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[lise]

I've been thinking about this for at least 1 month now, trying to figure out the best way to deal with MC on different computers for different purposes.

My laptop is the main computer in that it has all of my data (which can't be accessed from the other computers) and it is the one where I do all the tagging. 

Computer 2 is in the living room and it has all the music and most videos.

Computer 3 is in the basement cinema and has all the movies.

That's the main setup.

I have found myself importing everything on the laptop, backing up and restoring to the other computers. That works fine but for 3 important things:

1. I lose all "last played" info, which means that all my "movies we've seen" or "music we've heard lately" view schemes are for nothing
2. doing a backup and then restore on 2 other computers almost daily is a pain
3. Some other settings are lost which is difficult to remember to put back, especially server type settings (we need at least the living room computer to be a server for gizmo), and I always have to change the audio output. I constantly forget to do both things.  The cinema computer may be the most complicated because once we set it up to watch movies (we haven't yet) there may be lots of video configurations that need to be customized -- hence recustomized after each restore).

LIbrary server is great, and I tried that for a while, but the tagging issue is preventing that from being a good solution for me.

I thought of perhaps just having each computer have it's own distinct library for just its local content, but the tagging issue again.

I thought of a new plan a few minutes ago. What if I just keep the main database on my laptop like I always used to, re-create it on the two other computers (fields and all), restore the database once, and then have all three computers set to auto-import all content all the time?  That way I tag everything on the laptop, move it where it goes, and the other two computers eat it up automatically?  Then all computers should stay up to date with what all the others ones have. Are there any issues with this I'm not seeing right now?

[tcman41]

Let me know what you find out about this. I have been using SMB shares via XBMC software to share all my media to my three different computer. Only problem is that XBMC doesnt really have any tagging features its just strictly a headend if you will. Kind of getting tired of that concept, after seeing what MC17 can now do, thinking about using it as server/client setup if you will, I am going to lose a bit of the fanciness of XBMC but gain MC17 tagging ability.

Of course now, I am about to start renovating my house, so I may have to hold off on this awhile.

TC

[lise]

It occured to me earlier this morning that setting auto-import will only work if I import ALL my media to a folder that is not on any computer's auto-import list except for the main taggin computer. The reasons is simple. If I put the file where it belongs right away, the other computers will see the untagged file and import it. Then I will tag it properly on my laptop, but the other computers will not auto-update. I would have to remotely go into each computer, select all the "recently imported" files and manually do an "update library from tags". 

But even if I were to import files into a special directory that isn't being seen by any other computer, tag them properly, then put them where they belong such that the other computers would auto-import them, I'm still left with the issue of updating the libraries when the file is played.  For example, if I watch Warrior downstairs, that library will show it as having been played. But my other computers will not. After seeing the film I would have to go to my laptop, remotely access the basement computer, update tags from library, then repeat for all the other computers this time selecting update library from tags.

Am I overthinking this whole thing? Or am I missing a simple solution to keeping the Last Played info updated on different computers that point to the same files?

[mbagge]

I am using "synctoy" from microsoft to do the file copying. In there I have created different jobs to different computers.

I am having the same issue as you with different libraries holding the statistics on last played etc.
There are some configuration where you can make a library a "child" to the mail library and exchange of statistics should occur but I haven't tried. Does anyone have such experience ?

[lise]

I thought I had THE solution. It came to me last night just before falling asleep and I was so excited to try it out this morning, but alas, it will not work.

The solution was to have just one database on one of the main computers. I figured it could auto import stuff from all computers except my docs on my laptop. When I use my laptop I just open that main database, import my docs, tag, etc and sync changes back to the main server. Alas, I'm right back to where I was. After trying it and reading a few threads, I discovered that you can't import files on a client. So that's the end of that.

So it looks like it has to be a different database on each computer, and where some files are shared amongst the various databases, I'll have to live with the fact that the tags for those shared files will not stay in sync (ie Last Played stats) unless I remember to update the tags from the library that played the files then update the libaries that include those files. And that isn't likely to happen.

So here is my vote for what is being said in this thread: http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=67229.0.

1. Allow clients to import files that then sync back to the server.
2. Allow clients to rip stuff that gets synced back to the server.
3. Allow changes in views that get synced back to the server.

Basically, allow a secure client to modify anything, and have those changes synced back to the server.

[vicini]

I kinda think that defeats the purpose. I wouldn't want a Client altering my Server Side database period.
However...

