iTunes Ignoring Local Files

[Alchemist]

I have an iTunes Library that is misbehaving. I have Apple Music (and iTunes Match) and I have iCloud Music Library switched on. Everything is working with the exception of iTunes on my Mac recognising the availability of local files. Despite the iTunes Media folder location being correct, iTunes insist on offering me the 'download'/stream option for songs which are available locally. This is a pain because when I want to access a music file via 'Show in Finder' it doesn't even offer the option.


For a long long time my iTunes library file has lived in it's usual place (User>Music>iTunes). My media has been on a separate HDD and this has worked in a trouble free manner for years.


In trying to fix this, I have duplicated the iTunes folder (including the library file) and consolidated everything together, both the library and the media on a separate disc. No joy.


This is becoming highly frustrating and if anyone can lend some advice, I'd be grateful. The library is otherwise operating just fine, the only issue is that it doesn't seem to recognise the availability of local files.


Thanks in advance!

 

[cbautis2]

iTunes Match is equivalent of using Apple's exclusive music library of matching your local files. In short, you're not using your local files with Match, but Apple's music library instead.

To play local files, turn off that iTunes match and iCloud Music library. Then you can sync your local files your music player like the old times.

 

[Alchemist]

Thanks for your response.

I don't believe that's how it works though. It's certainly not how it used to work. I've been a long time user of both iTunes Match and Apple Music. If, for example, I disable my internet connection by turning off WiFi, my library is suddenly cutdown to just a few select local files that, for some reason, iTunes is seeing. This didn't used to be the implementation. I don't believe anything has changed on this front.

 

[cbautis2]

I'm not sure on that front. I think when you turn off WiFi, iTunes would definitely playback your local files. However, once online, it uses iTunes Match / iCloud music instead of your local files.

I know for a fact that turning off iCloud music library on my iPod Touch lets me sync CD Ripped ALAC files from my iTunes locally instead of that iTunes Match (256 kbps AAC) sync on my iPod Touch library.

 

[Alchemist]

Fair enough. That's not the problem I am having though. I am encountering this problem with the latest version of Mojave on the Mac.

The issue I have is that although the files are locally available and iTunes is pointed at them via the Advanced pane of preferences, iTunes doesn't seem to register that they are there. Turning off WiFi takes my library from about 26k tracks down to about 100.

 

[Boyd01]

For a long long time my iTunes library file has lived in it's usual place (User>Music>iTunes). My media has been on a separate HDD and this has worked in a trouble free manner for years.

I don't have Apple Music or iTunes match, but here's an idea, based on what you've said. If you have your media on an external drive and the library database (iTunes Library.itl) in the standard location on your startup drive, this can lead to problems. If you start iTunes when the external drive is not available, it can corrupt the library database. This happened to me and it really messed everything up. If you are going to put your media on an external drive, you should also put the database on that same drive. That way, if the external drive isn't available you'll get an error message but it won't corrupt the database.

 

[Alchemist]

Thanks very much for your suggestion. I will see if that helps.

 

[Boyd01]

If the library is corrupted, it can be a pain to fix, you may have to start from scratch and add all your media to a new library. When this happened to me, some TV shows disappeared and most of my music and movies lost their metadata. It was a pain to fix.

Anyway, that might not be your problem, but it's worth checking out, and in the future be sure to put the library database on the same drive as the media. iTunes always defaults to putting it on your system drive, regardless of the media location.