I am pretty sure that the Wiki entry that says you can do file adds from a client is wrong. Do you concur? That is what I am really trying to confirm. It does become a point of confusion for new users, as this thread shows.
I think the Wiki needs to be revised sure but this is not a small endeavor! I would love if they can change some of the terms -- semantic confusion assured
(most people think their NAS is the server for example; or that the main library on a client machine is the "principle" shared library.
I don't think the sync where it copies files and not metadata is really a "sync" -- but I'm too lazy to test with 4tb drives
It copies files to create a separate library (for you vacation home, off-line office copy, portable install?) maybe more of a cloning operation and the menus haven't been re-worded??
I think you can add files and get them imported from a client PC -- just not through the JRiver client directly, haha! If you use mapped network drives and you move or even rip to these drives and autoimport is on it will be picked up (needs a system event though, so its not always immediate. (mapped, lettered drives for me work better than UNC strings)
A lot of these client/server complications are compensated for by really fast access, importing, playback, control functionality and low system load. Truly a great program for people large complex music libraries and complicated systems ... more painful for people who have less than 500 albums and are used to plug and play set-ups for sure. I wouldn't want them to put into place something easier that would make performance or functionality suffer though. Running Team Viewer or remote desktop from windows for a couple of operations per month seems a small price to pay.
Even though it doesn't affect me, if the ripper could be launched without loading a local client library, that would be a lot less confusing and easier for lots of folks.
I've found that the biggest confusion though is that most set-ups really should only be loading one big library. In my opinion, I don't think JRiver is really designed to sync or run across multiple libraries .... although it can be done, you'd have to be very careful to protect what is the "master" database (multiple machines can run media server, also). People that set-up multiple libraries to be able to only have to turn on/wake up the PC in the room they are in are going to have problems - or they have to have really complicated work arounds. I understand, the frustration though ... especially if you use a NAS, which means you might need 3 machines running when working off of a client. Until there is a way to standardise an installation of JRiver to run mediaserver on all brands of NASs directly, (QNAP, Synology etc; don't all work the same), I can't see that changing right away. Its one of the reasons it gets people mixed up -- they think a NAS would be the obvious choice, when most would be better off with a fast, wake-on-lan, silent PC and 1 client for admin (with 1 having a lot of drives). Add a control point/renderer or 2 if you have a big house and JRemote and you have it all
As Vocalpoint shows there are more than one way you can set this up. Depends on what you need and how much admin you are willing to do I guess