Library Manager: Difference between revisions

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* You might want to keep your audio, images, and video separated from each other so you could create a separate library for each.
* You might want to keep your audio, images, and video separated from each other so you could create a separate library for each.


'''To open the Library Manager:'''
=== Finding the Library Manager ===
* In the Tree, go to <span style="color:#006400">Playing Now > Playing from <Current Library's Name></span>
* In the Tree, go to <span style="color:#006400">Playing Now > Playing from <Current Library's Name></span>


[[Image:MC19-Library_Manager.png|thumb|none|600px|The Media Center 19 Library Manager is found under Playing Now in the Tree.]]
[[Image:MC19-Library_Manager.png|thumb|none|700px|The Media Center 19 Library Manager is found under Playing Now in the Tree.]]

'''User Tip:''' Create an empty library with all of your custom fields and View Schemes and column settings. Name it something like "Template". Whenever you create a new library, clone this one so that every library has all of your customization.


Also see [[Advanced Import Options]] for information about updating existing libraries and fixing broken links.
Also see [[Advanced Import Options]] for information about updating existing libraries and fixing broken links.


==Adding a Library==
=== Adding a Library ===

# Select "Add".
# Click ''Add Library''.
# In the Name field, give the new library a name.
# In the ''Name'' field, give the new library a name.
# In the Location field, type in the name of the folder where you want to create your new library, or browse to a folder using by clicking on the "…" button to the right. You can type in a new folder name and when you click on "OK" the folder is created.
# Select a Library Type:
# In the Clone from field, select the library using the available drop down list if you want your new library to be a copy of an existing one.
## Library Server: This is used to access the Media Server of another copy of MC running on the network. Enter the remote server's Access Key or network address.
## Local Library: This is used to create a new Library on a local disk. Please remember that MC performs best with its Library on a fast disk (slow external and network drives are not recommended).

=== Loading a Library ===

To Load a Library Using the Library Manager:

# Select the Library you'd like from the ones available under the Library Manager in the Tree.
# Click the Load Library button on the right.

To Load a Library Via The Command Line:

Run the Media Center launcher utility with the following [[The_Command_Line|command line parameters]]:

<tt>MC<current version>.exe /Library <library name></tt>

For example

<tt>mc19.exe /Library "Only ABBA Library"</tt>

=== Modifying Existing Libraries ===


With an existing Library selected, you can also:
===Example===
You might want to keep your French music separate from your English music. Create one library for each.


* Rename them.
To create them, you might want to clone your present library, and then remove all French songs from one of them and call it "English". You can then repeat these steps by removing all English songs and calling the new library "French". In this way, you keep all Playlist information and View customizations in both libraries.
* Clone them to create a new copy of the Library.


==Editing a Library==
=== Active Library Tools ===
The Name or Location field can be changed by selecting the library from the list, then clicking Edit.


When the currently active Library is selected, there are additional tools available:
==Deleting a Library==
A library can be removed from the list of libraries by selecting the library from the list, then clicking Delete.
The library files are not removed, the library is just taken off the list of libraries that Media Center knows about.


* [[Backup_Library|Back Up the current Library]] to a ZIP file on disk.
==Loading a Library==
* [[Restore_a_library|Restore (overwrite) this Library]] with a previous backup.
To load a different library, select it from the list and then click Load.


* Import: opens the Media Import dialog
* Library Options: opens Options > Library & Folders
* Clear Library: resets the Library back to the defaults
* Sync Library: Allows you to sync this local library with one served by another copy of Media Center on the network.
* Export to XML: Exports the Library to an XML File


[[Category:Frequently Asked Questions]]
[[Category:Frequently Asked Questions]]

Revision as of 04:52, 17 January 2014

The Library Manger allows the user to create and maintain multiple, independent Libraries (databases). This can be useful in a multiple user environment, or when a specialized library is needed. Here are some of the ways that multiple libraries can be used:

  • You can create a library for each member of the house. Members import only those files they like. They can also rate their music in their own way. You may want to disable tag updating in this scenario.
  • You can create a library for Party Music. When your friends come over, they see the music they are supposed to see (and your collection of Engelbert Humperdinck albums remains your secret!). See Party Mode and Access Control for a different way of doing this.
  • On a laptop that you use both at home and on the go, you could have two libraries: one for home use accessing a network drive containing the losslessly compressed content, and one containing smaller (lossy compressed) content for travel.
  • You might want to keep your audio, images, and video separated from each other so you could create a separate library for each.

Finding the Library Manager

  • In the Tree, go to Playing Now > Playing from <Current Library's Name>
Error creating thumbnail: File missing
The Media Center 19 Library Manager is found under Playing Now in the Tree.

Also see Advanced Import Options for information about updating existing libraries and fixing broken links.

Adding a Library

  1. Click Add Library.
  2. In the Name field, give the new library a name.
  3. Select a Library Type:
    1. Library Server: This is used to access the Media Server of another copy of MC running on the network. Enter the remote server's Access Key or network address.
    2. Local Library: This is used to create a new Library on a local disk. Please remember that MC performs best with its Library on a fast disk (slow external and network drives are not recommended).

Loading a Library

To Load a Library Using the Library Manager:

  1. Select the Library you'd like from the ones available under the Library Manager in the Tree.
  2. Click the Load Library button on the right.

To Load a Library Via The Command Line:

Run the Media Center launcher utility with the following command line parameters:

MC<current version>.exe /Library <library name>

For example

mc19.exe /Library "Only ABBA Library"

Modifying Existing Libraries

With an existing Library selected, you can also:

  • Rename them.
  • Clone them to create a new copy of the Library.

Active Library Tools

When the currently active Library is selected, there are additional tools available:

  • Import: opens the Media Import dialog
  • Library Options: opens Options > Library & Folders
  • Clear Library: resets the Library back to the defaults
  • Sync Library: Allows you to sync this local library with one served by another copy of Media Center on the network.
  • Export to XML: Exports the Library to an XML File