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move Logic content to external drive using Symbolic Link

I am trying to do something that should be easy but Apple has made terribly difficult to do. I want to remove all of the Logic content including Apple Loops, to an external hard drive. I have tried making Aliases but each and every time I reopen Logic, it says that I need to download essential content ... plus I have seen many post on the web stating that this does not work Everyone talks about using symbolic links. SO - that is what I tried next. I downloaded a free app, Symlink, ad tried to do it the way it was explained but so far, no luck. Is there a simple, step by step method out there with instructions that anyone (and I do mean ANYONE) can follow? Once we get into Terminal I get a bit nervous ...

Apple - you need to change this. Everyone is switching to small and fast SSD drives that cannot hold a ton of content. We have no room for all of these samples. Every other sample library makes it easy to put their samples on external hard drives - yours does not. Why???

Any help would be greatly appreciated.


Thanks.


rosindabow

Mac Pro, OS X Mavericks (10.9.5), 48 GB 1333 MHz DDR23 FB

Posted on Jan 27, 2016 3:22 PM

Reply
24 replies

Jul 22, 2016 3:24 PM in response to rosindabow

For everyone who wants to store samples/loops and additional content on external drive, I think the instructions posted by Art of Sound above are the way to go.

I store all of these files on a fast SD card to able to use the USB3 ports for my interface and other devices. Works fine, fast enough, updates and indexing fine. You can of course use a drive instead, but this occupies a USB or TB port.

Use Symlinks. Do not use Alias, you will have issues!


If you want to use the app SymbolicLinker instead of Terminal, be advised the old version 2.0.3 does not work properly for Yosemite and newer. I just found out that there is a new just released version available on Github, version 2.1. I have not tried it, nor have I downloaded it to examine the code, so I do not endorse it. Use at your own risk.

Here is link… https://github.com/nickzman/symboliclinker/releases

This is supposed to work for all latest OS's including the soon to be released Sierra.


Please do not use MacUpdate or any of the other download conglomerate sites for any software downloads as most of these install some nasty adware onto your computers. Only download from App Store or trusted Developer's site.


Please be sure to "Send Feedback to Apple" to request that Apple makes it easy to install this content externally in LPX. All the code they need to do this as a preference is available in the underlying OS frameworks. If enough requests come in, then hopefully they will add the code in a future update.


Hope this helps, Greg

Dec 13, 2016 8:32 PM in response to halfyearsun

HI Chris

First question. Prior to launching Logic, you have inserted and mounted your SD card, YES?

If at any time you attempt to launch Logic without the card mounted, then Logic will automatically download the Essential content.

All of your essential content is downloaded and installed on your SD card?

You are not updating Logic as you go along are you? If you have "Install updates automatically in background" turned on in System Preferences>App Store, then whenever Apple updates any samples, then downloading will occur. Having said this, as long as you created the symlinks properly and the SD card is mounted, then any additional downloads and updates should go to that "Target" card and not to your boot drive.

Make sure you created Symlinks not Alias, they are different altogether. An Alias will always attempt to redownload and updates will always go to boot drive.

What OS and version of Logic are you using?


Hope this Helps, Greg

Dec 14, 2016 7:21 AM in response to EcoGreg

Greg,


This was helpful, thank you for your time.


Symlinks, SD card mounted, all were good. It appears the part I was missing was that Logic will initiate the download to keep things current. I allowed the download to proceed and it appears that it all downloaded to the target SD card (I deduce this because the directories appear the same, it did not create another "Logic" folder under Application Support.) Now it is opening without initiating download.


Thank you again for your time and your help.


Chris

move Logic content to external drive using Symbolic Link

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