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[pgrisham]

I thought 2 libraries would allow me to have basically 2 different music collections, but is this the case?  Here is my scenario:

I have a library with some flac and some mp3 files.  Not all mp3 files have a flac 'master copy' and, of course, I use the mp3 files to sync to players.  I wanted to create a second library as a clone of the first, and then remove the 'hq music' location, which has the flac files, from the library.  When I delete the directory for my flac files, I choose delete from library (and NOT send to the recycle bin, of course).  However, when I switch to my main library with all music, the hq music directory is gone there as well.  If I add it back, it shows back up in my other library again.

I could probably do this different ways, but I like the thought of being able to do this.  Is there a way to accomplish this?

[MrC]

Maybe you've not removed those paths, or excluded those files, from Auto Import, so they are getting re-imported?

Regardless, you're working too hard.  There's no need to have two separate libraries for this.  This will require you to maintain views in both locations.

Instead, modify your views to show you Lossless or Lossy tracks (or both).  Panes views are best for this, as you can just select a Lossy or Lossless value in a column and quickly include/exclude either or both.  But you can also do this in Categories views, or create duplicate views, but have one which is Lossy and one which is Lossless.  There are many ways to accomplish what you're after.

[Vincent Kars]

If this is about sync to portables I advise another workflow.

The library contains everything in its native format, no MP3 duplicates of FLAC.
Build a playlist
Attach the portable and configure the desired format e.g. 256 kbs MP3
All audio will be converted on the fly during the sync.
Not need to maintain 2 libraries.
More detail: http://thewelltemperedcomputer.com/SW/Players/MC14/MC_sync.htm

[pgrisham]

I would love to do the one library mindset, but here's where I run into problems:  if, lets say, after a year I go and create a new smartlist or playlist and forget that I had flac and mp3 versions of songs, I end up with both types in my playlists.  Hence, redundant songs.  I catch these kinds of errors ONLY when I have time so sit and peruse my library looking for tagging mistakes, spelling errors, etc.  I guess I just need to pay attention as I go.

I LOVE the panes and want that to work, because strange things are happening when I try to create and/or import libraries.  Sometimes this action completely wipes out all previous libraries in MC and adds the one, and sometimes it just adds as a new library in the existing list.  Also, sometimes my original issue happens--where I can't delete a folder of flac, lets say, because it deletes it from every library in my system!  Both of these events have happened twice, so I feel like it's not a fluke.  It is really weird, but I don't have the patience to set up a test scenario and figure it out.  I just set up a new windows box and I want to leave it lean and mean and not play with it too much:)

[MrC]

You might consider a pruning technique to eliminate duplicates, such as searching while in a playlist.  This will show the duplicates:

   ~sort=[file type] ~dups=[album],[artist],[track #]

and this filter out the duplicates:

   ~sort=[file type] ~nodups=[album],[artist],[track #]

The sort helps place FLAC ahead of MP3 (alphabetical by file type) in the resulting list, and the dup detection is forced to consider the concatenation of [album], [artist], and [track #].  You could include other fields such as [disc #].

If the metadata is not consistent across the dups, this won't work.

Sounds like some terminology confusion re: Library.  The Library is the set of settings, metadata and references to media tracks on disk/disc.  If you delete a physical media file while a Library is loaded, any other Libraries that reference that file will reference non-existent files.  In other words, a physical file may be referenced by multiple MC Libraries.