Options: Selecting Alternate iPhoto and iTunes Libraries

January 6th, 2008 at 2:00 PM - Tips by Jeff Gamet

Appleis iPhoto and iTunes applications keep track of your pictures and music in their own folder systems called Libraries: One library per app. If you need to keep your pics and tunes stored in multiple Libraries, however, you can -- it just takes an extra step or two.

iPhoto and iTunes each offer a hidden way to switch between Libraries thanks to your keyboardis Option key. Just hold down the Option while launching either application displays a dialog asking for the location of the Library you want to use.

The upside is that this feature is built in and ready to go without any extra effort on your part. The downside is that you have to relaunch iPhoto or iTunes every time you want to switch Libraries.

It can get confusing if yo have several iPhoto Libraries to manage, which makes applications like Rick Neilis iPhoto Buddy useful. This cool little app keeps track of multiple Libraries and handles the iPhoto quit/restart process for you. iPhoto Buddy is free, and making a donation will help keep it that way.

For iTunes users, Doug Adamsis US$10 iTunes Library Manager lets you work with multiple music Libraries each with their own unique iTunes preferences settings. Fair warning: The iTunes Library Manager Web site states that the application in not compatible with the built-in multiple library feature in iTunes 7. That means you shouldnit use the Option key startup trick with iTunes if you also plan on using iTunes Library Manager.

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