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[toomanybarts]

I want to move the MC 12 Library (dBase) so that any machine on my network can access the same playlists, ratings etc (subject to the usual read/write lock).
Is it as simple as just editting the library location in location manager?  And can I use the UNC path (per the wiki) : "\\ReadyNAS\Media", rather than having to map network drives?

After doing a search I read Glynor's post -
"You have to make both computers see the drives as the same drive letter in order to use the same library files on both machines.  (No ands, ifs, or buts.)  You CAN'T use network pathnames (such as \\servername\sharename\etc), you must map the share as a network drive, and you must make it have the same letter as the drive on the computer it is directly connected to.  If you don't know how to do this, just ask."

Is this still the case?

Appreciate the help.

[glynor]

Nah... That's all old stuff.  However, I would caution you... If you don't have a good, reliable, high-speed network you may have performance issues with the Library on the network drive.  Even though I have a gigabit network, all my libraries are local (on C) and are synced to a network location.

However, that caution said... You can do it (and performance has improved since the old days).

Do this:

1.  Find out exactly where (what folder) your Library is currently living.  By default it is here: C:\Documents and Settings\<USERNAME>\Application Data\J River\Media Center 12\Library.  YMMV, but you can check in the File --> Library Manager tool.

2. Close MC.

3. Find the above referenced folder using Windows Explorer (My Computer) and copy it to your NAS.  So, if your NAS is mounted to the system via a network drive letter at M, copy the folder to M:\library\ or somesuchplace.  Copy, don't move, for safety.  UNC Paths work fine now, so \\nasbox\sharename\library\ would be fine too.

4. Reopen MC.  Open the Library Manager.

5. Click Add to add a new library.  Give it a name in the top box (something like NAS Library or somesuchthing).  Hit browse and find the new folder on the NAS (or copypaste it into the box).  Hit OK.

6. Double click the new entry in the Library Manager list to load it and make it the active library.

7. If all is good and right with the world, you can remove the old library entry from the library manager.

8. Rejoice and drink a beer.

9. Repeat 4 - 8 as needed for all other machines.  If you have lots to do you may want to hold off on #8 till you're all done, for obvious reasons.

[toomanybarts]

Thanks for the quick response Glynor.
I too have Gigabit network - although haven't messed with Jumbo frames etc on the ReadyNAS...how are you handling the syncing of your local (C) libraries - have you automated it somehow?

[glynor]

Yep.  I'm using some scripts to do it... They're posted over in the 3rd Party board.  If I was setting it up from scratch, I'd probably just use SyncBack SE to do it though.  SyncBack rocks hard.

Try it with just plunking it on the NAS.  You might be fine, and that'll be the simplest solution.  It didn't work for me, but we're talking way back in early MC11 days that I last really, seriously tried it.  A lot has changed since then.