Multiple Libraries?

[ZvezdanD]

I'm open to suggestions on solutions.

You don't need to invent a wheel, it is enough to see how other media organizers have that realized. There are two main things which such applications have already implement:
1. Open Database -> a possibility to open the specified database, it should replace the current one from the memory, in same way as you open a document in some application which allows work with single document, e.g. Notepad; I bet that implementation of this could be very easy;

2. Import/Export Database -> this is a possibility to import/export some tracks (according to some specified filter, not necessarily related to the current Collection) and/or some other data (Playhistory, Playlists, ...) between some external database and the current (opened) one; it is not big deal either, even my Restore Playhistory/Date Added/Playlists has part of that;

There is one thing which I haven't seen so far in some media organizer (I haven't tested them recently):
3. Open Database into new Tab -> a possibility to open multiple databases in the same time and work with them simultaneously as you work with several documents in e.g. Word; well, this is the hardest one.

I need the first option, but I suppose that there are many users wanting the second and third options either. So, if you want to make a poll, it could contain this:
- I want an option to open specified database instead of the current (default) one;
- I want an option to import/export tracks and/or data from/to specified database;
- I want an option to open several databases in the same time;
- I don't want to see such options implemented because... (please specify a reason in the thread).

However, I don't know what is a point of the new polls if you don't even consider the existing ones. Here is the poll "Ability to show all Tabs Toolbar even only single Tab is used". Have you implemented the solution with the largest number of votes? No, you implemented a solution with the smallest number of votes instead.

[Dussault]

I use MediaMonkey on a laptop. When I am at home, I have an external hard drive; when I am at school, I have a backup external; and when I am elsewhere, I have my internal. I have a filter so that I can switch between viewing external or internal files. My laptop does not handle MM so well, at least with this database (4gb ram, i3 processor). I suspect that if I would switch in between databases, rather than use a filter system, things might be significantly faster: my database has 1.6TB of files though sometimes -- when at friends', for example -- I only use the 350GB or so on my laptop.

Cheers

[Lowlander]

You might want to try maintaining your database and defragmenting it, that can help. Otherwise use Onkel_Enno's database switcher script or the ini file switching method to switch between databases.

[zephyr]

Does anyone have a copy of this anywhere they can share?

Presume it still works (MM4.x)?

thank you.

[jnelson2]

The root of this thread has a small executable called "select library" written by onkel_enno (his first reference is halfway through the following thread page link: http://www.mediamonkey.com/forum/viewto ... 7&start=15 )... You keep mutliple MM Database files, each of which can reference and organize different libraries (in my case, based on different locations on various external drives), so that each can be handled individually. This woks for me better than filters..for others filters seems to work better.
The "select library" is simply an executable that you start MM with.....you specify which database you want to use, and then the MM.exe opens properly, using the chosen database.

Last time I tried to use this with Version 4_x however, it did not work. I am still using Version 3 happily, to facilitate this feature. Have been since 2007. Perhaps a newer version 4_x -compatible has been written...not sure.

Kudos to onkel_enno again for his help.

His links in the above thread offered at one point a download link for the file, and a quick description of how to implement it (simple).

[Lowlander]

You can use the command line /inifile switch: http://www.mediamonkey.com/support/inde ... ticleid=45 where each ini file points to a different DB: http://www.mediamonkey.com/support/inde ... ticleid=46

You can also use Collections as different Libraries.

[wellfooled]

It absolutely amazes me that people have been requesting the ability to use multiple libraries or multiple databases in MM since at least 2005, and yet nothing has happened. And equally amazing is that despite people trying repeatedly to tell others that the don't need multiple libraries or databases, we still ask for the ability. And nothing happens.

So, can someone point me to a MM alternative that does support multiple libraries or databases, since I for one DO want that capability, and I'm tired of waiting for MediaMonkey to do something about it?

[dtsig]

You can use the command line /inifile switch: http://www.mediamonkey.com/support/inde ... ticleid=45 where each ini file points to a different DB: http://www.mediamonkey.com/support/inde ... ticleid=46

You can also use Collections as different Libraries.

But of course that means you have to EXIT MMW and start again. Why not simply have a 'open/close' library function. More 20th century though not quite 21st

[dtsig]

It absolutely amazes me that people have been requesting the ability to use multiple libraries or multiple databases in MM since at least 2005, and yet nothing has happened. And equally amazing is that despite people trying repeatedly to tell others that the don't need multiple libraries or databases, we still ask for the ability. And nothing happens.

So, can someone point me to a MM alternative that does support multiple libraries or databases, since I for one DO want that capability, and I'm tired of waiting for MediaMonkey to do something about it?

Well, of course, taking your ball and going home is your prerogative. Although there are several enhancements, features and FIXES I would love to see implemented most have been asked for before, a long time ago like this one, but having looked for quite a while before settling on MM I think i am right in saying that there is nothing out there with the promise that MM has. Just keep pitching the ideas and wade through the mods say NO and some of them might be picked up by developers. The problem is that there are *ways* to do most anything in MM and those that have been using those *workarounds*, back doors or ... , simply have been using them so long it seems like the best way. But it continues to grow and some features go get updated. I really dont think you will find anything as good as MM out there.

