Author Topic: Using MusicBee on multiple computers  (Read 28793 times)


garay

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OK, have followed all instructions, original file folder on PC 1 and copied folder on PC 2 both have the same number of files, but PC 1 has 4292 songs in library, PC 2 has only  3729, although they all have album art. I can see where there are a few missing without going through the whole list. I've rescanned several times, no change.

Eventually got playlists working. There ended up being about 10, out of over 4000 files, spread out through 15 playlists that had correct artwork and played. Took me a while but I discovered somehow those 10 ended up with different security settings in file properties. then took me a while longer but I worked out how to fix it. Still have a "no cover art" box at the start of each playlist with a varying amount of blue exclamation marks with no detail, totaling maybe 3 or 4 hundred over the 15 playlists. If I right click a blank line with a blue exclamation mark, and select edit, the details and album art are all there and correct. Click save, and detail and album art come up. Don't know whether to keep going manually or spend time trying to work out the cause and batch fix it.

Also still can't work out why I'm missing over 500 songs in library, even though both library file folders in both PC's are exactly the same.

Once this is all fixed then I have to sort out the sync between PC1 and 2, and the start on the laptop. Hope it gets easier!


Bee-liever

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Also check that the settings in Preferences>Tags (1)>artwork storage are the same for both PC's and also run Rescan Artwork accessed via 'Set Retrieval Filter...' button on same page.

EDIT:

I've rescanned several times, no change.

just want to be sure we are both talking about using this 'Rescan/ Add Files' screen
Last Edit: March 23, 2014, 12:13:47 PM by Bee-liever
MusicBee and my library - Making bee-utiful music together

garay

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Yes, have been running the rescan/add files with the correct boxes checked. Ran it twice. 1st time it came up with 5000 and something files, but ran manage duplicates and it went back to 3739, same as before. Ran it again and it went to 4124, after manage duplicates (there where some) back to 3739. Settings in artwork storage are same on both PC's. Good news is that I ran rescan artwork and now all playlists are OK. Now just have to retrieve 553 missing files. I don't know if this has any bearing on things, but, there are 11,701 files in music file library folders on both PC's, 4292 of which are actual MP3's. When I do a rescan/add files in 2nd PC, it searches 13893. I've looked for any difference between the missing files that are sitting in the library folder in PC2 and the same file sitting on PC1, nothing that I can see.

garay

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PS, the difference in numbers between files and actual MP3 files in library folder is due to all the album art files that windows media player adds every time you add a new MP3, plus one or two ini's, all hidden. I'll get rid of them once I get MB fully working.

garay

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Discovered another twist, some of the missing files from music library are showing up in some of the playlists, and play fine. Not all of them, but some. The playlists also show the correct number of files in each list, same as 1st PC, even though there are 553 missing. Might have to uninstall and start all over again.

I might try Redwings suggestion,

"Why don't use one music files folder, one library files folder, and access to them from each MB on your multiple PCs? If you have copies on each machine, how are you gonna keep them in sync whenever you make changes in tags or add, delete files?"

I've tried this option before and had problems, but I'll give it another go.

This is becoming very frustrating

garay

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If scampbll or anyone else reads this,

"This will only work if only ONE copy of MB is running at a time, otherwise you risk corrupting the library files.  Tags and such will be synced with each restart as long as they're saved in the files.  However, having a central playlist folder is probably a good idea, else you'll have to make changes independently on each machine.  [Edit: Ha, I see this is redundant]"

What is actually redundant?

psychoadept

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Oh, I just saw your edit to the previous post after I'd made my post.  So I was repeating what you already knew.

I don't think deleting everything and starting from scratch is going to help at this point.  If you're going to solve the problem, it will probably involve looking very closely at what's going on.  For instance, check the path of a file from your first installation.  Then find the same track from the second PC (or where it thinks it is).  If you're getting duplicate files, compare those file paths.  You might be able to use the Remap Folders command to solve part of the problem.  If the files aren't showing up in the playlists, but you can find them using Windows Explorer, then you can probably fix the playlists by hand, copying and replacing the part of the file path that is different (you can do this with search & replace, you don't have to do it line by line).

