iTunes and external storage

[bobsbarricades]

I have about 400 gigs of music stored on my external and I know how to set iTunes up to utilize it, but i don't really want to stress my external by having to drag and drop all those files into iTunes.

Is there a way to just tell iTunes where the music is and have it analyze it and put it in my 'itunes music library'

does that make sense? the terminology always gets me =P

 

[ShiftClick]

When you first launch itunes (the very first time when they ask you to agree) it will ask if you want it to add all mp3 and aac files on your computer, or if you want to do it manually. I have always done it manually, but I'm guessing the other way would achieve what you want.

Not sure if you have already launched itunes, but maybe there is a preference file you can trash that will trick itunes into thinking its new and give you this option again.

 

[Jolly Giant]

Is there a way to just tell iTunes where the music is and have it analyze it and put it in my 'itunes music library'

yes.

assuming you have copy files to ... when adding to library enabled in iTunes > preferences > advanced, option-drag the folder with the content from the external into an open iTunes window.

iTunes will index the path to the location of the files (the external) but not copy them physically.

be sure the drive is mounted on your desktop before you launch iTunes if you want to play content from it.

 

[bobsbarricades]

When you first launch itunes (the very first time when they ask you to agree) it will ask if you want it to add all mp3 and aac files on your computer, or if you want to do it manually. I have always done it manually, but I'm guessing the other way would achieve what you want.

Not sure if you have already launched itunes, but maybe there is a preference file you can trash that will trick itunes into thinking its new and give you this option again.

I didn't do that, and don't know if it will work because I'm unable to tell iTunes where my files are or get to the preferences menu to avoid it trying to copy all 400 gigs onto my internal HDD (being only 250).

yes.

assuming you have copy files to ... when adding to library enabled in iTunes > preferences > advanced, option-drag the folder with the content from the external into an open iTunes window.

iTunes will index the path to the location of the files (the external) but not copy them physically.

be sure the drive is mounted on your desktop before you launch iTunes if you want to play content from it.

This is what I normally do, minus the option-drag bit. Normally option-drag copies the file being drug (word?) so I'm confused as to why it would behave differently now.

thanks for the help guys!

 

[Jolly Giant]

This is what I normally do, minus the option-drag bit. Normally option-drag copies the file being drug (word?) so I'm confused as to why it would behave differently now.

it depends on the settings in the advanced tab. pressing option will do the opposite of what's set.

if copy files is enabled, option-drag. if it ain't just drag.

 

[bobsbarricades]

ahhh, yes indeed. I get it now. Thanks!

it's be nice if iTunes, in this regard, would function like a lot of windows media players and sort of browse instead of create a library. But I know not the inner workings so I guess there is probably a reason for it

 

[bobsbarricades]

wow. It takes over a second for each song.... this is terrible =,(