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Author Topic: One Library - Two media repositories  (Read 3676 times)

Carcajou

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One Library - Two media repositories
« on: December 20, 2013, 12:56:01 pm »

Bonjour,

I currently run MC19 on a Lenovo T530 Laptop. The Library is on the C: drive of the Laptop and all the media files (music, images & videos) are stored on a DLink NAS mapped as the Z: drive. This is the set up used when I am at home. Now I want to carry my Laptop and the media files on a USB portable drive when I visits some of my friends.

For portability purpose - I have copied all my media files from the Z: drive to a Seagate USB portable drive D:.  Both drives have identical contents. How do I tell the MC19 Library to seek media files from the Z: drive OR from the D drive? I want to be able to switch back and forth when required.

Regards

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MrC

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Re: One Library - Two media repositories
« Reply #1 on: December 20, 2013, 01:38:37 pm »

I can think of three quick methods:

  1. change the drive letter in the Filename field
  2. map yet again your D drive to Z on the laptop and unmap when you reconnect home
  3. import both drives content, but use any of a number of means to filter what you want at any given moment (either via Users, or Rules for file display).
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Listener

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Re: One Library - Two media repositories
« Reply #2 on: December 20, 2013, 01:41:20 pm »

Another method:  Set up a second library and import the files from the USB portable drive to that second library.  Use the second library when you are away from the NAS drive.

Bill
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Carcajou

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Re: One Library - Two media repositories
« Reply #3 on: December 22, 2013, 09:02:25 am »

Bonjour,

Thanks to both of you MrC and Listener, I explored the option above and here are some considerations or clarifications I need before proceeding

1 -Changing the drive letter: Since my library contains 16400+ files - this may not be a practical solution if change must be done file by file - unless I can change the drive letter at ONCE in the library - Is there a way to change the drive letter in all the file name in ONE operation. This operation may be too intrusive for data integrity

2 - Map the USB drive as the Z drive: I tried that - but since my Windows knowledge is limited - I have not found how to change the drive letter mapping for a USB drive - Network drive Yes - but USB drive - No - I will seek help from Windows knowledgeable friends on this - this is a very simple and elegant solution if I get it working.

3 - Import both drives: too complex for now for me to tackle

4 - Set up a second library: I like that option since this would allow the libraries to be temporarely out of sync - I found the Library option: "clone library". If I execute that option - will it clone only the library (tags) or all the media files as well? If this clones only the library INFO - that would be the way to go. I will wait your comments before proceeding. The main library will be pointing toward the NAS Z: drive and Second Library will be pointing toward the USB D: Drive.

Regards
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Listener

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Re: One Library - Two media repositories
« Reply #4 on: December 22, 2013, 10:06:16 am »


1 -Changing the drive letter: Since my library contains 16400+ files - this may not be a practical solution if change must be done file by file - unless I can change the drive letter at ONCE in the library - Is there a way to change the drive letter in all the file name in ONE operation. This operation may be too intrusive for data integrity

2 - Map the USB drive as the Z drive: I tried that - but since my Windows knowledge is limited - I have not found how to change the drive letter mapping for a USB drive - Network drive Yes - but USB drive - No - I will seek help from Windows knowledgeable friends on this - this is a very simple and elegant solution if I get it working.

3 - Import both drives: too complex for now for me to tackle

4 - Set up a second library: I like that option since this would allow the libraries to be temporarely out of sync - I found the Library option: "clone library". If I execute that option - will it clone only the library (tags) or all the media files as well? If this clones only the library INFO - that would be the way to go. I will wait your comments before proceeding. The main library will be pointing toward the NAS Z: drive and Second Library will be pointing toward the USB D: Drive.

On changing the drive letter (in the JRiver MC library)

You can change the drive letter for all your files in one operation.

 the JRiver Wiki has information on moving files.  Here is one page of interest:

http://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Moving_Files

Search for other relevant pages in the Wiki.


Note that you can use JRiver MC to physically move or copy files OR change the location where JRiver expects to find a file.  In either case, you select a number of files, right click and choose the appropriate command.

