Logic Pro X: Install additional content on external hard drive?

Sorry guys, but I've tried these instructions but it didn't work. I found them too difficult to follow... Could anyone here kindly show me how to do it from the downloading samples to the original folder to copying them to an external hard drive? When I move them to the external hard drive, it never works... I really struggle with this. Please please help!!!

Could you please show me how you did it? I can't get this to work...

I agree... I can never get this to work. I even rang Apple support and they grabbed this and went through it with me. Never worked...

This is how mine is set up: The 'Apple' folder in 'Library/Audio/Apple Loops' is linked to a folder on another drive.

[thomas:~] $ cd /Library/Audio/Apple\ Loops [thomas:/Library/Audio/Apple Loops] $ ls -l total 8 lrwxrwxr-x 1 root admin 43 Oct 18 2015 Apple -> /Volumes/UserData/System/Apple Loops/Apple/

You can do it this way:

cd /Library/Audio/Apple\ Loops mv Apple [YOURNEWLOCATION] ln -s [YOURNEWLOCATION] Apple

Hi ThomasD3,

Thank you so much for replying to me!!

But... this is still too difficult... I don't really know how to do it.

I'll tell you what I have done so far:

1) I have downloaded Logic Pro X

2) I have downloaded some contents from Logic Pro X to the internal hard drive.

3) I have moved the contents to an external hard drive.

4) I am trying to use the contents in Logic Pro X, but they do not work as they are not linked properly.

5) I have contacted Apple Support many times, but they have failed to find the way to do this.

6) I am trying to use the Symbolic Link technique, but I really have no idea how it works. You have kindly provided the codes above, but I don't know which codes to change and what to replace.

I know I am very thick... but I would really appreciate your help on this.

ok, no problem, let's try it step by step:

Go to applications, utilities and open the terminal

then type on the keyboard (exactly as it is):

cd /Library/Audio/Apple\ Loops

press enter, then type:

open .

this should open a Finder window in which there is a folder called 'Apple'; those are the loops.

move it to wherever you want, but remember the exact path.

go back to the terminal window and type this:

sudo ln -s [Path] Apple

where [Path] is the path where you put the original Apple folder; for example, if you moved the Apple folder to /Volumes/External/AppleLoops/Apple, you would type: sudo ln -s /Volumes/External/AppleLoops/Apple Apple

it will ask you your system password and afterwards it should work.

it's a bit hard to do these things remotly, so I hope the instructions make sense.

You need the tool for OS-X: SymbolicLinker2.0v3.dmg

because you need a symbolic-link with admin rights.

this litte APP will help you, without any terminal type-in or what ever. (...) under https://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/10433/symboliclinker

and it's for free!

1. Install it and reboot your MAC. it gives you under services (right-click) the possibility to made a symbolic link.

(have a look at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QByRKadjnEE it describes the installing process perfect)

2. You have to go on the Macintosh_HD/Library/Application Support/Logic

and MOVE the complete LOGIC folder to an external Harddisk. (not only copy!)

3. On the external Harddisc right-cilck at the new Logic folder (but don't open it) and in the Menue - down at Service

you will find the Symbolic Link. Click on that. Now you will find a new Logic-Icon (looks like a Folder)

4. drag that icon (Symbolic-Link) back to Macintosh_HD/Library/Application Support/

renamed the Link to: Logic

That´s it.

Even then you get any Logic updates - that was forwarded direct into the LOGIC-Folder onto the external Haddrive!

Pretty easy.

Hi engelray!!

Thank you very much for your kind help!!

I will try this sometime this week and let you know I get on!! (already looks convincing!!)

Cheers!!

Taichi

I know that some people are linking to SymbolicLinker via MacUpdate, I really urge everyone not to. AFAIK, SymbolicLinker is no longer supported and causes issues, and more importantly, MacUpdate has been installing some really nasty Adware in their downloads. I would not use that site.

Yes you do need to use SymLinks to properly link samples to an external drive. Yes you can set this up prior to downloading additional content from Apple.

There are some threads here where I have written the instructions up.

Logic Pro X keeps reinstalling basic sound content

Or this thread…Apple Loops Folder Couldn't Be Created

There are links in my posts to YouTube videos on using Terminal to create SymLinks.

