Move Album Artwork Folder

Make a split library portable

Here are the typical layouts for the iTunes folders:

In the layout above, with the media folder (everything in the red box) inside the library folder, the library is considered to be portable. A portable library can be moved from one path to another without breaking the links between the library and the media and being self-contained is much easier to backup (You do backup, don't you?).

You can rearrange things to make a split library portable by taking a number of small steps which don't break the library.

Before you start any media files that are outside of the media folder will need to be consolidated. If the library is in the old style layout then it should ideally be be upgraded to iTunes Media Organization (Library > Organize Library > Rearrange files in the folder <Media Folder>) to ensure that iPod Games, Mobile Applications etc. are brought inside the media folder.

The basic non-fatal manipulations are:

1. You can connect to an alternate set of library files by holding down Shift (Win) or Option (Mac) when starting iTunes.
2. You can move the library files to a new location as long as the media stays put.
3. You can move the library files and the media together if the media folder is a direct subfolder of the library folder.
4. If you have already moved/copied the media content from a subfolder of the library folder to a different location then you only need to copy the library files for it to appear as if you have moved the entire library in the way allowed above. I.e. just copy the library files into the parent folder of the media folder.
5. You can rename the media folder to iTunes Media (if it isn't already) if the media folder is inside the library folder.
6. iTunes uses the name of the folder holding the library files as the window title. Having made a library "portable" you may need to take a final step of renaming the library folder to iTunes or, if the library files have ended up at the root of a drive (or other locked location), moving all of the library files and content folders into a new folder called iTunes.

After each change you need to open, test and close the relevant library before attempting another change. If a change broke the library, undo it or revert to using the previous set of library files.

In essence all you need to do to make your library portable is copy the library files into the parent folder of the media folder on the external/secondary drive and use the hold-down-shift/option-when-starting-iTunes method to connect to it. Other manipulations may be required to normalize the library so that the library and media folders have standard names.

tt2

For your specific cirumstances, do it like this...

1. With iTunes closed, copy the contents of the folder \Shared Documents\My Music\iTunes into \Shared Music.
   
2. Click the icon to start iTunes and immediately press and hold down shift. Keep holding until asked to choose or create a library. Click Choose and open the file \Shared Music\iTunes Library.itl.
   
3. Test things work. Check under Edit > Preferences > Advanced that the media folder is given as\Shared Music\iTunes, edit if necessary, then close iTunes.
   
4. Rename \Shared Music\iTunes as \Shared Music\iTunes Media.
   
5. Start iTunes, test things work, check under Edit > Preferences > Advanced that the media folder is now given as\Shared Music\iTunes Media, edit if necessary, then close iTunes.
   
6. Create a folder called \Shared Music\iTunes and move the five library files (see previous post), Album Artwork, iTunes Media and Previous iTunes Libraries folders inside it.
   
7. Click the icon to start iTunes and immediately press and hold down shift. Keep holding until asked to choose or create a library. Click Choose and open the file \Shared Music\iTunes\iTunes Library.itl.
   
8. Check it all works.

Should iTunes not work properly after a change stop and reverse the most recent action you took or ask for help.

If all goes as it should your iTunes folder is now a properly self-contained library. You can move that folder to another path, different drive letter, different computer etc. and it should all work perfectly.

Now make a backup copy on another disk. 😉

tt2

Did you do the checks at the intermediate stages? Did you correct the media folder location to iTunes Media at step 4 for example?

What is the current setting of the media folder under Edit > Preferences > Advanced? It should have updated automatically, but if not, correct it to \Shared Music\iTunes\iTunes Media close iTunes, then reopen. Better now?

If the worst comes to the worst my FindTracks script should be able to find things.

tt2

Yep, move the entire iTunes folder as a unit and use shift-start-iTunes to connect to it.

When you make that backup you can test the backup works properly too, even with the source drive disconnected.

tt2