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[Mike48]

I am hoping for advice on syncing two PCs with MC 19.

My main audio library is on my Windows desktop machine at home. I have been mirroring the media files onto my laptop with a file utility, for use (also with MC 19) at work.

I have read a little about Library Server Sync but am confused as to precisely what it does.

• Does it sync the media (flac) files, the unknown set of files that MC uses for its tag database and indices, or both?
• Stacks are generated by MC when I sync my iPod at home. Can I configure LSS not to copy the low-res files, only the originals?
• Does LSS work well when the machines are networked only occasionally?
• Any issue with different drive letters on the two machines?
• What are the gotchas to watch out for?

I am hesitant to start playing around with this before I understand it better. 
And on a related question:

• How can I find out what files MC considers to be its "library" and where they are stored?

The terminology of music programs differs from the real world. I'm not sure, but if I understand right: What music programs call a "library" is actually the library catalog.  The library itself (files with content) doesn't seem to have a name.  This apparently started with Apple (as so much of this stuff does), though it has precedent:

    "I don't know what you mean by 'glory,' " Alice said.
    Humpty Dumpty smiled contemptuously. "Of course you don't—till I tell you. I meant 'there's a nice knock-down argument for you!' "
    "But 'glory' doesn't mean 'a nice knock-down argument'," Alice objected.
    "When I use a word," Humpty Dumpty said, in rather a scornful tone, "it means just what I choose it to mean—neither more nor less."
THANKS FOR ANY HELP!

[BryanC]

Library server syncs the database, not the actual files.

You should try mapping the laptop drive to a drive letter on your desktop and then use the Rename, Move, and Copy files to mirror your files to your laptop inside of MC.

If you have any other questions about how to accomplish your goal, feel free to ask.

Edit: Also, usually the aggregate of the music files is referred to as the library, and the 'catalog' as you call it, is the database.

[mwillems]

Library server syncs the database, not the actual files.

You should try mapping the laptop drive to a drive letter on your desktop and then use the Rename, Move, and Copy files to mirror your files to your laptop inside of MC.

If you have any other questions about how to accomplish your goal, feel free to ask.

Edit: Also, usually the aggregate of the music files is referred to as the library, and the 'catalog' as you call it, is the database.

Actually I think MC's use of "library" refers just to the database, not to the files; for example if you use the "backup library" command it backs up the database and program settings, but none of the files.  

For OP, another solution that I've used personally is to configure the music folder of the drive I want to sync as a handheld device, and use the sync function to move files across.  This has the advantage of detecting whether the file in question is already on the other drive so you don't have to move all of the files every time.  Just make sure you do any tagging you plan to do on the main computer. I've only done this with portable hard drives, but I think it will work with networked drives too (there may just be an additional step).  

[Mike48]

Thanks to both BryanC and mwillems for the help!

Syncing a laptop as a handheld is a great idea. I am doing something similar with Syncovery software (formerly "SuperFlexible File Synchronizer").

It would be nice to be able to sync "number of plays" and "ratings" field between databases. That's what I hoped Library Sync could do. However, it seems no one but the developers really understands Library Sync, and the documentation I could find was sketchy.

Good to see I'm not the only one who's occasionally misled by the inconsistent and confusing meaning of "library".

Thanks again, guys!

[MNP500]

Library server syncs the database, not the actual files.

You should try mapping the laptop drive to a drive letter on your desktop and then use the Rename, Move, and Copy files to mirror your files to your laptop inside of MC.

If you have any other questions about how to accomplish your goal, feel free to ask.

I'm trying to do more or less the same thing. I'm in the process of ripping 1000 CDs. I'm doing it on my desktop to an ext hard drive and then have a copy of that drive on my laptop which is attached via DAC to my stereo. I got my first batch of CDs working great. But since this ripping will take me a few months, I want to update the laptop regularly. I have the ext laptop drive labeled with the same letter as the desktop drive, and it is on my home network. So...

1. How do I copy the new files to the laptop? (do it Windows, or through MC?)
2. How do I update the library to the laptop? The laptop MC is configured to do bit-perfect output to my DAC whereas my desktop is just sloppy Windows output. But I need to continually update the laptop library to reflect all the new CDs and tags etc. So do I just make a library backup and send it to the laptop..? But will that change all my audiophile laptop settings?  Or is there another way?

Thanks,  Michael

[Mike48]

MNP500:  You can copy the files either way. As I said, I use a file sync program to keep a mirror, copying only the files that have changed.

As far as updating, you can use [Tools > Import > Run Auto Import Now] to update the database.

That will not update things like custom views, play counts, and ratings, but it will take care of the basics.

If you figure out more, please post.

Mike-48