Author Topic: sync two PCs  (Read 23317 times)

TauTau

  • Guest
Hi,

I'm coming from iTunes with match, I have a "main" Desktop PC that I use to manage all my music, create playlists etc. I also have a Laptop that I use for DJ'ing. Previously I copied new stuff to iTunes, which sorted it in the correct folders etc, and created my playlist on the Desktop PC. On the Laptop I then also ran iTunes, downloading missing stuff, the playlists were synced automatically.
How could I achieve something like this with MusicBee? One thing is, I'd need a two way sync tool for the files, and the other thing is sync of the playlists.
Any ideaas?

ma_t14

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On the Laptop I then also ran iTunes, downloading missing stuff, the playlists were synced automatically.

Did iTunes update the "missing stuff" automatically somehow?

For the playlists I suggest you use a cloud service such as SugarSync that allows you to choose any folder and sync it between different computers (given that you have SugarSync running on both). You will just need to sync the folder where your playlists are located and you are done.

As for updating your music you may use a manual file sync/compare tool such as Beyond Compare (commercial tool but very efficient) to update any changes from you main computer's drive to your laptop through a network connection
Last Edit: April 03, 2013, 01:20:28 PM by ma_t14

spartan

  • Guest
One way is to use an external HDD for all the music and keep the library, playlists, etc. all on the external.
Then MB sees it as one library between the both of them. Anything you do on one is immediately saved to the external which when hooked back up to the other computer displays the exact same thing.
Not a terrible route if you have a big enough external. I'm not sure of a way to do it with software.

ma_t14

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It's been ages since I last used iTunes. After reading some more one the topic it seems that iTunes has a "Home Sharing" function of sorts that you can use to share a library among different devices.

Well, unless you can find/afford a cloud sharing service where you will store all your music that also allows bi-directional syncing (e.g. SugarSync) I cant see another way apart from those mentioned in previous replies  :-\

redwing

  • Guest
Another solution is to use Total Commander's synchronize directory feature.
Then you can run it on two music file folders and then on two playlists folders (you should use relative path).

TauTau

  • Guest
Did iTunes update the "missing stuff" automatically somehow?

since I had (have) everything in iTunes match cloud, on the Laptop I could just sort by cloud status, and download the missing files
Quote
For the playlists I suggest you use a cloud service such as SugarSync that allows you to choose any folder and sync it between different computers (given that you have SugarSync running on both). You will just need to sync the folder where your playlists are located and you are done.

good idea... I have SugarSync running anyway on both computers for other stuff. My music library however would break my 100Gb Limit ;)

Quote
As for updating your music you may use a manual file sync/compare tool such as Beyond Compare (commercial tool but very efficient) to update any changes from you main computer's drive to your laptop through a network connection

sounds good... I'll check that out

bartelbee

  • Guest
Hi I'm looking for a little help with a similar issue. I started using MB about a week ago and have learned a ton through the forum and wiki. But I am having a hard time getting MB to work properly on different PC's. I'm keeping all my music, playlists, and podcasts on an external hard drive, while saving the MB library files locally on each PC. Whenever I switch PC's, MB recognizes the playlist but it can't find the songs (blue exclamation point). Then today for some reason MB wouldn't start ("Unable to access the MusicBee library path" error) and I had to completely re-install. Should I consider keeping the library files on the external too, as suggested below?

One way is to use an external HDD for all the music and keep the library, playlists, etc. all on the external.
Then MB sees it as one library between the both of them. Anything you do on one is immediately saved to the external which when hooked back up to the other computer displays the exact same thing.

This post (http://getmusicbee.com/forum/index.php?topic=12355.0) cautions against that, although I don't have a problem only running one instance at a time. Finally, would installing the Portable Application of MB on my external HD be helpful if I do go that route? I couldn't find a lot of info on the portable version.

Thanks in advance.

Alumni

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I am having a hard time getting MB to work properly on different PC's. I'm keeping all my music, playlists, and podcasts on an external hard drive, while saving the MB library files locally on each PC. Whenever I switch PC's, MB recognizes the playlist but it can't find the songs (blue exclamation point).

In Windows Explorer "map network drive" to your external HD, using the same drive letter of the PC that is connected to the HD.
Last Edit: May 26, 2014, 03:10:55 AM by Alumni

peterywong

  • Guest
You can always use BitTorrent Sync to sync your library. If they are on different locations on each computer you could make a symbolic link to fit the path problem.
This is how I am doing it, I have it synced across three computers.

TauTau

  • Guest
So, since my iTunes match library exceeded the 25k files limit, I'm definately switching. I will sync Playlists with SugarSync since I use that anyway. However, I have different paths on my Desktop PC and my DJing laptop, so I tried setting the feature "map base file paths in exported playlists" (Preferences/Library). I have set the playlists to auto-export, which they do, based o the file date. However, the base path within the m3u file seems unchanged. Anyone tried this feature? I just set in the "from" Option "D:\data\mp3\" (my desktop library path) and to "D:\itunes\Music" (the external disk on the laptop).

I hope necro-ing threads isn't a problem?

homertx

  • Guest
I've looked at several Synch tools and have settled on the fee version of Beyond Compare by Scotter Software. The software has been around for years and is very reliable. It can compare ASCII and Audio file content as well as Directory structures. It also can synch bi-directionally. Very solid tool.