I installed all the samples/loops on a very fast SD card instead of an external drive to save USB ports and have no problems with it. Updates write to it once the symlinks are properly set.

Finally, I would like to urge everyone to send in feed back to Apple requesting that they include an easy method of storing this content on external drives/devices. Use the "Send Feedback to Apple" in LPX. Given the large files sizes for LPX and the small internal boot drives on latest Macs, this needs to be a simple option in Preferences. All needed code already exists in the OS for this to happen.

Hope this helps, Greg

Here is another thread with another set of step by step instructions for creating symlinks on external drive.

move Logic content to external drive using Symbolic Link

Ok hope this helps, Greg

Hi EcoGreg,

Thanks for your help. I followed this video, but it didn't work 😟

Could you please help me!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yubdnVnbiGQ

I also tried this:

I had trouble with the symlinker app. It's much better to create symbolic links from the command line. A symbolic Link is like an "alias" or a "shortcut" except that it works at a deeper level in the OS, so it totally fools applications into thinking it's a folder.

There are GarageBand and Logic folders in /Library/Application Support on your boot drive that you will want be redirected to your desired target drive. You do this by creating symbolic links that redirect any read or write by apps to more spacious locations on what we'll call your target drive. Logic will thus go to your target drive to use loops etc, and when it downloads loops etc from Apple it will store them there. A symbolic link can make your target drive look like part of your boot drive.

In my case I have a big spacious drive called BIG where I have a top level folder called /Library, where I've built an Application Support folder into which I've copied the Logic and the GarageBand folders from the boot drive's /Library/Application Support folder. So let's look at how we make this location on BIG replace the one on the overly crowded boot drive.

Start by finding these folders in /Library/Application Support on your boot drive.

After copying them to your target drive, rename the original folders on the boot drive to GarageBand.NOT and Logic.NOT. This is temporary. That way if something goes wrong you can delete any symlinks and name the folder back by removing the .NOT at the end of the name, and it will be like before. Ok so far? Later we'll delete these extras.

Then the symlinks will be built on the boot drive using these two command lines (you will be asked your password). Note that the syntax lists the "target" of the symlink followed by its location, i.e. the "source".

sudo ln -s "/Volumes/BIG/Library/Application Support/Logic” “/Library/Application Support/Logic"

sudo ln -s "/Volumes/BIG/Library/Application Support/GarageBand” “/Library/Application Support/GarageBand"

But it didn't work...

In /Library/Application Support you will now see the 2 symlinks. They look like folders with a little arrow, and if you navigate through them with the finder you will land in the content on the BIG drive.

Hi Taichijunction

Could you tell me what didn't work?

Both the ChrisBreen video in link is correct as well as the step by step instructions.

Typically I do not have user use the rm command in Terminal, but just use Finder. The rm command in Terminal can remove system files which can be real trouble if you do not know Terminal, but otherwise the instruction set is good.

Make sure that you are an administrator for the computer you are working on and have permissions to Read Write.

Do you now have copies of the folders/files/samples in your external drive?

Did you create the symlink via terminal with the ln -s command?

Did you create the target drive for the symlink? If the symlink is in the wrong drive or folder, you can drag and drop where it should be.

Make sure all names of folders are same as default.

Little more info please. Maybe take a screenshot of external drive folder and internal drive folders. Helpful if you would go to a Finder window, Menu Bar > View and click on Show Path Bar, this will add paths on bottom of Finder window. Make sure to not capture any confidential info you do not want make public.

Greg

Hi Taichijunction

You can see my Folders and the symlinks on this thread, you need to scroll down to bottom of page 1

Apple Loops Folder Couldn't Be Created

Your system should be somewhat similar, but of course path will reflect your system.

Happy to try to help, but need to figure out where something went wrong first.

Don't forget to send Feedback to Apple to make the ability to store samples on external drive a feature of LPX.

Greg

Hi Greg,

Thank you very much for your help. I think finally I have managed to move some contents following this:

http://logicpromusic.com/logic-pro/how-to-move-logics-additional-content-to-a-se condary-drive/

But when I open Logic, it keeps downloading some files. Could you please tell me where I can find all the downloaded files from Logic Pro X?

Taichi