Same iTunes Library on Windows and Mac OS

Xenoxide · 10 Sep 2009 at 18:23

Hey, I have my music library on an external hard disk. Does anyone know if it's possible to point both iTunes on Mac OS and on Windows to the same library file so that if you update one client the other will also see the changes?

I'd imagine not, as file paths are different on the two OS's and the like, but I was just wondering.

Cybertronic · 10 Sep 2009 at 20:26

Unable to share iTunes library on Mac partition with Windows partition

Almost an identical topic to yours which was not solved at the time it was posted

However with the introduction of a new feature in iTunes 9 called "Home Sharing", it might be a solution to this problem. That is, if iTunes sees different operating systems as different computers. I haven't tried it myself yet and I suspect that it may not work for those who have not purchased their music off the iTunes Store

Edit: The Home Sharing solution involves having a duplicate library so it's probably not a good solution after all

Vonhelmet · 10 Sep 2009 at 21:26

I think you can probably do it, though I couldn't tell you how. There could be a minor issue with the fact that, as I recall, the library files have different extensions in os x and windows, but that should be easily solved by an alias in os x. The more serious issue would be how the filepaths to the music files in the library file are listed ie whether they're absolute or relative. If they're absolute, then you're stuck as the absolute filepaths will differ from one os to the other. If they're relative, then so long as the library files are on the same drive as the music files, you're fine.

So... Put the music files and library file on the external drive. Set it up in windows and get it working. In os x, use aliases to point from your home drive to the external drive. That's probably your best shot.

TheCybermonkey · 11 Sep 2009 at 13:09

Could you somehow use this function to keep both up to date?

http://lifehacker.com/5356619/itunes-finally-adds-watched-folder-to-automatically-add-new-music

*EDIT*
Actualy, think that this just pulls it across to your library rather than leaving it in the folder and just displaying it in iTunes.

Spyhop · 11 Sep 2009 at 13:18

vonhelmet said:
If they're absolute, then you're stuck as the absolute filepaths will differ from one os to the other.

You could make a small "launcher" program/script that whizzed through the XML file and flipped the absolute path styles and then launched iTunes. Pretty hacky though!