How to force itunes to build a new itl file

Question

How to force itunes to build a new itl file

How do I get iTunes/Music to create a new itl file?

My desktop is running OS 10.15.7 and I have my music and other media files stored on an external hard drive.

Mistakes were made probably over the course of years of moving the library between different external drives. I just now realized the magnitude of the problem and I ended up pulling files from old drives and folders manually to remove duplicates, get songs consolidated into the right albums and to get albums in the right categories (primarily in or out of the compilations folder). I made all of those changes with Music turned off.

Now that I've got things mostly straightened out I want Music to keep the files in those albums and categories rather than reorganizing them based on the old itl. I'd also like to have my Media files structured so that later on if I let Music reorganize the file I don't find a Music folder within my Music folder containing some albums and files. As it stands now I have a Media folder containing folders for Audiobooks, Home Videos, Music, Podcasts and TV Shows.

Thanks in advance!

iMac 27″, macOS 10.15

Posted on Jan 21, 2022 8:13 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

turingtest2

Level 10

274,222 points

Jan 21, 2022 8:25 AM in response to Southsiderpgh

See Use multiple libraries in Music on Mac - Apple Support. This should let you create a new Music Library.musiclibrary database in a folder of your choice. Catalina and later use Music, TV, Books, and Podcasts. Books and Podcasts set up hidden private data folders rather than using the content from the old iTunes Media folder. On a new system TV has its own database and media folder. By default the library folder would be called Music and holds a media folder called Media. Music will also, by default, create another Music folder inside this before you get to artist and then album folders. When it comes to moving the library around in future it is easiest to let the software work as it expects to, but I have a tweak for eliminating the second Music folder if you are determined.

See also Organizing audiobook chapters - Apple Community for advice on preparing audiobook files in Music before importing to Books.

tt2

Reply

Answer 2

Jan 21, 2022 8:55 AM in response to turingtest2

Oh tt2 I was so hopeful that you'd respond, thank you! I'm going to go through the article now but I do have one more question. I'd like to get the folders named and organized as the software wants it ahead of time. It sounds like I should have my folders organized as follows:

TV>Media

Music>Media>Music>(artist & album files)

Then I rely on the software to handle the audiobooks and Podcasts separately?

Reply

Answer 3

turingtest2

Level 10

274,222 points

Jan 21, 2022 9:32 AM in response to Southsiderpgh

First make sure that you don't have existing folders in the root of your external drive called Music or TV. You can then option-start-Music and TV respectively to create new empty libraries at <External>/Music and <External>/TV. You can then add content into those libraries by moving it into the respective media folders and using Add to Library, or moving the files into the respective Automatically Add to Music/TV folders that will be in their media folders.

It should be possible to add you existing Audiobook content into Books. Offhand I don't think Podcasts will let you import locally stored files. There's no menu for it and drag & drop doesn't appear to work.

tt2

Reply

How to force itunes to build a new itl file

Similar questions