Having a Mac is fantastic, although sometimes we Mac owners are left in the dark by game developers that choose not Pros: Easy to use, no downloading required, access to huge library of AAA games Cons: Requires Unlike Boot Camp, which runs the operating systems on two separate partitions.
For years I've kept 2 libraries, one AAC for iPod, and one Lossless, on the external WD HDD using the Mini. The system has worked well. I now have a Macbook Pro, and wish to install and sync the AAC Library on the Macbook from the WD HDD. I've been using Carbon Copy Cloner for backing up between the external HDDs. It now seems the two libraries are stored as one! They were created in iTunes 9.0.3, and it would appear when I created the 2 libraries I didn't do it properly.
After opening both libraries in iTunes 10.6.3 they have both updated and play ok and now have the following homes:- The AAC library is at:- Volumes/My Backup/iPod-AAC 192k/iTunes Media The Lossless library is at:- Volumes/My Backup/Lossless Store However, the individual tracks are:- AAC at Volumes/ My Backup/Lossless Store/Abba/Abba/m4a Lossless at Volumes/My Backup/Lossless Store/Abba/Abba/1m4a I used CCC to clone the iPod AAC 192 library to the Macbook HDD but it was empty. It seems there is only one iTunes library with AAC and Lossless files named as either m4a or 1m4a, and this also does not seem to be consistent within each codec. Lossless file size is 316GB, AAC file size is 97GB. Thank you if you've stayed with me this far!! My question is how can I separate the two? To enable me to copy the AAC version to the Macbook and use CCC to do incremental updates in the future.
![Mac Mac](/uploads/1/2/5/6/125637020/617868005.jpg)
I hope this makes sense, I usually manage to stumble through these problems, but can't get my head round this one. I don't have a Mac, but my understanding of Doug's scripts is that you select the tracks you want to process, call the script, respond to any prompts, and it does what you want. In your case, if I understand correctly, what you currently have is the 192k and lossless versions of songs occupying the same set of folders. I'm suggesting you open one of the libraries and use the script to move all of the songs in that format to a new folder, leaving the original folder holding the files in the the other format. The other steps I was suggesting are required to make the two independent libraries which you need to do if you want to transfer them from one machine to another. The alternative, iTunes only solution, would be to set up two new media folders for each of the parallel libraries and consolidate to those folders, which would make copies of each file in the new paths after which you delete all the originals. This method only works if you can afford the room which is why I suggested the script which should work even if space is tight.
I don't have a Mac, but my understanding of Doug's scripts is that you select the tracks you want to process, call the script, respond to any prompts, and it does what you want. In your case, if I understand correctly, what you currently have is the 192k and lossless versions of songs occupying the same set of folders. I'm suggesting you open one of the libraries and use the script to move all of the songs in that format to a new folder, leaving the original folder holding the files in the the other format. The other steps I was suggesting are required to make the two independent libraries which you need to do if you want to transfer them from one machine to another.
The alternative, iTunes only solution, would be to set up two new media folders for each of the parallel libraries and consolidate to those folders, which would make copies of each file in the new paths after which you delete all the originals. This method only works if you can afford the room which is why I suggested the script which should work even if space is tight.
Hi tt2, To use the script, I have to select the tracks, but there are thousands, and the way they are stored is Artist/Album/track. Both tracks stored as track 1, but one ends m4a the other 1m4a. Is there a simple way to select one for each Album track?
It's funny you should mention 'Consolidate', after sleeping on it, I tried this earler. On the Macbook I opened the AAC 192k library from the external HDD, all tracks play ok. In the 'Preferences' dialogue I set the Library folder location to the Macbook Users/My Name/Music/iTunes, and used 'Consolidate' it's just now copied all the tracks across. So great, I have the 192k tracks on the Macbook. I can see them there, but I cannot open them in iTunes, I have a feeling perhaps the File structure is wrong, I seem to remember a dialogue saying there was no library file?
So in my usual way I'm stumbling through. Space is ok, the Macbook has 750Gb Thanks for your support. Hi tt2, yes sorry, I misunderstood you. I know about selecting multiple items if they're in view, ie tracks as displayed in iTunes.
I was for some reason thinking I had to select the tracks as displayed where they are stored on the HDD, an impossible task!! The script you mentioned will of course work inside iTunes, sorry. I will look at your link in your previous post and see if I can sort it out, now the tracks are on the Macbook, it must be do-able. Thanks for sticking with me, I wish I knew a bit more about all this. Hi tt2, I've read your linked post on File structures, and my Files are Music - iTunes then all on the same level:- Album Art (Folder) Auto Add to iTunes (Folder) iPod Games (Folder) iTunes Library Extras.itdb iTunes Library Genius.itdb iTunes Library.itl iTunes Library.xml iTunes Media (Folder) Music (Folder) iTunes Media Folder only contains an 'Auto Add to iTunes ' folder. Music (folder) contains all the tracks I brought over with 'Consolidation' Can you see a missing link, ITunes wont open it at all Thanks.
When using the hold-down-option/shift-start-iTunes method the file that you need to select is normally called iTunes Library.itl. Libraries originally created on a Mac with an older build of iTunes won't have the.itl extension. In a well ordered library the main iTunes folder contains the following:. Album Art (Folder). iPod Games (Folder) (Old school layout only). iTunes Library Extras.itdb. iTunes Library Genius.itdb.
iTunes Library.itl. iTunes Library.xml. iTunes Media (Folder) or iTunes Music (Old school). Previous iTunes Libraries (Optional). sentinel (Hidden File) The iTunes Media folder should contain the following:. Automatically Add to iTunes (Folder).
iPod Games (Folder). Music (Folder).
etc. Your list seems to be a mix of the two, suggesting you've consolidated to the iTunes folder instead of the iTunes Media folder. ITunes won't open or the tracks won't play? When you open iTunes, or it opens automatically as you try to play a track, it will open the last successfully opened library file. To switch between library files click the icon to start iTunes and immediately press and continue to hold down the option key.
Keep holding until asked to choose or create a library. Click choose and then browse to and select the desired library file.
The location shown under Preferenecs Advanced is that of the media folder, not the library file. If you're currently opening the library at Users/My Name/Music/iTunes/ then ideally that library's media folder will be Users/My Name/Music/iTunes/iTunes Media/. If space is not a problem you can change the value, let iTunes consolidate the files again, then clean up the stuff at the wrong level. Otherwise say no if iTunes offers to consolidate then use the relocate script. Hi tt2, I hope you'll be patient with me, I've always used the alt key to switch between libraries, but at the moment nothing I select on the Macbook will open the AAC library therein, so I cannot change the location value to let iTunes consolidate to the new location.
I can do what I did before, on the Macbook, open the AAC library on the external HDD, then in the Preferences Advanced Panel change the location, this time to Users/MyName/Music/iTunes/Media Folder. Then 'Consolidate'. Is this correct?
If so, would it be best to delete what I've already done, and if so, would I delete everything in the iTunes Folder? Or just some of the files in there. It's a new Macbook, there are no other Media to preserve. I just want the simplest method for me to 'get my head round'. Apple Footer.
This site contains user submitted content, comments and opinions and is for informational purposes only. Apple may provide or recommend responses as a possible solution based on the information provided; every potential issue may involve several factors not detailed in the conversations captured in an electronic forum and Apple can therefore provide no guarantee as to the efficacy of any proposed solutions on the community forums.
Apple disclaims any and all liability for the acts, omissions and conduct of any third parties in connection with or related to your use of the site. All postings and use of the content on this site are subject to the.