thesoniccircle

Q: How to share and update one iTunes master library on an external HD between an iMac and iBook

Hi.  I am in the process of consolidating and switching gears from storing my iTunes libraries (which have roughly the same files) on both my iMac and iBook (both OS 10.7.5) to creating one master library on an external hard drive (Canvio Connect 2TB) and sharing that between both computers, updating the laptop (which I use less frequently) when necessary. I wanted to know if this is possible and if so, how to go about doing this in a way where I don't lose any data and am able to maintain it efficiently.  Thanks!

iMac, Mac OS X (10.5.8), 24" 3.06 Ghz

Posted on Aug 9, 2014 9:17 AM

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Q: How to share and update one iTunes master library on an external HD between an iMac and iBook

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  • by Limnos,Helpful

    Limnos Limnos Aug 9, 2014 9:23 AM in response to thesoniccircle
    Level 9 (54,277 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 9, 2014 9:23 AM in response to thesoniccircle

    Best is to put the entire library, not just media files, on the external drive.  The drawback which may not even apply is only one computer can use the library at a time.  An entire library is everything in the iTunes folder when you are using iTunes default settings.

     

    turingtest2 article: Make a split library portable - https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-7392

     

    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

     

    What are all those iTunes files? - http://www.macworld.com/article/139974/2009/04/itunes_files.html

     

    Where are my iTunes files located? - http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1391

     

    If you use iTunes' default preferences settings:  Copy the entire iTunes folder (and in doing so all its subfolders and files) intact to the other drive.  Open iTunes and immediately hold down the option (alt) key (shift on Windows) so you get a prompt to select a library, then guide it to the 'iTunes Library.itl' file in the moved iTunes folder.

  • by thesoniccircle,

    thesoniccircle thesoniccircle Aug 9, 2014 9:31 AM in response to Limnos
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 9, 2014 9:31 AM in response to Limnos

    Thanks, Limnos.  I appreciate the quick response.  Yes, I will only be using the library with one computer at a time so that won't be an issue at all.  I will check into those links as well.  My other 2 questions are:

     

    1- I will be primarily updating the library via my iMac, adding files through iTunes with the external HD connected. In order to sync the laptop as well, how would I go about updating iTunes on my laptop whenever I update the library via iTunes on the iMac?

     

    2-How do I go about saving the playlists?  Is that something I need to do manually or does that automatically get saved each time iTunes get updated?  And then, how would I update THAT info on the laptop as well?

  • by Limnos,

    Limnos Limnos Aug 9, 2014 9:35 AM in response to thesoniccircle
    Level 9 (54,277 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 9, 2014 9:35 AM in response to thesoniccircle

    Using the process I outlined above everything will be on the external. Nothing needs to be updated on the individual computers.  Read the links.  All the information about your library is contained in the iTunes Library.itl file and both computers will be using this one file located on the external drive when the drive is plugged into a computer.   In theory when running things this way there could be absolutely no iTunes folder on your internal drive at all.

     

    Oh, do make sure you back up this external drive because all your eggs will be in one basket.

  • by thesoniccircle,

    thesoniccircle thesoniccircle Aug 9, 2014 10:19 AM in response to Limnos
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 9, 2014 10:19 AM in response to Limnos

    Thanks.  I will read up on the links though somehow they tend to get confusing at times.  Easier to understand posts like these for me.  Interesting in that I always though you needed to manually update the iTunes library when a music library has been updated.  How does iTunes know that new music has been added to the master library?  I always thought that the music had to be imported manually via iTunes.  I don't understand your comment "In theory when running things this way there could be absolutely no iTunes folder on your internal drive at all" because that will be the way I access and play music.  I'm certain the answers will come through the process and basically, it seems like a simple one.  Thanks again for your assistance.

  • by Limnos,

    Limnos Limnos Aug 9, 2014 9:42 PM in response to thesoniccircle
    Level 9 (54,277 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 9, 2014 9:42 PM in response to thesoniccircle

    There is a library file on the external drive that contains a list of all the tracks you have put into iTunes.  The list points to media files iTunes plays are on the external drive too.  Using the instructions I provided you tell the iTunes application on each computer to start up using the library file on the external drive.  If you add a file to iTunes while using computer #1 the file will be copied to the media folder on the external drive and the library file on the external drive will be updated to show there is a new file.  When you plug the same drive into computer #2 and start iTunes it takes the file listing from the library file on the external drive.  You are using the one library with each computer and it exists only on the external drive which both computers use.  They are truly sharing the same single copy of the  library.

     

    I have a box with objects inside and a list inside with an updated inventory of the objects. I give the box to you. You take some objects out and put some in and make a note in the list of what you have done, then put the list back inside and hand the box to me.  How do I know what changes you have done?  Simple.  I open the box and look at the list.  It's the same list that was in your hands only moments before.  I add a few objects and update the list, put it back inside the box and hand the box to you.  How do you know what changes have been made? Simple.  Open the box and read the list which was the one I updated moments before.  The only copy of the list is in the box so neither of us is needing to keep our own copy of the list updated.

     

    Everything iTunes needs to generate your library listing is in the iTunes folder, but it doesn't have to be on the computer.  In your case it will all be on the external drive and each copy of the iTunes application on each computer will look and use the same identical library file on the external drive as you pass it from computer to computer.  Once you have set this up you can delete the entire iTunes folder in Music from your computer because the application will no longer be using it.  The only thing "iTunes" left on the computer will be the application itself, but each copy will have been told to use the library on the external drive.

     

    Okay, enough.  I've said the same thing about 4 ways now.

  • by thesoniccircle,

    thesoniccircle thesoniccircle Aug 14, 2014 6:45 AM in response to Limnos
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 14, 2014 6:45 AM in response to Limnos

    Thanks, Limnos.  Very appreciated.  I totally get it.  The thing that was tripping me up was the fact that, in the past, there were a few occasions where I had removed a few files or an album from the music folder on my hard drive but didn't do so from iTunes , so when I eventually tried to play the file in iTunes (this is after a while and forgetting that I trashed the original file) , it said that the file was missing.  I realize now that this is completely different but was likening this recent situation to that.

     

    Similarly, I wanted to take this a step further and consolidate ALL my files, non-music related as well, so I have the same updated files on both computers.  I suppose the easiest way to do that would be to store those on the external as well unless there's another way (besides sharing files over a network).  Seems simple enough, but, any thoughts on that?

     

    And yes, I have a backup for everything.

  • by Limnos,

    Limnos Limnos Aug 14, 2014 7:06 AM in response to thesoniccircle
    Level 9 (54,277 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 14, 2014 7:06 AM in response to thesoniccircle

    There's various cloud storage services these days where you keep something in a cloud and it is accessible, updated, on all your devices.  It's a kind of network storage but instead of you keeping the file on one computer and getting access to that computer from another, it is kept on somebody else's computer and both your computers use that copy.  It is supposed to be more seamless but all I know about it is from what I have read online.  I don't think you could do this with your iTunes library though.  I guess theoretically yes, but I have never once seen reference to anybody doing it and I think you would have to have a really fast and clean connection or you'd end up with error messages all the time.  Some people try to do something similar at home with a NAS system but I see daily posts here where something (probably the server software) has made a mess of things.