to tacitus99

    iTunes will  create a .itl file (on some versions the .itl is missing and the file is just called iTunes Library) and use that from now on.  The .xml file is one that is created and periodically updated while using iTunes so other applications that cannot read the .itl can use information from iTunes.

     

    According to Apple the .xml files does not contain all the information the .itl file contains. I am not sure what the differences are but they are relatively minor unless something like playcounts (and I don't know what it is that is different) is absolutely critical to you.