Mapping  USB drive

If the NAS is not connected (and there is no drive Z), you can assign the USB drive to drive Z using the Computer Management faciliuty.

From the start menu, click on "Computer".  Then right click on "computer" in the left pane.  The Computer Management program will start  up and display a window.  Under storage, click on "Disk Management".  In the center pane, there will be a list of drives currently connected to your computer.  Right click on The line for your USB drive and choose "Change drive letter...". 

To go back to using the NAS drive as drive Z, you would start with the USB drive not connected and go through the steps I described above.

However, you would need to go through this process each time you change from using one drive to the other.

Setting up a second library

Cloning the library does not create another copy of the music files.  More than one library can point to the same copy of the music files.

You could create a new library with no files in the database.  (Copy all the music files to the USB drive if you haven't done so.)  Then import the files from the USB drive.  The disadvantage is that any information that was in the original library and not in the files will not be present in the new library.

OR you could create a new library, cloning it from your existing library.  Any database only information will be present in the new library as it existed when you cloned the original library.  Then change the drive letter to

Two cautions:  Some of the changes may cause problems if you don't do the right thing.  Make sure that you have backup copies of your music files and backups of the library files before you start.  Experiment on a few files before you do anything that will affect your entire music library.
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Carcajou

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Re: One Library - Two media repositories
« Reply #5 on: December 22, 2013, 02:14:46 pm »

Thanks Listener, It now works

I shutdown my NAS and disconnected the Z: network drive mapped to it and I assigned the Z: letter to the Portable USB 3.0 drive. It works fine and I will play media this way for a while to see how solid it is (USB performance wise)

I very much like that solution as I have only ONE library to maintain and the library integrity is not at risk. I will always update the library with new media acquisitions with the NAS attached - this is the reference. I will then simply copy the NAS drive content to the USB drive from time to time to update it for away from home usage.

Thanks to all for your help on this one.

Regards
 
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filippo

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Re: One Library - Two media repositories
« Reply #6 on: February 12, 2014, 03:38:52 pm »

Hello!
I have almost the same problem except that the NAS has a network name: \\NAS.
some of you have an idea?
Filippo
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MrC

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Re: One Library - Two media repositories
« Reply #7 on: February 12, 2014, 05:13:33 pm »

If you have the same issue (essentially), it would stand to reason that the above answers should help, right?

Maybe you can add a little more clarification if you need more help?
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Listener

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Re: One Library - Two media repositories
« Reply #8 on: February 12, 2014, 05:23:07 pm »

If you have the same issue (essentially), it would stand to reason that the above answers should help, right?

Don't you give personalized advice?  What are we paying you for?

Bill
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MrC

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Re: One Library - Two media repositories
« Reply #9 on: February 12, 2014, 05:24:09 pm »

I try.  But the Prognosticator 5000 is malfunctioning today.
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Listener

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Re: One Library - Two media repositories
« Reply #10 on: February 12, 2014, 05:28:40 pm »

I try.  But the Prognosticator 5000 is malfunctioning today.

When's the next build?
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MrC

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Re: One Library - Two media repositories
« Reply #11 on: February 12, 2014, 05:29:32 pm »

Last night.
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Carcajou

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Re: One Library - Two media repositories
« Reply #12 on: February 12, 2014, 05:49:13 pm »

Filippo,

Under Windows 7, my NAS has a both a name: (\\NAS001) AND a drive letter (Z:). For MC19, only the (Z:) is used to map the directories and files location in "File Location" in the Option section and in the library file view.

Carcajou 
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JimH

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Re: One Library - Two media repositories
« Reply #13 on: February 12, 2014, 06:21:37 pm »

Last night.
You expect people to just wait quietly?

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filippo

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Re: One Library - Two media repositories
« Reply #14 on: February 13, 2014, 01:42:19 am »

Carcajou!
grazie mille for the info. from classe audio...hope I will be able to cope with all the settings easily!
will look at it this week end. also I should get a new CP 800 from classe audio...hope I can get things running easily!
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