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[whataboutbob1]

Hi,

I just started using a second digital music set up in the upstairs of my house (upstairs set up) with the help of the kind folks here.  But I am running into a problem.  I want to use the identical set up I have on my first floor set up (including the playlists that are quite long and took a lot of work to compile.  Here are the steps I am using. 

1.I save all of my music files to an external hard drive

2. I back up my library settings on that same external hard drive.

3. On the "upstairs set up" I have a computer with MC installed on it. I Restore the Library from the external hard drive on the upstairs computer. 

4. I then add the library that is stored on the external hard drive.

Here is the problem:  The back up is set to be linked to the library stored on my computer. This is what is designated as my "Main Library" when I restore the library to the upstairs computer. Of course there is no music in that location on the upstairs computer. Once I upload the library from the external hard drive I can play music but only one track at a time. This is due to the MC seeing two libraries, one of which does not exist. So in other words when I look at the tracks under an album there are two of each track, one of which does not exist.

How do I fix this?  I have tried to delete the "Main Library" (which does not exist) but the MC does not let me do that.  I have tried to figure out how to edit the location of the main library from the path designated on my downstairs computer to the external hard drive but I don't see a way to do that.

I did try starting from scratch and that does work, but then I am not able to have the playlists I developed over the past couple of years.

Any ideas?

Bob

[Zhillsguy]

Hi,

I just started using a second digital music set up in the upstairs of my house (upstairs set up) with the help of the kind folks here.  But I am running into a problem.  I want to use the identical set up I have on my first floor set up (including the playlists that are quite long and took a lot of work to compile.  Here are the steps I am using. 

1.I save all of my music files to an external hard drive

2. I back up my library settings on that same external hard drive.

3. On the "upstairs set up" I have a computer with MC installed on it. I Restore the Library from the external hard drive on the upstairs computer. 

4. I then add the library that is stored on the external hard drive.

Here is the problem:  The back up is set to be linked to the library stored on my computer. This is what is designated as my "Main Library" when I restore the library to the upstairs computer. Of course there is no music in that location on the upstairs computer. Once I upload the library from the external hard drive I can play music but only one track at a time. This is due to the MC seeing two libraries, one of which does not exist. So in other words when I look at the tracks under an album there are two of each track, one of which does not exist.

How do I fix this?  I have tried to delete the "Main Library" (which does not exist) but the MC does not let me do that.  I have tried to figure out how to edit the location of the main library from the path designated on my downstairs computer to the external hard drive but I don't see a way to do that.

I did try starting from scratch and that does work, but then I am not able to have the playlists I developed over the past couple of years.

Any ideas?

Bob

There are a number of ways to do this, if I understand your setup correctly:

1. Downstairs PC As Library Server: If the computers are networked together, keep all of the files on your downstairs pc as normal. Under Tools/Options/Media Network set up to "Use Media Network to share this library and enable DLNA". Set up your upstairs pc to use the main pc's library by adding it. Set "Authentication" on the downstairs pc if you want to sync the libraries, but be aware that changes made to the library on one will be duplicated on the other. You won't need to copy any of the media files and transport them around if you use these options, and you will see all playlists, etc. that are on the main pc. I believe you need to set up file sharing on the main pc as well for this to work.

2. Upstairs PC With Independent Library: If you want the upstairs to run independently from the downstairs pc, let it read the external drive files and create its own library as normal (or put them on the internal drive). Set up Auto Import to include playlists, and set up a special folder for those if desired. Set up file sharing on the upstairs pc and use SyncBack or some other backup program to keep the media files updated as needed over the network from downstairs, or update them by other means. Turn off "Update File Tags" under the Edit menu upstairs so the downstairs pc is master of those chores and the upstairs only reads the tags. On the downstairs pc, export your playlists using the "Store paths relative to exported playlist location" checked, and send them to a watched folder upstairs. E.g., I have a "Playlists" folder under \Music, and MC on my laptop imports those lists when it sees them as being new files.   

The first set of options is much less work, but will require the main pc to be running when using MC upstairs. You didn't mention what OS you are running, so that may affect settings. I probably missed something in translation or even the whole boat, but hopefully this can help you in the right direction. Most of the wiki is still relevant:

http://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Media_Network
http://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Library_Server

Edit: After re-reading your post, I think you just may need to export your playlists downstairs then import them upstairs as described above.....maybe. Let MC on the upstairs pc import the actual media files creating its own library, not a backed up library from downstairs, then import the playlists.

[whataboutbob1]

Thanks for taking the time to help.

