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[TopDownDriver]

I am running a system with a Server serving several locations running as a client and the JRiver remote on IOS and Android.

I am asking what the best process is for upgrading from MC 19 to MC 21.

Do I uninstall and reinstall? (A LOT OF MUSIC if so)

How do you recommend I proceed?

Thanks

[blgentry]

You should be able to keep both MC19 and MC21 installed at the same time.  That way you can be sure you got all of your settings, media, etc.  Plus you can fall back to 19 if something doesn't work correctly with 21.

As far as I know, you need to do a Library Backup in 19, then a Library Restore in 21.  That should transfer almost everything.  If you have Cover Art stored in MC19's cover art folder, you'll need to copy that over to MC21's folder.  It seems like there were a few other things with 21 that didn't transfer, but that's all I can remember right now.

The big deal is the Library Backup.  That will transfer all of the metadata about your media, including their locations on disk, to MC21.  That should make it pretty easy.

Brian.

[glynor]

If you have Cover Art stored in MC19's cover art folder, you'll need to copy that over to MC21's folder.  It seems like there were a few other things with 21 that didn't transfer, but that's all I can remember right now.

Just to answer your question, Brian (since you've mentioned it a few times): The Library Backup does not contain media. Cover Art is media, so is not included in the Library Backup.

I don't really know why you'd need that to be included, honestly, since the cover art does not have to be stored in a versions-specific location. That's entirely your choice, and you can set the location for Cover Artwork to be stored in Tools > Options > File Location > Cover Art.

Storing them with the files themselves is, of course, the simplest option.

[blgentry]

I'm thinking of cases where a good deal of art is in the MC version specific Cover Art folder.  Especially for things like Series art, which I don't think can be stored beside the media itself.  For the record, I store everything I can inside files (audio files) and beside other when I can.

So what happens when you upgrade?  Is the Cover Art I'm talking about (in an MC directory) no longer pointed to?  Or does the Cover Art directory path get preserved so that MC21 now points at the earlier MC's cover art directory?  In either case, I would think you would want to move the directory from the old path to the new one, because having Cover Art in an older application directory would be confusing and might lead to it being deleted during housekeeping.

I hope this makes sense.

Brian.

[glynor]

If you change the location specified in Tools > Options > File Location > Cover Art (which is still available even if you set it to store art with the files) it stores Series and Season and "auxiliary" artwork there. I have this in a /Media Art/ directory on my main media volume, and I have "Seasons" and "Series" subdirectories there (which MC made itself) that contain those files. I've never had to deal with it after upgrading from one major version to the next.

I don't even know what the default is, as I've had it set there for 10 years or something.

[Arindelle]

Hi just my two cents -- although I've never tried to jump skipping an entire version. But I have never had a problem if the prior version was NOT removed before adding the next one.

1- manual back-up of current library

2- installation of new version

3- then, after a few weeks, un install prior version just in case there are two many bugs in the inital release (no longer required now); actually I keep two version always on my computer to help people here

But, of course you can use a library restore, as described above  My method is not the official line, just  has worked for a long time for me so I keep recommending it.

I have found it easier, especially with clients to go full auto on this. Actually, this might not be necessary, but if I jump a version, I'd probably instally version 20, upgrade to that, then install version 21 .. but that's just me. The only thing to verify is to make sure that any prior version aren't set to run on windows startup or there are any auto-load scripts (or 2 media server programs launch). You want only the last version to do any loading on start-up.

-

[glynor]

Hi just my two cents -- although I've never tried to jump skipping an entire version. But I have never had a problem if the prior version was NOT removed before adding the next one.

1- manual back-up of current library

2- installation of new version

3- then, after a few weeks, un install prior version just in case there are two many bugs in the inital release (no longer required now); actually I keep two version always on my computer to help people here

That's what I do too, and most of the time I forget step #3 for a long time.  In fact, I just realized that my server still has not-only MC19 installed, but MC18 as well.

[TopDownDriver]

Does the server key stay the same or change with a new install?

Wondering about control through iOS and Android.

Thanks

[glynor]

I think it'll preserve it by default (from 20 to 21), but if not, restoring a Library Backup from the old version will do it.

[Arindelle]

Does the server key stay the same or change with a new install?

Wondering about control through iOS and Android.

Thanks

it has always stayed the same for me.

[blgentry]

1- manual back-up of current library

Do you mean the standard File > Library > Back up library ... menu item?  Or something else?

But, of course you can use a library restore, as described above  My method is not the official line, just  has worked for a long time for me so I keep recommending it.

Hmm, it seems like you don't mean a library backup and restore.  What procedure to you use?  ...and how do you preserve play counts, star ratings, custom fields, etc?

Brian.

[Arindelle]

Do you mean the standard File > Library > Back up library ... menu item?  Or something else?

Hmm, it seems like you don't mean a library backup and restore.  What procedure to you use?  ...and how do you preserve play counts, star ratings, custom fields, etc?

Brian.

what I said above,  step 1 step 2 etc? keep the prior version on the machine; install new version .. it will port automatically all that (just take off the auto load options (or special scripts) from the prior version first)

[blgentry]

^ Your response confuses me.

Do you use Library backup and restore?  If not, how do you move MC's library data from one version to the other?

I'm not trying to argue or anything.  You said you use an unsupported alternative method and I just wonder what it is. 

Brian.

[glynor]

Do you use Library backup and restore?  If not, how do you move MC's library data from one version to the other?

Yes. He does. He meant, "I don't speak for JRiver on what may or may not be supported".

There is no other good way to backup Library Data. You can, of course, just copy the files on disk yourself, but this has three issues:
* You can't include Settings this way, only the Library itself (and this even misses "library-specific" settings like Auto-Import entries).
* You must close MC first entirely, or ensure it is not using the Library in question, or your backup can be left in an inconsistent state (and will restore read-only).
* When you restore the Library, it will restore with the same UUID, which means if you use it to "clone" a Library, it can cause havoc with Library-specific settings (like auto-import entries).

A Library Backup includes all relevant settings and Library files that are not machine specific (which are all generated when you install the application anyway). The only thing it doesn't include is the media files themselves, which would make the Library Backup huge (and is typically better restored, when needed, via a different mechanism anyway).

When you go from major version to major version, some settings may not migrate properly (if they were changed substantially). It almost always works perfectly, but there have been exceptions here and there. One example from recent times is the top/bottom Toolbars. The storage system for these was changed (in v19, I think, but it may have been in v20) and so if you restore from a v18 backup to v21, you might not get your toolbar icons back (or they may come back all messed up).

Restoring on the same version will always include all of the settings that matter, though.  If you find any specific thing where this isn't true, then that's probably a bug and you should report it. That is absolutely the goal of the Library Backup system.

[Arindelle]

thanks Glynor .. that's what I meant. I have to work on my comm skillls, don't I 

Brian, if you follow my steps and the prior version still exists on the same machine and has not been uninstalled, it will just work ... it is those "machine-specific" things that are kept by doing it this way.

On the server PC this is not a huge deal for most ... but for upgrading clients, I find this really helpful and simple.

PS - some version do not significantly change things especially on first release version, so this might not be noticeable all the time  ... I think 18-19 and 16-17? had some significant database/UI changes that actually broke (yet improved) some functions. I'm pretty sure if you jumped from v16 to 21 from a library backup there would be some re-configuring by machine involved. Why I mentioned, as I have never done that, installing intermediary versions temporarily I know at least would work.