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[coderego]

I was wondering if it is possible to use multiple logins to the computer while sharing the same data within MC?

Could we not store settings in Program Files rather than in application data so it is tied to the program rather than the user? Seems rather simple to implement the option to do either.

Thank you for your consideration, and all the effort.

[coderego]

bump

[coderego]

bump!

[glynor]

I was wondering if it is possible to use multiple logins to the computer while sharing the same data within MC?

Could we not store settings in Program Files rather than in application data so it is tied to the program rather than the user? Seems rather simple to implement the option to do either.

Well, it depends what you mean...

You absolutely can store your Library in a different folder.  The Library is MC's database.  It contains all of the following:

1. File metadata (including settings for custom fields)
2. Library Views and related settings (including defined Theater View and Media Network views)
3. Auto-Import settings

(and probably some stuff I've forgotten.)

Under Playing Now in the tree in Standard View, you can find the Library Manager (many of the same choices are also available under File > Library).  The default Library is stored in the current user's AppData directory, but you can make as many Libraries as you want.


Click to embiggen.

It is recommended that you do not move the Default Library (and the UI doesn't allow you to do so).

Instead, if you want to have your master Library in a different location, simply add a second one and open that.  MC will automatically connect to whichever Library was last-loaded when you launch it, so you can just make a second one and ignore the Default one.  The reason it is best not to move/delete/modify the default library is that it is a "fallback position" for MC.  MC cannot launch if the Library is corrupt or missing, so it needs to have a "safe" location to look.  That's the one in the User's AppData directory.

You can also have multiple Libraries.  I use some Auxiliary libraries that contain "special purpose" media (such as my editing sources for work).

If you already have a nicely setup Library in the default spot, this is not a problem.  You can easily import/export Libraries (and all other settings in MC) via the Library Backup/Restore system.  You can also Clone existing Libraries (including the default one) to a new Library.  When you create a new Library (or clone an existing one), MC will ask you where you'd like to store it.  You can pick anywhere you want to store the database.  Note, however, that MC prefers to have the Library on a fast, local volume.  If you have a SSD (or a fast RAID), that would be a good place to store it.  MC doesn't care very much about the performance of the volume where the media itself is stored, but the Library should be somewhere fast.  External USB drives, slow network "NAS" drives, and software drive pooling volumes (like Drive Bender) are poor choices.

So, if you want a "shared" Library between different user logins in MC, create a new Library (clone your existing default one if you want to preserve your current setup), and use that one on each user Login.

[glynor]

On the other hand, many of MC's "settings" (available under Tools > Options), are stored in the Registry instead, and are user-specific.  For example, one user-specific thing is the current selected Library, and the Libraries available to choose from in the Library Manager.

However, these settings are easy to copy back and forth between users on the same system, and even to other installations of MC on separate systems.  You do this by making a Library Backup, and then restoring that backup.

A Library Backup includes the following:

1. The Library itself.
2. All current User settings under Tools > Options and everywhere else in the application.

You can choose which of these two items to restore when you "restore a Library from backup" on a copy of MC.

To "copy" your user settings from one Account to another (or one machine to another), follow these steps:

1. Get the first user account (or copy of MC) all set up just the way you want it.  This includes adding any Libraries you need, and configuring options like DSP settings, Zones, and whatnot.

2. If you are using a non-default Library, switch back to the Default Library.  When you make a backup of settings, it is convenient to do it from the Default Library.  You don't, after all, need to restore the secondary library on the other user's account, as it can just access the Library directly on disk in the same spot.  What you need, is the settings and setup.

3. Make a backup of that Library, and save it somewhere that all users can get to it easily (C:\Users\Shared\ would be a good spot for switching users, and Dropbox is handy for switching computers).  The Library backup is zipped, and is just metadata and settings, so it is reasonably small.

4. Switch back to your "real" (secondary) library as needed and close MC.  Log out of that user account, or switch to the other computer.

5. Open MC, and load the Default Library (as needed).  Go to the Library Manager and choose "Restore Library", and find the backup you just made.

6. Make sure the the Restore Settings box is checked.  If you are using the Shared Library approach described above, you can uncheck the Restore Library and playlists box if you don't want to change the Default Library at all from its current state, and will just be then switching to the secondary Shared Library (it really doesn't matter much what happens to the Default Library if you won't be using it).



7. Click Restore, and then MC will relaunch with the new settings.  If you had added secondary Libraries in step 1, these will now be available in the Library Manager for this user account or installation.  Switch to the one you want, and close MC on that account/machine.

Repeat 5-7 for all user accounts or machines where you want the same setup applied.

[kstuart]

Someone should put the above two posts into the Wiki...

[shrike645]

Is there something different here than what Matt says is bad in this thread?

http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=77823.0;topicseen

[cncb]

Note that the Auto-Import settings are per-user and not stored with the library.  I recently set up a shared library between different users and had to duplicate the Auto-Import settings for each user.

[glynor]

Note that the Auto-Import settings are per-user and not stored with the library.  I recently set up a shared library between different users and had to duplicate the Auto-Import settings for each user.

True.  That was one place where I simplified a bit in a (failed) attempt at brevity.

The Auto-Import settings are stored and "used" per-library, but they are stored in the Registry with the rest of the settings.  However, if you follow the instructions above, it will restore Auto-Import settings too (they are restored with all the other settings).

When you clone from one library to another, though, I'm not sure if it is smart enough to carry over Auto-Import settings properly there.  You'll need to test that part.

It is possible to copy them over through the registry, but that's a bit more advanced and dangerous.

[glynor]

Is there something different here than what Matt says is bad in this thread?

http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=77823.0;topicseen

Yes, that's an important point.  If you are copying an intact library over to another computer, and intending to use both simultaneously on the same LAN with Media Network support, there is more that you need to do.

Generally, this doesn't apply, though... When I'm moving settings over to a different machine, it is usually to either:

1. Replace the existing machine.
2. Use elsewhere (off LAN).
3. Use as a client of another Library Server.

For all three of those things, the process I described above works fine.  If you are trying to make separate, independent (forked) duplicates of your Library, and run each of them independently on the same LAN, you also need to follow Matt's instructions in the linked thread on the new machine after you follow the above steps:

search the registry for "Player Zone GUID" and delete the values.  This will cause a new GUID to get created for the zones.