iPod two macs, music on network drive, how to organise?

[mrklaw]

Previously I've had my music on a USB drive attached to my time capsule. This is then imported (without copying) to itunes on my macbook, from where I can sync my ipod and play the music. the itunes library is still on the macbook, and any podcasts are downloaded locally, as are any imported CDs.

This is a bit of a pain, as I end up ripping, then copying to the network drive, then reimporting.


I now have another macbook pro, and would like that also to have access to the music. Same situation - library locally, referencing network drive. But how do I make sure both libraries are up to date? Do I have to manually drag each imported CD into both macbook and MBP libraries to add them? Doesn't itunes have any kind of 'watch folder' capability that can add files automatically?

if not, surely there must be an app somewhere that can keep an eye on the network drive and add new files to itunes?


On a general point, is this a decent enough way to organise my music so that both macs can access it, without needing both to be switched on (which seems to be the usual recommendation for sharing music)

 

[ChrisA]

The iTunes library does not need to be accessable to both computers. Make it local to one and then from within iTunes enable sharing. The tracks of a shared iTunes library will appear on all computers connected to the local network.

 

[mrklaw]

but then won't I need the machine with the local library on at all times to access it? Thats one thing that can't be done - either one, other or both macbooks will be on at a time, and that isn't easy to control

 

[csnhou]

Automator

but then won't I need the machine with the local library on at all times to access it? Thats one thing that can't be done - either one, other or both macbooks will be on at a time, and that isn't easy to control

I have my music on a Mac-Mini and share it to my other Macs. I go into iTunes under preferences and advanced and choose the shared drive. Then I dragged the library into iTunes on each computer. (Starting out with a blank iTunes library on each computer first)

I also have an automator script I run occasionally (or on a schedule) to check the shared drive against my local iTunes library and adds the missing files to my local xml iTunes library file (not actually duplicating the file just adding it to the xml record) This works great for me.

I have attached the automator file.

 

[mrklaw]

thanks, that automater script sounds interesting. but you still need your mac mini on to access music from the other mac? hiw would i arrange it so the music is on a network drive? Can i just leave it as it is, with both itunes pointing to the network drive for music and video, and then rip stuff to the network drive with a separate app and run the automater script on each macbook now and then?

 

[csnhou]

thanks, that automater script sounds interesting. but you still need your mac mini on to access music from the other mac? hiw would i arrange it so the music is on a network drive? Can i just leave it as it is, with both itunes pointing to the network drive for music and video, and then rip stuff to the network drive with a separate app and run the automater script on each macbook now and then?

What I do with my Macbook Pro is first copy the music library from my Mac-Mini server to my Macbook Pro then I import it into a clean library within iTunes. Then from time to time i run the automator script with the Mac-Mini server drive mounted to add new files that I have added to my library.

 

[mrklaw]

ok, so I currently have identical libraries on both MBP/MB (as one was migrated to the other), and both reference a network drive (so no local music on the laptops, just references).

Your automator script would sync one library to the other, again just updating references? So if I rip something on my MBP and store it on the network, sync libraries, the MB would then find the new music on the network?

All I need to do is occasionally run it with both machines on?




Lastly, I have my libraries local on my computers, but import the music from my network drive (and have 'copy to itunes library' deselected). Is there an easy way to rip music to the network without messing around with the current settings? I don't want to move my library to the network which is what the options in 'importing' suggest it will do - I just want to move the destination for ripped music.

 

[granbajo]

What about leaving the full library on the network drive. By the sounds of it, you need a single library being accessed from two different sources. You can access your iTunes Library as long as you have a device connected to it. It might be to slow for synching though

I have My iTunes libraries on a USB hard disk, and I start iTunes with alt pressed to choose which iTunes Library to use. I do this from my MacBook Pro and from my Mac Mini. iTunes has always been at the same level.

I also have a blank iTunes Library on both machines just in case I want to look at something in iTunes and the USB drive is not connected.

By the way. you don't have to start with alt every time. It will automatically check the last library used