[wellfooled]

It absolutely amazes me that people have been requesting the ability to use multiple libraries or multiple databases in MM since at least 2005, and yet nothing has happened. And equally amazing is that despite people trying repeatedly to tell others that the don't need multiple libraries or databases, we still ask for the ability. And nothing happens.

So, can someone point me to a MM alternative that does support multiple libraries or databases, since I for one DO want that capability, and I'm tired of waiting for MediaMonkey to do something about it?

Well, of course, taking your ball and going home is your prerogative. Although there are several enhancements, features and FIXES I would love to see implemented most have been asked for before, a long time ago like this one, but having looked for quite a while before settling on MM I think i am right in saying that there is nothing out there with the promise that MM has. Just keep pitching the ideas and wade through the mods say NO and some of them might be picked up by developers. The problem is that there are *ways* to do most anything in MM and those that have been using those *workarounds*, back doors or ... , simply have been using them so long it seems like the best way. But it continues to grow and some features go get updated. I really dont think you will find anything as good as MM out there.

dtsig,
I couldn't agree with you more, and really don't want to use anything else. But the lack of being able to manage/control more than one DB is fast becoming a deal breaker for me. Yeah, I'll probably hang in there for a while, but if something comes along that does even 75-80 percent of MM, and can handle multiple DBs, and I'm going to look very hard. And I've been a Gold member since the revolution

[tbessie]

I found 2 or 3 old threads here asking why there was no ability to close one database and open another one, while MediaMonkey was open.

Though I didn't check EVERY response in the 14 pages of one thread, I didn't see anybody saying that it was a feature that would be implemented, or saying why it wouldn't be implemented.

Does anyone know what the latest is on this? It seems like a no-brainer to me (the only problem is internal consistency of the ini file, but the ini file doesn't need to change, it only needs to contain the initially opened database, or perhaps it could contain all valid databases and users could switch between them).

I have separate collections that I don't want to "pollute" by being in the same database, as there is much overlap and different sets of file types, and I want to manage them in completely separate "worlds" as it were.

And yes, I know I can exit MediaMonkey and restart it with a flag pointing at the ini file of my choice. But that doesn't seem like the best solution.

- Tim

[Lowlander]

Unlikely as Collections is the Developers solution for multiple Libraries.

[Guest]

Of course, the solution is to have multiple portable installations, whereby each deals with one DB.

e.g. 8 portable installations = 8 DB's

After all there is the option to have more than one instance running at the same time.

Kevin

[Teduardo Martinique]

There may be a real simple, yet elegant way to do this.

If you select "File | Manage Collections" the Options screen opens with the "Edit Media Tree" pane on the right side.

Then click "<Add New Collection...>" at the bottom of the list to create a class for each library you wish to have.

In my database I set up two I called "FLAC Archives" and "Mobile Music Library"

If I select either of these and click the Edit icon at the bottom of the pane a "Collection Options" screen opens.

On the Criteria tab you can set up what to select in your database. I selected ...
Match: All
Extension equals flac (FLAC Archives)
or
Extension equals mp3 (Mobile Music Library)

This appears to be a good way to go. I don't have a problem with multiple libraries sharing a single database.

I believe the developers are wise in their decision to not embrace every request for a change that comes along. It is better to focus on a stable program free of bugs than one constantly introducing unwarranted features along with the bugs that can occur.

What a Stable and Marvelous program this is!

Outstanding!!

[sickingm]

I began looking at this thread thinking that I need multiple databases, but upon further consideration, maybe I'm seeking a solution that is more than I need. I think of my collection as two separate entities: one for music, one for audiobooks, and I have several dozen thousand tracks in each library. Using the Manage Collections capabilities works great for me, except for one thing: I'm a bit lazy.

See, when I rip an audiobook, we're probably talking about 12 cds of 15 or so tracks, each of which needs to be appropriately tagged. I've got the process down now to a fairly fast pace. But I can considerably reduce my typing time if I could enter the tag values for the audiobooks (artist, album title, album artist) faster - say, by simply entering the first letter of the tag value.

For instance, if I want to enter "Stephen King" into the artist field and if I have no other artists yet in the db beginning with the letter S, MM will complete the tag entry for me. (Of course, I did need to type the full artist name in the very first time.) But with all of those existing books and audiobooks in the library, I have lots of artists beginning with the letter S, so MM, trying to be helpful, suggests Sam & Dave, and Santana, and Sandra Brown and Sharyn McCrumb, and ... before also displaying Stephen King.

So is there any way just to empty the quick fill list of artists and albums? (My workaround has been to delete all entries in the database before ripping and then read them all back in (takes about 20 minutes) afterwards. This is why I thought having a separate dd would help. I'd keep everything in one huge db, but have a second, empty one, that I could use for ripping. I'd then delete those entries after ripping, and read the ripped fields into the master