HT201610: About iTunes library files

Learn about About iTunes library files
brigidfromyardley
Level 1 (4 points)
iTunes

Q: can I consolidate two (long story) iTunes .xtl libraries on  my iMac?

I was dead certain that multiple songs had disappeared from my desktop computer, and blamed Apple bitterly. After years of mystification, I think it boils down to my having woken up one day, maybe 10 years ago? and forgot my AppleID. And so I created a new one. This time, I used a middle initial that I hadn't previously used, or vice versa.

Okay, I admit I am still not very clear on the whys and wherefores of my own actions, but it turns out that some, maybe all, of those missing songs still exist on my computer, only elsewhere from my big main iTunes Library folder. It seems to me that I ought to be able to consolidate everything I ever purchased from Apple, or that I ever imported to my computer, period, whatever AppleID  I use. If I only just knew how...

iMac (27-inch Mid 2011), OS X El Capitan (10.11.4)

Posted on Sep 7, 2016 8:28 AM

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brigidfromyardley

Q: can I consolidate two (long story) iTunes .xtl libraries on  my iMac?

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  • by Limnos,

    Limnos Limnos Sep 7, 2016 9:56 AM in response to brigidfromyardley
    Level 9 (53,581 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 7, 2016 9:56 AM in response to brigidfromyardley

    To start, an AppleID does not really determine what is on your computer.  Furthermore, what determines what iTunes displays is not what is actually on your computer, it is what iTunes thinks is on your computer.  iTunes uses a database file entirely to tell it what is on the computer. It assumes this file is up to date and correct.  Additionally, if you open a different library file iTunes only knows what that one tells it.  So to sum up, if you add a track to iTunes, iTunes makes a note of it in the library database (and, by the way, iTunes uses the .itl version, not the .xml), puts that file in a location it knows about, then relies purely upon that information in the future. If something ends up moving that file it may still be on the computer but iTunes won't be able to find  it when it looks for it in the database location and will give you a broken link ( ! ).

     

    Okay, you may have created a different AppleID but that is a separate issue.

     

    What to do about missing media is up to you. Do you have more than one folder with a set of library files?

     

    About iTunes library files - https://support.apple.com/HT201610 - Does not mention that a complete working library also includes other files and folders also in the iTunes folder.

     

    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

     

    iTunes 9 [and later]: Understanding iTunes Media Organization - http://support.apple.com/HT201979 - plus supplemental information about organizing to new structure https://discussions.apple.com/message/26404702#26404702

     

    Image of folder structure and explanation of different iTunes versions (turingtest2 post) - https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-7392 and making an iTunes library portable.

     

    You can, if you wish to, drag the media folder from any old library to the Automatically Add To iTunes folder of the other library.  This could potentially result in many duplicates but it is up to you.