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[David Sydney]

If I have an installation running on 2 different PCs at once - that point to the same set of media files on a network drive. Is there a way to prevent the need to modify library tags twice in each library. These 2 instances of MC are not running at the same time usually so are not on the network at a point in time to make one a remote of the other. Currently if I import a music video file on one of the MC installs, and then manipulate the tags to clean up the file, for media type, genre, albums etc. I have to do the same on the other library to keep things in synch?

I have tried to treat one as the master, in manipulating the tags, then using library tools, update library from tags. Then on the other install library tools, update tags from library - but that does not seem to do awhat I am aiming for. I know I can back up the library on one and import it on the other - but I only want to update a few files on a given day and don't want to risk deleting or duplicating with this method.

Does anyone have any suggestions or knowledge of the existing functions that I am not seeing?
Thx

[badger]

I'd say you've covered all the methods I can think of.  I'd say backup of the "master" library and restoring to the other PC would be the fastest.  I'm not sure what the risks of dups and deletions are?  I assume you've tried this and had issues?  I'm guessing the reason you don't want both PCs on simultaneously is to save power?  I get that.  So I won't suggest using media server/network (as you've already stated that won't work for you).  But I can't think of a "non-kludgy" way to achieve you goal here.

[Moe]

I assume you've investigated Media Server? This would be the easiest but would require one of the computers be on all the time.

If that doesn't work for you, you may (big emphasis on may) be able to keep the library in a service like dropbox as it could sync the changes between computers.  That would make the library "local" for both instances.  You would just need to make sure that dropbox is sync'd before starting MC.

[David Sydney]

Thanks yeah I'm actually dual booting hence why it's either MC running and cannot be running both at the same time by definition - not related to power use. One is Windows one is Linux. Only reason I didn't mention it is it's not central to the question. I guess I am talking about something like offline sync functionality... like Outlook or Onenote do (good or bad sometimes )

Example - if I somehow setup to store the actual Library file (xml?) itself on the network drive instad of C:\AppData or wherever it is? Could 2 installs alternate to access the same library files, guaranteed not to both do it both at once? Should work if they were same OS theoretically. Might not work cross platform b/w Linux & windows? May have to test it out with a dummy library and not my main one.

Does MC running under windows adble to read / synch with a MC Linux with Media server started? or Does it get mucked up wih the folder structure differences? eg. M:\ versus /home/? I know I may have to flip this to another forum but on the offchange someone has tried something like this before?

[Moe]

I don't know if dropbox is available for Linux but I would assume it is (or there is a similar alternative).  Using something like that your library would be saved in the cloud so you'd have your offline sync functionality.

[Vocalpoint]

If I have an installation running on 2 different PCs at once - that point to the same set of media files on a network drive. Is there a way to prevent the need to modify library tags twice in each library. These 2 instances of MC are not running at the same time usually so are not on the network at a point in time to make one a remote of the other. Currently if I import a music video file on one of the MC installs, and then manipulate the tags to clean up the file, for media type, genre, albums etc. I have to do the same on the other library to keep things in synch?

I have this exact layout - one master FLAC library on the network that is accessed by two installs:

1. On my personal PC that I use as the Master Editor for all tags, naming, album art, adds, deletes etc

2. The other instance runs on my media PC as Media Server and vacuums up any and all tag changes, adds, deletes, reorgs, new album art etc on the fly from the master library.

This is really the only way to avoid having to manually update two libraries. One (server instance) really needs to be treated as "play only" and be able to update itself round the clock 24x7x365.

Have done it this way for over 7 years now. Works perfectly.

Cheers

VP