I run two databases. I use a "Master Database" - This is the one i do all my tagging and is only accessible one 1 computer. (Separate from the Server PC)
The second database "Server Database" picks up all my changes that i did on the Master. (Server PC)
All other computers and PS3 use the Server Library

I even go as far as using Network Paths. Master database has complete read/write to the network path but the server only has Read Rights (since the server side does not do tagging or altering of files. Just importing and updating tags)

This is what works for me. Everything is protected and i dont have to worry about files getting deleted or altered

Library Server is a great tool if you know your game plan.  Just my 2cents

[MrHaugen]

I kinda think that defeats the purpose. I wouldn't want a Client altering my Server Side database period.

I would. As long as you have control on the server side what client can do. For instance importing of media from phone is never done on my server. I would want to do that on a library client.

I run two databases. I use a "Master Database" - This is the one i do all my tagging and is only accessible one 1 computer. (Separate from the Server PC)
The second database "Server Database" picks up all my changes that i did on the Master. (Server PC)
All other computers and PS3 use the Server Library

Could you please explain how you do this? Especially that the "Server Database picks up all my changes that i did on the Master". This sounds like a solution I want my self.

Today I have 3 computers.
1 Server hidden in my basement. This is physical server with direct access to my SAS Expander storage. Acting as a library server.
1 Workstation which I would like to do much tagging on. Today I have to remote into the Library Server. Acting as a library client.
1 HTPC as a library client. Only used for Playback and syncing of play stats.

I think that your solution might not work in my case, because I'm very dependent on the Server importing all my media from my News setup. The workstation is on just a few hours every other day. So, I would risk not getting the new media if I don't turn on my workstation.

[lise]

I run two databases. I use a "Master Database" - This is the one i do all my tagging and is only accessible one 1 computer. (Separate from the Server PC)
The second database "Server Database" picks up all my changes that i did on the Master. (Server PC)

But if your Server Database picks up all the changes, then it must be set to auto-import.
That means that all new files have to first go into a directory that the Server does not see until you do all the tagging on the Master and move the files where they will be imported by the Server. Correct? Otherwise the Server is auto-importing the untagged files and will not recognize changes to those files made by your Master unless you manually do an update from tags on the Server. Is that what you do?

[MrHaugen]

Otherwise the Server is auto-importing the untagged files and will not recognize changes to those files made by your Master unless you manually do an update from tags on the Server. Is that what you do?

If you set the library fields to write to tag if possible, does not the music files update, and the server can pick up the changes and updates the library? I'm referring to the Update on external changes option. I'm not sure if things like number plays get's updated in for example MP3's, so that's why I ask. Also, the XML files that gets updated for video, will most likely be picked up by the server.

[lise]

I'm not sure that databases automatically update tags without a forced Update from Tags. Perhaps they do with music. BUt there is definitely something that does not get updated and that is information for movies. I just imported a movie file (an ISO that does not generate xml) that was fully tagged for Genre, Country, Language, etc and none of that information came through with the import. You can let Carnap do the basics, I guess, but whatever changes you make manually, they are in the database only and will not be picked up by another database. So you have to do the work twice, on the Main database and then repeat on the Server.

[Tommy]

Here's my setup if it's any help:

3 computers:
1 server/htpc
1 desktop work computer
1 laptop leisure computer

I've set up a directory structure that's the same on all computers and synchronize those music/video folder using syncbackse. This is primarily for backup reasons.

On the server/htpc I also got a shared folder which holds the MC library files which all computers can access through the LAN.

I initially set up the library on my server/htpc and stored the library files in the shared folder.

After that I've setup a library on my both my work and leisure computer to point to that very shared folder.

All in all: Actual files are synchronised outside MC for backup purposes and the folder structure is the same on all computers (same drive and path). I then use a common shared library on the server.
Only drawback is if MC is open on one computer the others can only open the library in read-only mode. Since it's just me it's not much of a problem.

[vicini]

I have auto-import in background turned off (for the record)

My setup is this.
My music is on the server computer. it is on F:\Music\Albums. I have 2 network paths to this directory.

1st share F:\Music is set to \\server\Music. This have full read/write
2nd share F:\Music\Albums is set to \\server\protected albums. This has read only rights.
I also mapped these paths to a drive. to make it simple, they are set to M: on both machines
both machines are set to import M: (remember, i don't use auto-import in background)
The difference is, the Library server network M: is set to \\server\protected albums (this is the server library)
The machine i want to import and tag is  M: which is set to \\server\music\albums (This is the master library)

So, as i said earlier, i have 2 databases.
The Master database will import M: (remember: \\server\music\albums)
I update any tags from old or new files that have been imported. once i am done, i move over the the server library

On Server Library, i only run a auto-import when i have added files or tag changes on master library (remember \\server\protected albums)

So, anything i do on the master library will get updated on the server library once i do the manual auto-import. this includes tags, replay gain, thumbnails and so on

i forgot one more step, on SERVER library, make sure you have unchecked Update Tags When File Info Changes. This will prevent clients connected to server from making changes