I am using the second option you describe with Windows 64 bit operating systems up and down.

I tried to do as you explained. I started from scratch. I used my external hard drive containing my music files as the main library path. Works like a charm. Then I exported the play list to a thumb drive. I checked the box as you suggested when exporting.  But when I took the thumb drive upstairs and imported it, the MC tells me there are no songs listed. To be on the safe side I re-exported the lists to the thumb drive this time not check the box.  Same results. No songs.

Could this be due to the playlist I am exporting is looking for the C drive for the music files and they aren't any there? On the upstairs computer all the music is stored in the external drive.  I have noticed if I delete a song out of MC library it will automatically delete the song from the playlist if it was there previously (when the song was in the library).

Any thoughts?

Bob

[Zhillsguy]

Thanks for taking the time to help.

I am using the second option you describe with Windows 64 bit operating systems up and down.

I tried to do as you explained. I started from scratch. I used my external hard drive containing my music files as the main library path. Works like a charm. Then I exported the play list to a thumb drive. I checked the box as you suggested when exporting.  But when I took the thumb drive upstairs and imported it, the MC tells me there are no songs listed. To be on the safe side I re-exported the lists to the thumb drive this time not check the box.  Same results. No songs.

Could this be due to the playlist I am exporting is looking for the C drive for the music files and they aren't any there? On the upstairs computer all the music is stored in the external drive.  I have noticed if I delete a song out of MC library it will automatically delete the song from the playlist if it was there previously (when the song was in the library).

Any thoughts?

Bob

When exporting your playlist, export it to a folder on your main pc where your music is stored (such as C:\Music, etc.), then copy it to your thumb drive and move it upstairs. Make sure the "Relative Path" box is checked, since it goes back to default (off) after every export, that way the "relative" path is maintained. When copying it upstairs, copy it to the same folder where you exported it to downstairs, then do an import if it is not set to automatically (you can manually import the single folder). This assumes the music folder structures are the same on both pc's. It should show up under Imported Playlists, you can move or copy it from there.

[whataboutbob1]

Hi,

Thanks again for helping.

I tried this and it did not work.

The more I do this the more I am thinking the problem is that in the downstairs computer the music is stored in the computer or C drive.  Which means the playlist would look for the corresponding files in the C drive.  When I export the playlist it is exported with a file name that would start with C.  My upstairs external drive is designated as an E drive. So when I import the playlist it is looking for a file starting with the C drive designation. And since there are no files on the upstairs computer in the C drive the playlist is empty.  Am I off on this?

Is there any way to export the songs in a playlist without it pointing toward C drive files?  And then when the play list is imported have it "find" the corresponding files with the song names in the E drive?

Bob

[Zhillsguy]

Hi,

Thanks again for helping.

I tried this and it did not work.

The more I do this the more I am thinking the problem is that in the downstairs computer the music is stored in the computer or C drive.  Which means the playlist would look for the corresponding files in the C drive.  When I export the playlist it is exported with a file name that would start with C.  My upstairs external drive is designated as an E drive. So when I import the playlist it is looking for a file starting with the C drive designation. And since there are no files on the upstairs computer in the C drive the playlist is empty.  Am I off on this?

Is there any way to export the songs in a playlist without it pointing toward C drive files?  And then when the play list is imported have it "find" the corresponding files with the song names in the E drive?

Bob

That is what the "Store paths relative to exported playlist location" checkbox is for when exporting. It will work, if you have duplicated the music folders on both pc's.

Follow my instructions in previous post:

1. On the main pc, export the playlist checking the "Store paths" box, and use the MPL Playlist option. "Save in" (Browse button to select) any existing folder under your (C:\Music) folder, or even directly in the Music folder if you have one main folder. This is the folder where all music files are stored, not the My Documents folder.
2. Copy the file and place it in the EXACT SAME FOLDER on the external drive upstairs, even though it may be E Drive.
3. Import that folder where it is located into the library, making sure playlists is checked.

[whataboutbob1]

Do you mean save the entire music folder to the thumb drive or just the playlists from the folder? The entire file is 387 GB's. That is why I use the external drive in the first place.

[Zhillsguy]

Do you mean save the entire music folder to the thumb drive or just the playlists from the folder? The entire file is 387 GB's. That is why I use the external drive in the first place.

Just the exported playlist file(s), very small.

[whataboutbob1]

BINGO!!!

Thanks!!!!!!

You have been as huge help!

[Zhillsguy]

BINGO!!!

Thanks!!!!!!

You have been as huge help!

No problem......just remember me when there is a Junior Woodchuck revolution.