Change Location of Playlists file from PC to NAS

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Level 1

5 points

Change Location of Playlists file from PC to NAS

I created a lot of genius playlists (-awseome functionality-) and personal playlists (-to transfer to my IPOD-) and I understood these files are stored in iTunes Music Library.xml.

I located the file iTunes Music Library.xml and it is stored under C:\Users\Wim\Favorites\Music

while my entire music library (>400CDs) is stored on a NAS under \\lacinema_HD\LaCie\010_Music.

Every Itunes store purchase and every CD import goes directly to the NAS and it works fine with Sonos.

I want my My Sonos to access these playlist files. However, this requires the PC to be running, which is seldom the case while we all use IPADs in our family.

Therefore I want (a) to move the playlists (currently stored on the C drive) to the NAS (-which is running 24/7-) so they can be accessed when the PC is not running and (b) "enforce" any new playlists to be created on the NAS.

The "share XML libraries with other programs" is enabled.

Thanks in advance for your support.

(Windows 10 and Itunes 12.4.3.1)

Posted on Sep 3, 2016 11:45 PM

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Answer 1

turingtest2

Level 10

278,297 points

Sep 4, 2016 7:45 AM in response to wgardin

Start by taking a look at Make a split library portable.

tt2

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Answer 2

wgardin Author

Level 1

5 points

Oct 3, 2016 11:25 AM in response to turingtest2

Thank you for the suggestion on the split library but that is not what I am looking for. I share the info below for your convenience. Thanks in advance for your help & thoughts.

Windows 10 versie 1607 build 14393.222

Itunes 12.5.1.21

I pay 25 EUR/yr for iCloud Music Library (-all my music is stored in the Apple cloud-)

ANALYSIS LACIE FOLDER STRUCTURE

• The LACIE Y:\010_Music does NOT contain the full expected folder structure \Itunes\Itunes Media

It only contains a SUBSET of the expected subfolders Books, Mobile Applications, Movies and Music.

• Music contains 575 albums (42.25 GB)

ANALYSIS PC FOLDER STRUCTURE

• On "This Computer\Music\iTunes" (C:\Users\Wim\Favorites\Music\iTunes) I find the following

○ Folders: Album Artwork, iTtunes Media, Mobile Applications, Previous iTunes Libraries

○ Files: iTunes Library Extras.itdb, iTunes Library Genius.itdb, iTunes Library.itl, iTunes Music Library.xml

• The folder C:\...\iTunes\iTunes\Media\Music on the PC contains 48 folders (the most recent dates back to 2012) while the Lacie\010_Music\Music contains 334 folders

ANALYSIS iTunes SETTINGS

iTunes Media Folder Location - \\LACINEMA_HD_\LaCie\010_Music
Keep iTunes Media folder organized - enabled
Copy Files to iTunes Media - enabled
Share iTunes Library XML with other applications - enabled

MY OBJECTIVES

1. Make the IPAD playlists (and Genius mixes) available on the Sonos

2. I do not want a "split library portable". The entire Media folder (music, playlists, etc) must reside on the LACIE which will simplify making backups (and hence no Media items on the PC)

3. Both Sonos and Music app on the 3 Ipads must continue to work. [I do not know how Ipad Music app knows in which folder to look for music files on LACIE]

4. Only if necessary, create a complete new library (-by the book, according to iTunes standards in new folder on Y:\iTunes) and then (a) copy(-no move-) the music from the LACIE and (b) copy (? Import, consolidate?) the playlists from C-drive to that new library

5. If the implementation of the completely new library on Y:\iTunes would fail (regardless of the reason), then I want the current setup to continue to work

POTENTIAL APPROACHES

• Alternative 1: Create the missing parent structure Y:\010_Music. How do I do this?

○ Will this happen if apply the "Upgrade to Itunes Media Organization" and "Consolidate Library". Is this specific sequence the correct sequence?

○ What else is needed? In what sequence?

• Alternative 2: let iTunes create a completely new (empty/fresh) library on the LACIE (eg Y:\iTunes) (cfr Shift/Start/Create Library) and then

○ copy (-not move-) the Music content from old to new location.

§ Copy/paste directly from old to new Music folder

§ or from old Music folder to "automatically add to Itunes"

§ or ???

Thanks in advance for your help & thoughts.

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Answer 3

turingtest2

Level 10

278,297 points

Oct 3, 2016 12:13 PM in response to wgardin

Judging from what you've posted the Mobile Applications and Music folders on the C: drive are probably redundant copies of items that were consolidated to the Lacie earlier when you split the library by choosing a new media folder at \\LACINEMA_HD_\LaCie\010_Music. You can consolidate the library anyway just to be certain.

Given that the media folder has subfolders called Music and Mobile Applications your library has already been updated to iTunes Media Organization. You can check using File > Library > Organize Library. If the Rearrange Files option is greyed out then the library is in the modern layout.

Your objective 2 is inconsistent. Your library is currently split with some parts on one drive and some on another. Making the library portable manipulates it, without breaking anything, into a shape where the library files, Album Artwork and Previous iTunes Libraries folders end up in <Drive>\iTunes and the media all lives inside <Drive>\iTunes\iTunes Media\<Media Kind>. A clone of this iTunes folder is then a fully functioning library in own right. The library will function regardless of the path of <Drive>, whether it be a local drive letter or a network share. That said iTunes will be slower if accessing the data from a network share and in some cases it will be desirable to copy the library files back to local storage.

How much free space do you have on the drive? Creating a new copy of the library in the correct layout (alternative 2) is slightly safer since you can do this while leaving the original library exactly as it is, ready to return to by shift-starting-iTunes. My suggested approach to manipulating the library still leaves the original database intact, but at some point you will need to rename the media folder. This is a reversible action if you find that you need to retrace your steps for any reason.

Using the labels in Make a split library portable I would suggest you perform steps c. then e. copying the library files and album artwork folder into the parent folder of 010_Music, i.e. LaCie. Having connected to the new copy of the database there, assuming all works properly, close iTunes, use step g. and rename 010_Music as iTunes Media then reopen iTunes. Again assuming that all is well after this change, and that the media folder location has updated properly, close iTunes, use step h. to make a new folder called iTunes at the root of the drive and move the library files, Album Artwork and iTunes Media folders inside it, then shift-start iTunes and select the library on its new path.

tt2

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