Sorrhy, I don't know the answer to either question. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Larry Wanger" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "General discussions on all topics relating to the use of Mac OS X by theblind" <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, December 06, 2007 11:41 PM Subject: Re: Consolidating Library In iTunes
So David. I had a reason for asking this. I thought I had all of my music on my hard drive but have noticed some stuff is missing. For this reason I have a 2nd external hard drive that I keep off site. I back this up roughly once every six months or so. I've checked and its got the music I'm missing. Problem is that I don't know everything that is missing because I've got so much music. I'm wondering if I connect this drive and run the consolidate library feature if it will pull in the missing music. If you have other ideas on how I could do this outside of thumbing through every single music folder I'd really appreciate the help. On Dec 6, 2007, at 6:57 AM, David Poehlman wrote: > it means putting all your libraries in one place and thus all your > Itunes > content. > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Larry Wanger" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: "General discussions on all topics relating to the use of Mac OS > X by > theblind" <[email protected]> > Sent: Thursday, December 06, 2007 12:25 AM > Subject: Re: Consolidating Library In iTunes > > > Can someone explain what consolidating libraries means though? > > > On Dec 4, 2007, at 10:14 PM, Esther wrote: > >> Hi Jane, >> >> Consolidating library wouldn't really help you. I'm guessing that >> your >> invalid locations arise because you moved or deleted files outside of >> iTunes. That mean that the file locations in your iTunes data base >> don't >> match where songs actually are (or aren't, in the case of deletions) >> on >> your hard drive, and they'll show up as invalid locations when you >> try to play them. >> >> On Dec 04, 2007, at 05:01PM, Jane Jordan wrote: >>> What does that option to consolidate the library mean? I have just >>> deleted a bunch of invalid locations by hand, would it do that for >>> me? >>> >>> Jane >>> >>> >> >> Consolidating library usually applies when the location of the music >> in your iTunes Music Library is scattered over different >> directories, and >> you now want to put them all in one place. For example, if you used >> a desktop computer, and ran out of space on your default hard drive, >> you might have reset the default iTunes Music library location >> to point to an external hard drive, which we'll call disk1. >> Subsequently, >> CDs that you rip, or music that you add to your iTunes Music Library >> will be located in some folder on disk1, while your earlier music >> still >> sits on your main hard drive. Let's say you run out of space again >> on >> disk1 and your change your default iTunes library location to be in >> a new folder on disk2. Now new addtions to your iTunes Music Library >> will be written into a folder on disk2. So you have your music >> scattered >> in folders on three different hard drives. >> >> If disk2 has a lot of space, you might simply decide to consolidate >> your >> library there. When your run consolidate library from the Advanced >> menu of iTunes, what will happen is that a copy of every music file >> in >> your iTunes library that is located outside of the current iTunes >> Music >> Library location will be copied into the current library location. >> You >> won't get duplicates of what's already there, but every file that was >> on your original hard drive and on disk1 that iTunes knows about will >> be copied to your current location in disk2 and organized. So you >> better have a lot of space available! >> >> Another instance in which you might use consolidate library: suppose >> you have music that you that you played using a third party music >> player, especially if this is from a Windows machine and other >> software. >> You didn't initially want to let iTunes manage your music, because >> you >> didn't want the folder structure changed when you edit the tags for >> track name, album, artist, etc.; this would mess up your playlists >> with >> that third-party software. So you started off by going to the >> advanced >> menu preferences (Command+comma to bring up preferences; then >> command+6 to go to the Advanced menu), and used the item chooser >> menu to go to the General tab ("selected tab 1 of 3"), and you >> unchecked the >> box for "Copy Music files to iTunes Music folder when adding to >> library", but left the box for "Keep iTunes Music folder organized" >> checked. >> >> New music that you imported from CDs would go into your iTunes >> Music folder, and be organized by Artist, then by Album, then by >> Song according to the tag information on the CD when you ripped >> it. In addition, because you checked "Keep iTunes Music folder >> organized", if you edit these tags, for example, to correct the >> spelling >> of an Album title, the folder name for the Album will also change. >> But changing the name of folders or files only happens to songs >> in your iTunes library which are located in the default iTunes Music >> folder, and then, only if you have checked "Keep iTunes Music folder >> organized". >> >> So, if I decide to add music tracks to iTunes from another folder on >> my hard drive, and I don't want iTunes to reorganize them, or to >> place copies in the iTunes Music folder, I can go to my preferences >> and uncheck the box for "Copy Music files to iTunes Music folder >> when adding to library". Now, when I use Command+O to add these >> files to my library, iTunes will point to their locations (wherever >> they >> are on my hard drive), so that I can play them, and will allow me to >> edit the tags, but it will not change any of the file names or folder >> names, because those files are located outside of the iTunes Music >> folder. Even if, after these songs are added to my iTunes Music >> Library, >> I go back and check "Copy Music files to iTunes Music folder when >> adding to library", that only applies to music that I add from that >> point >> on. I can still play the music I added earlier that is in a >> completely >> different location. >> >> However, if you later want to move your music library over to a new >> hard drive, there's no simple way of knowing how to move over all >> these bits that are scattered in different folders outside of your >> iTunes >> Music library into similarly structured bits on the new hard drive. >> So >> you might choose to consolidate your library. Alternatively, you've >> become comfortable with iTunes, your tagging information is in good >> shape, and you want to use it as your main player. So you decide >> to consolidate your library, and any instances where your files were >> initially outside of the iTunes Music folder are now replaced with >> copies inside the music folder, organized by Artist, Album, and Song. >> >> It's actually faster for iTunes to work with files in one location. >> Even >> if you're using files outside of the Music Library folder, I used to >> find >> that I could burn data discs nearly twice as fast using iTunes as I >> could using a burn folder on my G4 PowerPC laptop. Once you start >> using operations with smart playlists, and develop a sizable library, >> it's actually more convenient to let iTunes organize your library. >> >> If you do try to consolidate your library, make sure you have enough >> space to do it. >> >> HTH >> >> Cheers, >> >> Esther >> > > > >
