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[iamjcl]

Title pretty much says it all:

Using MC10 "media server" to serve a music library to another PC running the same version (latest) of MC10, with the "search for media servers" tick checked under libraries.  Works great, except when new material is added to the server's MC10 library (ripped from cd or otherwise), the client's library is unchanged.  I have to go to that machine and select "search for media server host" again, to get the stuff to update.

sort of defeats the purpose of media server, really, if client machines are not delivered a "mirrored" library from the server, IMO.

Anything I am not doing here ??  Workaround perhaps ?

BTW, both machines are XP, SP2, and the media server machine is accessing tunes which are stored across network on a 3rd XP pro, sp2 machine, if that is relevant.


- Thanks

[JimH]

That's the way it works now.  Maybe in the future we'll do the work needed to do what you want, but it's a little complex.

MC downloads the entire library when the client loads and there is no communication involving the server's library after that.  The primary reason for this is that the server could be serving several clients at once.  Who should be able to write?  What happens when two people try to write to a record at the same time?  There are well known solutions to some of these problems, but it takes time to implement them.

[iamjcl]

Thanks for the quick reply -

Perhaps you may have a solution for my situation, that will work
with MC10 (or 11...)

What I really need to do is let my wife rip new CDs she buys, using her laptop.  This obviously updates HER library immediately.  But the machine in the whole-house distribution closet doesn't get an update.  

I could forgo the MC 10 server / client library thing if I could somehow use "watch folders", and have her machine initiate the "check for new music" command on the other machine.

Make any sense ??

She controls the whole-house PC with a PPC running NetRemote, which is killer.

I know it would be simpler to rip / import all music on her machine, and play it back from there, but its not connected to the "big" music system/distribution.  She also is not good about plugging in USB cables when she puts her laptop back on the desk, so an external sound card hard-wired to the other location is out.  

But, maybe if MC10 could talk to an Airport Express, then we'd have something... and iTunes isn't near as complete as MC.

Any ideas ?

- Thanks again.

- Chris

[Alex B]

I tried once to figure out a workaround for this. This is what I wrote:

I think the following is currently possible:

All media files are in one "storage" computer. All computers, including the "storage" computer itself, see those media files through an identically named network share.

MC is installed to all computers. MC database and cover art locations are pointed to folders on that network share. Those paths are identical in all computers.

The media files are imported to one of the MC instances (or the old local folder paths are replaced with the network paths). Others can use a library backup. After that you can run one MC instance at a time with the main library active. The other MC instances must connect by Media Server.

This makes possible to edit the library with any PC when needed, but the other concurrent MCs must be in the client mode.

The server address can be saved by making a new library and using the server's xxx.xxx.xxx:"port number" address in the location field. Switching the libraries and also updating the client will be easier, though still manual.

[iamjcl]

Thanks for the info - Whew...

I THINK what you describe is exactly what I have - not sure what you mean about library backups, however.

I have all music files on computer #1.
It has MC installed, but I don't think it matters, as I am not using it to
play any of the files.

Computer #2 has MC installed, and I have imported media from computer #1's network shares.
This is the computer that will be used to update/change the database, and the one doing the "serving" to computer #3.

Computer #3 is actually the one I need to do the playing.  Its MC10 is connected to the "media server" of PC #2.  Trouble is, when I update the "media server" (pc 2), the updates don't show on the "client" (pc 3).

So...

Unless naming things with i.p. addresses (which I am currently not doing...) changes something, I'm not sure I understand what you are saying.  The setup works great, except that the "client" MC10 (PC 3) database does not change when the "server" machine's library changes.

If its not possible, I wonder if there is a way to send a (remote) command to the MC10 thats doing the playing (client) to "load database", which you could specify the address for (i.p. of "serving" machine).  This only takes about 2-3 seconds, but I need to be able to do it with my PPC, which is connected via Wi-Fi to the MC10 client machine.  Any ideas ??


Thanks for your time.

- Chris

[Alex B]

I THINK what you describe is exactly what I have - not sure what you mean about library backups, however.

I meant that it is faster to import the same main media archive to the other PCs by restoring a MC library backup from the first MC installation.

For example:

Lets assume that my PCs have the following names and IP addresses:
#1 = 192.168.0.1
#2 = 192.168.0.2
#3 = 192.168.0.3

The media archive is in the shared  "D:\MC\Media" folder on the PC named #1.
The network share for that folder is "\\#1\MC\Media"

I install MC first to #1.
I point a new empty library to "\\#1\MC\Library\" instead of a local folder.
Instead of importing the files from the local "D:" drive I import them from the "\\#1\MC\Media" network share.
I configure also the other paths inside MC like this:
- Temporally File location:  \\#1\MC\Temp\
- Track Image Location: \\#1\MC\Cover Art\
- Output File Location: \\#1\MC\Media\
  etc...

I can restore a library backup from #1 to #2 and #3 and they will have the same "Default" library.

Every PC will eventually have these four libraries:

- "Default" = the master library from the previous step (points to the network share)
- "Client for #1 server" = 192.168.0.1:80  (a client mode for the media server on #1)
- "Client for #2 server" = 192.168.0.2:80  (a client mode for the media server on #2)
- "Client for #3 server" = 192.168.0.3:80  (a client mode for the media server on #3)

When #2 has the "Default" library running I run also Media Server on that PC. Other PCs must use the "Client for #2 server" library and be clients.

If I like to rip or edit with the #3 PC I select the "Default" library in it. If other PCs are running MC I must change them to client mode by selecting the "Client for #3 server" library.

As said this is a workaround, but it is possible to use any of the PCs for library editing.

I hope you can understand. It's a bit difficult to explain this.    

I have all music files on computer #1.
It has MC installed, but I don't think it matters, as I am not using it to
play any of the files.

Computer #2 has MC installed, and I have imported media from computer #1's network shares.
This is the computer that will be used to update/change the database, and the one doing the "serving" to computer #3.

So you have the database files on the computer #2. In my scenario they are on a common network share.

Computer #3 is actually the one I need to do the playing.  Its MC10 is connected to the "media server" of PC #2.  Trouble is, when I update the "media server" (pc 2), the updates don't show on the "client" (pc 3).

So...

Unless naming things with i.p. addresses (which I am currently not doing...) changes something, I'm not sure I understand what you are saying.  The setup works great, except that the "client" MC10 (PC 3) database does not change when the "server" machine's library changes.

If its not possible, I wonder if there is a way to send a (remote) command to the MC10 thats doing the playing (client) to "load database", which you could specify the address for (i.p. of "serving" machine).  This only takes about 2-3 seconds, but I need to be able to do it with my PPC, which is connected via Wi-Fi to the MC10 client machine.  Any ideas ??

Wasn't this a problem too?
"What I really need to do is let my wife rip new CDs she buys, using her laptop. This obviously updates HER library immediately.  But the machine in the whole-house distribution closet doesn't get an update."
The workaround could do the trick. Though the users must be very careful and follow the instructions all the time.

You can click the entry in File > Library > "server name" for updating the client. It is not automatic, but on LAN it takes only few seconds, as you wrote.

I don't know about the remote command. I use PCs as a remote. I have a cordless keyboard/mouse combo and an LCD screen on my living room coffee table.  

[iamjcl]

Thanks alot for taking the time for such a detailed explanation.

It makes sense.

I just don't want to add too many "remember to..." instructions for my wife - too many steps and all this junk i've wired together won't get used, if you know what I mean.  I may go this route, as I do see how it can be done.

Thanks again.

- Chris