HT203225: If you don't see your entire library after you update iTunes on your Mac or PC

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canucksailor
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Q: Wonderful article - except that there are two files referred to as iTunes Library and iTunes Music Library, with two different suffixes. So which one is it? The .itl the .xml? I appreciate the assistance, but write with greater clarity please.

Wonderful article - except that there are two files referred to as iTunes Library and iTunes Music Library, with two different suffixes. So which one is it? The .itl the .xml? I appreciate the assistance, but write with greater clarity please - not all of us are computer geeks.

Macbook, Mac OS X (10.6.2)

Posted on Jun 23, 2012 10:05 PM

by canucksailor,Solvedanswer
canucksailor canucksailor
Level 1 (0 points)
A:

Thanks for the advice - but rather than screw around figuring all this out - and possibly screwing something up, I decided to get a free copy of Detunes - then I simply copied my entire iPod back to iTunes. The added advantage was that there were a number of songs I wanted back on iTunes that were on the iPod. Total time for 1305 songs, about fifteen minutes, not counting the 2 minutes it took to download Detunes.

Result - happy, singing along, camper...

Posted on Jun 24, 2012 12:00 PM

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canucksailor

Q: Wonderful article - except that there are two files referred to as iTunes Library and iTunes Music Library, with two different suf ... more

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  • by mende1,Helpful

    mende1 mende1 Jun 23, 2012 10:13 PM in response to canucksailor
    Level 10 (93,324 points)
    Desktops
    Jun 23, 2012 10:13 PM in response to canucksailor

    iTunes Library has .itl extension. iTunes Music Library has .xml extension

  • by Chris CA,Helpful

    Chris CA Chris CA Jun 23, 2012 10:42 PM in response to canucksailor
    Level 9 (79,577 points)
    iPhone
    Jun 23, 2012 10:42 PM in response to canucksailor

    canucksailor wrote:

     

    Wonderful article - except that there are two files referred to as iTunes Library and iTunes Music Library,

    Where do you see a reference to iTunes Music Library file in that article?

     

    iTunes uses the iTunes Library.itl for itself.

    The iTunes library.xml is created only for other apps to access iTunes.

     

    iTunes Music library.xml is (or at least used to be) created if the iTunes library was in a different place besides the default (/Music/iTunes/ folder)

  • by canucksailor,Solvedanswer

    canucksailor canucksailor Jun 24, 2012 12:00 PM in response to Chris CA
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 24, 2012 12:00 PM in response to Chris CA

    Thanks for the advice - but rather than screw around figuring all this out - and possibly screwing something up, I decided to get a free copy of Detunes - then I simply copied my entire iPod back to iTunes. The added advantage was that there were a number of songs I wanted back on iTunes that were on the iPod. Total time for 1305 songs, about fifteen minutes, not counting the 2 minutes it took to download Detunes.

    Result - happy, singing along, camper...

  • by Chris CA,

    Chris CA Chris CA Jun 24, 2012 2:40 PM in response to canucksailor
    Level 9 (79,577 points)
    iPhone
    Jun 24, 2012 2:40 PM in response to canucksailor

    canucksailor wrote:

     

    Thanks for the advice - but rather than screw around figuring all this out - and possibly screwing something up,

    I thought you were simply trying to figure out how iTunes works.

    You never stated you had a problem of any kind.

     

    But glad you got it running.

     

    Now make sure to make regular backups of all your important data on your computer.

    For iTunes,that would be the entire /My Music/iTunes/ folder.

  • by turingtest2,

    turingtest2 turingtest2 Jun 24, 2012 4:22 PM in response to Chris CA
    Level 10 (86,362 points)
    Apple TV
    Jun 24, 2012 4:22 PM in response to Chris CA

    Chris CA wrote:

     

    iTunes Music library.xml is (or at least used to be) created if the iTunes library was in a different place besides the default (/Music/iTunes/ folder)

     

    A pedant writes... It's the other way around. 

     

    Library in User's Music\iTunes generates iTunes Music Library.xml

    Library anywhere else generates iTunes Library.xml

     

    tt2

  • by Chris CA,

    Chris CA Chris CA Jun 24, 2012 8:37 PM in response to turingtest2
    Level 9 (79,577 points)
    iPhone
    Jun 24, 2012 8:37 PM in response to turingtest2

    This was a test and you PASSED!!!

    Congrats!

     

    It's been forever since I've used iTunes in the default location.

    Looking at my current iTunes folder, the iTunes music library.xml is a year old and the iTunes library.xml is today.

  • by canucksailor,

    canucksailor canucksailor Jun 24, 2012 8:59 PM in response to Chris CA
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 24, 2012 8:59 PM in response to Chris CA

    Ok, I've got to reply here. I appreciate the comments you've all made, as I realize each of you is trying to help. But - what you don't understand is, your level of knowledge is so far past mine that what you say makes little or no sense to me.

    I sail professionally - if I started talking about gudgeons and pintles, about rhumb lines and DRs - you'd sit there with about the same stupid look as I have on my face reading what you've written. In current parlance, I've failed to resonate with your level of understanding - or some such hooey!

    I recognize that you guys know what you're talking about - it's why I posted here in the first place. What you need to realize is that your knowledge is useless to me, unless you can communicate it effectively.

    When I teach sailing, I don't use the terms I just referenced until I've given my students a basic grounding that helps them understand. And when I DO have to pass over that step - it happens, usually in a 'difficult' moment - I give clear, concise directions on how to accomplish the necessary goal - step by step.

