remove folder from library

Hi, i'm not sure if this is what you are trying to do. But, I was trying to figure out how to remove items in my iTunes library (based on what i "added folder to library") without deleting the files from my computer.

i had added all my music, disorganized and all, which ruined my iPhone's music library, so I wanted to redo it.

what i did was click in Music under the Library section in the upper left. I then highlighted the items and hit the delete key on my keyboard. It will delete these items and ask what you want to do with the files. For me I told them to leave them where they are.

hope this helps. let me know if this is what you are trying to do.

thanks!

This is so freaking ridiculous. I have an external USB dirve that is a BACKUP of all my music stored on my local D: drive. iTundes insists on putting both my real collection (20,000 songs) AND my backup (another 20,000 songs) into my library. And every song shows up twice.

Can I remove my backup drive from being accessed by iTunes? And nowhere on the internet can anyone produce an answer to this simple question. HOW DO YOU EXCLUDE A FOLDER OR DRIVE FROM BEING ACCESSED BY ITUNES?

<Edited by Host>

If you let iTunes scan the entire computer for media it will add everything that is accessible at the time. Either disconnect the external drive or selectively add the locations that you want to add.

tt2

Thank you for a completely useless and assinine response to my question above.

A) When I installed iTunes, it asked if I wanted it to scan for media. I said yes. I thought it would ask me where to look. Failing that, after it scanned hundereds of gigabytes uselessly, and added my entire media library twice, i thought I could go in and tell it to EXCLUDE my external USB drives. Where can I do this? That is my question. Where can I "add" and where can I "exclude"? It's a **** simple question.

B) Seriously your answer is for me to unplug all of my external usb drives every time I launch iTunes. Seriously? Fail.

C) "Selectively add locations" sound stantalizingly close to what I'm after, yet again, a fail. Care to share your info on how to do this? How does one INCLUDE or EXCLUDE folders or drives from being added to the iTunes library? Please answer this one single simple question directly.

A) Your initial assumption was wrong. As I recall when opening an empty library iTunes used to offer to scan either "My Music" or "Whole Computer"... It seems that is no longer the case and "Scan for Media" scans the whole computer. Use File > Add Folder to Library instead. The menu bar has been hidden by default but can be revealed with Alt (temporarily) or Ctrl+B (show/hide).

B) No, one time during the initial scan. Always a good idea to have your backup media offline when experimenting with new software.

C) File > Add Folder to Library adds a folder and all of its subfolders. You can also add media to iTunes by moving it into <Media Folder>\Automatically Add to iTunes. The media folder is normally <User's Music>\iTunes\iTunes Media.

Given where you are now the most effective way to get to where you want to be is probably to close iTunes and delete the following from inside <User's Music>\iTunes:

Album Artwork

iTunes Library.itl

iTunes Library Extras.itdb

iTunes Library Genius.itdb

iTunes Music Library.xml

sentinel (Hidden)

Then when you launch iTunes it will automatically create a new blank library for you to start over with.

Explore the options under Edit > Preferences > Advanced for Keep..., Copy... and the media folder location to make sure they are what you want before adding any media.

N.B. An iTunes library is easier to move around from one drive or computer to another if all the media that is connected to the library is stored inside the iTunes Media folder which is in turn inside the main iTunes library folder. With this in mind you may want to move your existing media inside the iTunes Media folder before adding to the library and/or move/create an iTunes library folder in a different location. If so see HT1589: iTunes: How to open an alternate iTunes Library file or create a new one.

You might find also iTunes Folder Watch a useful tool. This has the ability to create a number of watch folders which can, if needs be, also contain folders that are excluded within them.

You may, or may not, find my article on Grouping tracks into albums helps you to understand how iTunes organizes the media that is added to the library.

tt2

Ditto as B-Man777. Simply REMOVE a folder option from the library is needed. The option to ADD exists. We want the opposite of ADD. That is not hard to understand. End of story.

<Edited By Host>