XP : multiusers same itunes library?

[mitticus]

If I move my iTunes library to a "common hard drive", can I point myself and other XP users on my machine to this library for common update? We are all using the same ipod in an office.

Will playlists be shared too?

Do I point iTunes in the different user logins to "iTunes" or "iTunes/iTunes Music".

Thanks for any advice.

[Code Monkey]

Different user accounts can use the same library but each account maintains their own playlists & ratings (since they are part of the iTunes.xml file unique to the user account's default music directory). What you have to do is when one user adds new music, the other people will have to rescan the library to get the new files added to their iTunes database (you can just add the whole iTunes library or the specific folder).


I did this for a while before buying my wife her own hard drive.

[mitticus]

I'm a little confused. Surely if I point everyone to "z:itunes\itunes music" then the XML file is the same? The XML catalog exists in the top level "itunes" directory doesn't it?

If I import/scan other libraries wont there be multiple copies of the same music?

[Code Monkey]

No, the .xml file is unique to each user, it is part of your "My Music/iTunes/ for windows. Each user has their own database pointing to the same physical files - if they don't delete the files, people can even have completely different subsets of files in their iTunes library by deleting the iTunes entry.

[Bearsfan]

Originally posted by Code Monkey
No, the .xml file is unique to each user, it is part of your "My Music/iTunes/ for windows. Each user has their own database pointing to the same physical files - if they don't delete the files, people can even have completely different subsets of files in their iTunes library by deleting the iTunes entry.

Ok...so, if I'm reading this correctly, then there is no way to replicate .xml files so they stay IDENTICAL across the board?

It'd be nice to just "hit a button" and all the ratings, playlists, etc. stay the same in my wife's XP profile as they do in mine. Last time I tried soemthing like this, I ended up almost running out of HD space, because folders were added/songs were duplicated. It took almost an hour then to delete dupe songs...

XP doesn't make this easy, I guess. I understand the "protection" and all that. I guess just having my wife log in as me is the only real way to avoid these problems...

[Code Monkey]

You're still not getting it: the iTunes.xml is just the database, it doesn't care where the files are. As far as each user account is concerned, when you open iTunes, it's treated as a completely different copy of iTunes, point it to the files by setting the library, let it database them, and you're done. Everything not in the tag itself is handled separately; it's rather painless.

[Bearsfan]

Originally posted by Code Monkey
You're still not getting it: the iTunes.xml is just the database, it doesn't care where the files are. As far as each user account is concerned, when you open iTunes, it's treated as a completely different copy of iTunes, point it to the files by setting the library, let it database them, and you're done. Everything not in the tag itself is handled separately; it's rather painless.

Thanks for your patience on this; I know I'm slow when it comes to this stuff, but I'm trying to learn.

So, if I open my wife's profile in XP, and point iTUnes to the .xml database in MY profile (xxxxx's Profile/My Documents/My Music), then when I add/delete stuff in iTunes she will be able to notice the adds/changes?

Oy. I feel so stupid asking these "duh" type questions, but I guess I'm a dunce sometimes.

Thanks for your help.