Re: [Apple iPod] Syncing Libraries

Sharing the same iTunes Library file on a Mac-only network:-

I connected from the PowerBook to the iMac across our network using Mac
Personal File Sharing.

On the iMac, which has all my music, I created an alias of the iTunes
Library file. The name of the alias is 'iTunes Library alias'.

On the PowerBook, I renamed the existing 'iTunes Library' file as 'iTunes
Libraryx' so that I could revert to it later if required. I copied the alias
from the iMac and renamed it as 'iTunes Library', i.e. the usual name.

I started iTunes on the PowerBook and all the music files appeared, but
selecting a song gave the "not found" message. This made sense as
Preferences > Advanced > General still pointed to the PowerBook's drive. I
changed the location to the iMac's iTunes Music folder and iTunes updated
all its entries. Songs now play on the PowerBook.

I added a track from a CD to iTunes on the PowerBook and it was added to the
iTunes Music folder on the iMac. It did not appear in the iMac's iTunes,
which was already running. Restarting iTunes on the iMac resulted in a
failure to open the Library file as it was locked and in use (by the
PowerBook, of course). Closing iTunes on the PowerBook allowed iTunes on the
iMac to start up OK, and the track I had added now appeared. Starting iTunes
on the PowerBook connected to the iMac's iTunes Library file and music OK.

I've yet to try syncing my iPod to the PowerBook but the sharing works and
restarting iTunes to reopen the Library file after additions seems a small
price to pay.

The above is for Mac OS X. For 'alias', read 'short-cut' in Windows. I doubt
that you could use the same Library file in this way in both Mac & Windows
but you could reduce the number of actual Library files to 2, one for each
platform, with the others being aliases/short-cuts.

Otto

2008/8/30 Otto Nikolaus <otto.nikolaus@googlemail.com>

> I suppose it can get messy. Simple answer is that everyone gets in the
> habit of updating just the one iTunes and syncing to that one. Anyone
> wanting
> to sync to a different computer will not use iTunes sharing but will still
> use the NAS. They will have to update their iTunes before each sync. Given
> that they won't necessarily know what's been added unless you have a system
> (a list?), it might be easiest to delete everything from that iTunes and
> then add everything now on the NAS.
>
> I'm just trying something now to see if sharing the iTunes Library file
> gets round this, but I doubt it would be cross-platform anyway.
>

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

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