    Example: when the bottom of the boat is full of water, saying 'turn on the bilge pump' doesn't solve the problem if the student doesn't know where that switch is, or how to turn it on. Better to say, 'turn on the second switch from the right on the electric panel, which is on the right side of the navigation table. Then lift the center floor board to make sure the water is being pumped out. And if the pump doesn't turn on, grab the bucket beside the sink and start bailing.'

    Sure, method two is a LOT more wordy - but you know what? Method two guarantees your boat won't sink. Method one just leaves you with a lot of confused and frightened sailors.

    Please guys, when you try to tell me how to keep my computer from sinking - make sure you tell me EXACTLY where every switch is please - and the bucket!

    Sorry to lecture, but as someone already noted, we have a pedant in the house....

  • by Chris CA,

    Chris CA Chris CA Jun 24, 2012 9:06 PM in response to canucksailor
    Level 9 (79,577 points)
    iPhone
    Jun 24, 2012 9:06 PM in response to canucksailor

    canucksailor wrote:

     

    Ok

    Please guys, when you try to tell me how to keep my computer from sinking

    Didn't you get it (whatever it is) sorted?

    What were you trying to do with the iTunes library files?

     

    You lost your iTunes library?

    If it's back, great. Now, make a backup of all your important files (iTunes is the entire /My Music/iTunes/ folder).

  • by canucksailor,

    canucksailor canucksailor Jun 24, 2012 9:51 PM in response to canucksailor
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 24, 2012 9:51 PM in response to canucksailor

    Ok, here's my point made again. I clearly state in an earlier post that I solved the iTunes problem with Detunes, rather than attempt something technical that wasn't, for me, well explained.

    Mind you, I didn't click the 'solved my problem' icon, but I really did think that my comment about being a 'happy, singing along camper' made it fairly clear. Apparently not...

    Also, a casual read of my comments would show that I have a full copy of my songs on my iPod and now, on my computer - i.e. a backup, but the reminder is fine too.

    And I do backup with Timemachine on an external hd regularly, just so that's clear.

  • by turingtest2,

    turingtest2 turingtest2 Jun 25, 2012 3:13 AM in response to canucksailor
    Level 10 (86,362 points)
    Apple TV
    Jun 25, 2012 3:13 AM in response to canucksailor

    Hi,

     

    We're fellow users here. We don't get to edit the support documents but hopefully we can help decipher them.

     

    There are two main components to any iTunes Library. A database that records which media files have been added to the library, where they are stored, their properties etc. and the media files themselves. The database file is usually called iTunes Library.itl and is usually stored in the folder <User's Music>/iTunes. If the database was initially created with an older build of iTunes on a Mac it might be called iTunes Library without the .itl extension.

     

    Each time iTunes is upgraded the the existing database file is moved into a folder called Previous iTunes Libraries, renamed with the date, and then used to build a new database file that takes account of any changes in the internal structure that have been introduced with the new version. If something goes wrong at this point iTunes may start with an empty or incomplete version of your library. In this scenario the media files will remain in the media folder, even though they are not listed in the library. Presumably this happened to you, which is why you ended up reading No content shows up in iTunes after updating.

     

    If this happens then your library can usually be restored by closing iTunes, replacing the iTunes Library.itl file from your backup (e.g. use Time Machine or copy and rename the dated backup from the Previous iTunes Libraries folder). Hopefully this time when you start iTunes the database file will be updated successfully.

     

    A compete backup of an iTunes library includes not just the media files, but also the main database file iTunes Library.itl and other supporting files found in the same folder, iTunes Library Extras.itdb, iTunes Library Genius.itdb, iTunes Music Library.xml or iTunes Library.xml, sentinel (which may be hidden) and the Album Artwork folder. You may also need to backup any media stored outside of the usual media folder if that applies.

     

    When restoring you can either restore everything from the backup set, e.g. if restoring to a new computer, or replace just those components you know to be missing or damaged, e.g. to replace the library database if the library is empty after an upgrade, or to replace a single media file that has become corrupt or has been deleted in error.

     

    Rebuilding your library from the content of an iPod is not as effective as restoring from a backup. Depending on the tool used you may or may not recover ratings, playlists, play counts etc. and, of course, you can only recover that which is on the device, which may not always be your entire library.

     

    Hopefully I've made things a little clearer. If not, let me know, and I'll try again.

     

    tt2

  • by canucksailor,

    canucksailor canucksailor Jun 25, 2012 7:42 AM in response to turingtest2
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 25, 2012 7:42 AM in response to turingtest2

    Turingtest2 - that is an answer that even I with my lack of tech knowledge can follow. Thank you.

    Here's a story for all. I used to own several newspapers, and regularly would get press releases on new drug treatments from pharamceutical firm's PR people. I have a bachelors degree (not in science, can you tell?) and could barely comprehend these releases. I wanted to use the information in these releases as it was relevant to my readers, who were people age 50 and up. However, if I couldn't understand them, there was no way more than 85% of my readers could.

    I must have written these firms a half dozen times pleading for them to dumb down the material, since I didn't have the knowledge to do so. Never happened. So all the money and effort they spent on reaching people like me was wasted, because they failed to communicate in a way their intended target could understand.

    Most technical people make a similar mistake, because they spend their days with people who are right at home with material the average person like me finds difficult, and don't understand why we can't understand. Heck, it's just computers, right?

    Anyway, this has been an interesting discussion and I thank you all, and now we can move on to an easier subject: world peace!

  • by turingtest2,

    turingtest2 turingtest2 Jun 25, 2012 8:25 AM in response to canucksailor
    Level 10 (86,362 points)
    Apple TV
    Jun 25, 2012 8:25 AM in response to canucksailor

    Be excellent to each other, and party on!

     

    tt2