Problem: setting up the iTunes library
Here's the situation:
1) I want my music to be listenable from my own user account as well as a "guest" account.
2) I want to retain the folder order like it was on my PC, so the music is easy to access without iTunes.
3) If possible, I don't want to update either account's library manually when I add or remove music files or folders to the main music folder.
4) There is 10+ GB of music.
So far I relocated the iTunes music folder to myaccount:Public:music and set iTunes not to reorder or duplicate songs as I add them to the library; same on guest account. If I understand correctly, the libraries of the two user accounts are separate, and only the actual files and the tag info they contain are shared. Do I really need to add and remove songs to library by hand, for each user account, after I have added or deleted the actual files? Would it be possible to either share the library itself, or have the songs automatically added or removed from library according to what happens to the files?
1) I want my music to be listenable from my own user account as well as a "guest" account.
2) I want to retain the folder order like it was on my PC, so the music is easy to access without iTunes.
3) If possible, I don't want to update either account's library manually when I add or remove music files or folders to the main music folder.
4) There is 10+ GB of music.
So far I relocated the iTunes music folder to myaccount:Public:music and set iTunes not to reorder or duplicate songs as I add them to the library; same on guest account. If I understand correctly, the libraries of the two user accounts are separate, and only the actual files and the tag info they contain are shared. Do I really need to add and remove songs to library by hand, for each user account, after I have added or deleted the actual files? Would it be possible to either share the library itself, or have the songs automatically added or removed from library according to what happens to the files?
Comments
Originally posted by Gon
Here's the situation:
1) I want my music to be listenable from my own user account as well as a "guest" account.
2) I want to retain the folder order like it was on my PC, so the music is easy to access without iTunes.
3) If possible, I don't want to update either account's library manually when I add or remove music files or folders to the main music folder.
4) There is 10+ GB of music.
So far I relocated the iTunes music folder to myaccount:Public:music and set iTunes not to reorder or duplicate songs as I add them to the library; same on guest account. If I understand correctly, the libraries of the two user accounts are separate, and only the actual files and the tag info they contain are shared. Do I really need to add and remove songs to library by hand, for each user account, after I have added or deleted the actual files? Would it be possible to either share the library itself, or have the songs automatically added or removed from library according to what happens to the files?
You have 2 easy options (maybe more, but these came to mind first).
1. If you want both users to be able to add/edit your music library. Either move the library to the SHARED users folder, or set permissions on the main user's iTunes folder to allow the other user access. Then, on the second user, delete the iTunes folder and contents and replace it with aliases to the main user's iTunes files. This will keep all the music files in one place, with each user having equal read/write access to the same library. Changes in one will automatically be reflected in the other.
2. If you're not interested in giving both accounts edit ability, just enable Library Sharing in iTunes 4.6 and the main user ibrary will be fully accessible for listening to any other users on the Mac. This requires that both accounts be logged in and that the main user account has iTunes opened. This is what I do. My wife uses the iMac where the music library is stored most. I will use her account if I'm shopping ITMS etc. The Mac is set to boot into her account and launch iTunes automatically. If I come to use the machine, I Fast user switch to me and I can listen while in my account.
When I add music now, I have to
1) copy the music to the common folder
2) add the music into the library
3) give all users rights to access the songs
but I only need to do it from one user's perspective.
Of these tasks, 2) and 3) are redundant/obvious and therefore candidates for automation. I guess I'll have to start reading on folder actions and Applescript now.
Originally posted by Gon
Okay, I set things up so that the iTunes Music folder, iTunes Library and the .xml file are in Users/Shared/iTunes. All users have aliases to those three files where iTunes would normally put the files. Things seem to work in general.
When I add music now, I have to
1) copy the music to the common folder
2) add the music into the library
3) give all users rights to access the songs
but I only need to do it from one user's perspective.
Of these tasks, 2) and 3) are redundant/obvious and therefore candidates for automation. I guess I'll have to start reading on folder actions and Applescript now.
iTunes Preferences / Advanced
Change the "iTunes Music folder location" to the desired location.
Originally posted by iPeon
iTunes Preferences / Advanced
Change the "iTunes Music folder location" to the desired location.
I already did that. iTunes does not add files to library as I add them to the folder, so if I want that to happen automatically there has to be a folder action or some such.
Originally posted by Gon
I already did that. iTunes does not add files to library as I add them to the folder, so if I want that to happen automatically there has to be a folder action or some such.
To add Music to the Library, drag it into iTunes (the Application) from any location (folder, CD, DVD etc.). It will automatically be added and indexed in the Library. Then click ADVANCED and CONSOLIDATE MUSIC. All music will be copied to the iTunes folder (in the shared folder, or anywhere you specify). You are then free to delete the originals.
This is a simple 1-click procedure and guarantees that all your music is in an easy to search, consolidated, folder (with sub-folders for each artist). It also prevents having music scattered about your HD and allows you to delete anything that isn't in the Library.
Originally posted by Sport73
To add Music to the Library, drag it into iTunes (the Application) from any location (folder, CD, DVD etc.). It will automatically be added and indexed in the Library. Then click ADVANCED and CONSOLIDATE MUSIC. All music will be copied to the iTunes folder (in the shared folder, or anywhere you specify). You are then free to delete the originals.
This is a simple 1-click procedure and guarantees that all your music is in an easy to search, consolidated, folder (with sub-folders for each artist). It also prevents having music scattered about your HD and allows you to delete anything that isn't in the Library.
If I wanted that to happen, I would have turned on the "Add music to library" option in the first place. I don't, because iTunes would reorder the music. Not all the music is sufficiently tagged, and for use by other software, I really like to keep the files where they are.
When you have a shared library between users, is it possible for all of the users to have their own playlists and ratings?
Originally posted by kcmac
When you have a shared library between users, is it possible for all of the users to have their own playlists and ratings?
Depends what kind of "shared library" you mean. If you share the library files like I did (see my previous posts), there is only one library -> only one set of playlists and ratings. When using iTunes Library Sharing, I'm not sure if others can assign their own separate rankings to your music, or see your rankings/playlists.
This stuff is way too difficult/hacky. In my opinion, the iTunes Library Sharing feature should work *without* the sharers being logged in. Imagine: you boot up the computer, want to listen to your sister's music, but either she needs to be there to login or you need total access to her account. This makes no sense, and there is no technological obstacle to doing it right. You could basically have iTunes chmod a+r the shared music and the library, no?
The only difficulty I had was after I had changed all users so that they were directed to the shared folder, I couldn't get the music in their user file to transfer to the shared library.
I had to do a get info on the shared library and change permissions so that they could read/write. Then I was able to drag their music files into the shared library.
I tried the group "wheel" and that didn't work so I just used the "others" option in changing permissions. This may not be the best way but it did work.
Wondering if the consolidate library would have been better but I was worried about song files being renamed, etc.