Other Sync music from two iTunes libraries

[iosuser]

I know this is the age-old question. The last time I synced my music library from my phone was a while ago. I just recently re-ripped my CD library into lossless ALAC. Wanting to keep the ALAC library clean and separate from my MP3 library, I started a new iTunes library.

So when I tried to drag and drop the new ALAC songs onto my phone, it of course did nothing. Then I remember to click manually manage, and accepted the erase existing content warning and unplugged my phone real quick, and should've been able to drag and drop songs the next time I plug it in without erasing what's already on the phone. To my surprise I see the songs on my phone disappear one by one after I unplugged it. I guess Apple shut that loophole some time ago.

So, is there any way to manually sync from two libraries nowadays using just iTunes? I don't want to use a 3rd party application to do this.

 

[chabig]

I don't think so. Wouldn't syncing to two libraries defy the definition of the word "sync"?

 

[iosuser]

I don't think so. Wouldn't syncing to two libraries defy the definition of the word "sync"?

You're right. Manage is what I meant. I've always manually managed everything stored on the phone.

It really is quite idiotic that you still can't manage your contents as you please. I'm hating iTunes all over again.

 

[chabig]

So let's assume the songs that were previously there are gone. What's preventing you from manually adding them?

P.S. I do think that manually managing songs is a waste of time, and fighting iTunes seems silly. Why don't you keep all of the your music in one library and then use the checkboxes to mark the songs you want to sync, either AAC, MP3, or ALAC?

 

[iosuser]

So let's assume the songs that were previously there are gone. What's preventing you from manually adding them?

P.S. I do think that manually managing songs is a waste of time, and fighting iTunes seems silly. Why don't you keep all of the your music in one library and then use the checkboxes to mark the songs you want to sync, either AAC, MP3, or ALAC?

In contrary, I think the use of iTunes is a waste of time. Why can't I just drag and drop manually as I please?

I wanted to have two separate libraries. One with just my newly ripped ALAC files, one with all my other MP3s. Problem is, when I manually add songs from one library, I can't add songs from the other. When I go into the other library and click manually manage, it deletes the songs already manually synced from the other. Wouldn't have this problem if I wasn't forced to use iTunes.

I like to organize my music library in my own way, in this case I want to keep my ALAC files in its own folder. Same way with my photos library. Every time I want to transfer a photo or video into or out of the library, it's an exercise of frustration.

I have merged the two libraries by adding my ALAC folder. With iTunes, the only way I find to show only those ALAC files is to add a comment to those files and sort by comment, then created a playslist with just those files. Complete waste of time. Normally I don't even use any type of managers, but with Apple I have no choice.

 

[chabig]

You can do anything you want to do, but iTunes as a tool isn't built to work your way--like a screwdriver isn't built to drive nails. But you don't have to use comments to sort. You can sort files by kind (mp3 and ALAC). Alternatively iTunes has a very good implementation of smart playlists. That will probably work even better than comments.

 

[mikzn]

I have merged the two libraries by adding my ALAC folder. With iTunes, the only way I find to show only those ALAC files is to add a comment to those files and sort by comment, then created a playslist with just those files. Complete waste of time. Normally I don't even use any type of managers, but with Apple I have no choice

You should be able to choose/check the "file / kind" option in the view menu of iTunes - after that you can see which files are MP3's and which are ALAC or other types - in a separate column

Also I use the right click / ctrl + click on status window and select "show in finder" to manage the actual files.

Once you can view and sort the files by "kind" you could even go as far as making a playlist for MP3's, ALAC, etc. if you want to view only one kind of file group.

 

[iosuser]

You can do anything you want to do, but iTunes as a tool isn't built to work your way--like a screwdriver isn't built to drive nails. But you don't have to use comments to sort. You can sort files by kind (mp3 and ALAC). Alternatively iTunes has a very good implementation of smart playlists. That will probably work even better than comments.

Unfortunately, I have to use iTunes to put music onto my devices. It's not by choice.

I have some ALACs that are not part of my CD library rips, although not that many. I want to be able to differentiate my own ALAC rips.

Control freaks don't mix well - I wanna do things my way, and Apple only lets me to do things their way.

You should be able to choose/check the "file / kind" option in the view menu of iTunes - after that you can see which files are MP3's and which are ALAC or other types - in a separate column

Also I use the right click / ctrl + click on status window and select "show in finder" to manage the actual files.

Once you can view and sort the files by "kind" you could even go as far as making a playlist for MP3's, ALAC, etc. if you want to view only one kind of file group.

Thanks for the tip but I have some other ALAC files that I want kept separate from my own ALAC rips.

 

[Minorite]

iTunes are useless for two different libraries if not mistaking, so no workaround without third-party tool. Check iMazing if you'll decide to get a paid app, can import/export music from local drive and from iTunes without 'one library' rule, and has lots of other useful stuff.

 

[iosuser]

iTunes are useless for two different libraries if not mistaking, so no workaround without third-party tool. Check iMazing if you'll decide to get a paid app, can import/export music from local drive and from iTunes without 'one library' rule, and has lots of other useful stuff.

We used to be able to alter the unique ID from the iTunes library file and work with multiple libraries that way. It no longer works.

I'll checkout 3rd party apps. Thank you.