I went through a lot of the same steps when restoring my library after my hard drive crashed, so I understand how frustrating it can be.  :)
Last Edit: March 24, 2014, 06:29:29 AM by scampbll
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garay

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I don't want to start from scratch unless I have to. I just did another rescan/add files, this time I pointed MB to the MP3 library folder on 1st PC instead of the library folder on 2nd PC. It picked up another 136 files, still 417 short after removing duplicates. I agree with what you're saying about looking very closely at whats going on, which is what I'm doing, but it doesn't make sense that every time I rescan the library folder I get different results, and now after rescanning the original folder on 1st PC I get an extra 136 files, I haven't changed anything. I think I might have to add the remaining 417 by hand, and then start slowly adding more files to my library folder in 1st PC and take it from there.
What's your opinion on running MB on multiple PC's, set MB up individually on each PC and use a synch program to update all folders, or have MB access a central folder on 1st PC. I definitely only need to run MB one at a time.

psychoadept

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Since you're on a network, if you REALLY only ever want to run one instance at a time, then the easiest thing would be to install MusicBee portable in a location that can be accessed from all computers.  Then you don't have to install it more than once at all.
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Bee-liever

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Before restarting from scratch,  here's a checklist to run through:
  • PC1 and PC2 are both running the same version of MusicBee.
  • you have copied all available items (for your MB installation) in the following app data list from PC1 to PC2.
  • Folder: Filters
  • Folder: Saved Settings
  • File: Banned Pictures.dat
  • File: CustomTagConfig.xml
  • File: GenreMapping.xml
  • File: MusicBeeSettings.ini
  • File: OrganisationPresets.dat
  • File: Saved SoundtrackMappings.dat
  • you have copied all the contents of the following MB Library folders from PC1 to PC2.
  • Folder: Playlists
  • Folder: Podcasts
  • Folder: Radio
  • you have have run Rescan/ Add Files making sure these options are checked.
  • re-scan files already in the library
  • include playlists
  • add to the library
  • you have rescanned the Artwork files.
MusicBee and my library - Making bee-utiful music together

garay

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Just achieved a bit of a breakthrough. After dragging 2 missing files into the MB inbox and then adding to the library, I tried dragging the entire MP3 music library folder into MB inbox. Then selected all and added to library, then ran manage duplicates. Now have only 13 missing!

I do take my laptop overseas once a year for a few months so it would be good to have MB standalone on that.
Also I have all my music on a NAS drive connected to a media center inside the house, so as I don't have to have my main PC in the office, which is detached from the house and has the modem/router connected to it, running when I want to listen to it.
How I work all this, is that I add and organise all music through my main office computer, (easiest and fastest and I don't disturb anyone) then I synch it when I've made enough changes, to the laptop and media center.
I also have another PC in my office that I just use for downloading, burning, video editing etc, and connected to an amp and speakers for a bit of volume when I need it in the office or outside, it also has a turntable attached. That accessed the windows media player library through the network.

So you can see I've made it hard for myself by deciding to ditch MS MP and go for MB.
I think I'll persevere with individual installations on each PC and go with the synch program. It'll probably take a while, but should get easier with each one.

I really appreciate everyone's comments and suggestions, you've definitely helped. I'll keep posting as I go along if that's not a problem in the forum, hopefully it might help someone else out there trying the same thing.

garay

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Bee-liever, just read your post on restarting from scratch, great, that will come in handy when installing MB on laptop and media center. I've been getting bits of info from posts, wicki and google, trying to understand them and tie them all in. What you've posted is exactly what I can follow and understand, well done.

garay

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Both librarys the same now. I started to try and compare MB libraries on both PC screens to find the final missing 13, then had a brainwave and ran manage duplicates on 1st PC, even though there should've been no duplicates, it found 13!
So, dragging the library folder into the inbox was more successful in replacing missing files than rescanning both 1st and 2nd PC library folders over and over. There's still 5 missing files in playlists, but out of 4279, that's not bad, they'll be easy to find another day.
Next step now is to add new files to library in 1st PC and then synch folder and playlists to 2nd PC.

To be advised  :)

garay

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Have started adding new files to existing sub folders and also adding new subfolders ( I have a subfolder for each artist) to my music library folder.
Used AJC Sync to synchronise My Music folder and MB playlists folder from 1st PC to 2nd PC. Works perfectly.