(no subject)

[listersgirl]

Hi, can I ask a stupid question?

Can you transfer playlists from one iTunes to another? Meaning one computer to another. Assuming they have the same songs.

I have no reason to actually need to know this at this point, except that I always think obsessively far into the future, and at some point within the next two years I'm probably going to have to get a new computer, and maybe I don't want to bother building complicated (but entertaining) playlists if they're going to disappear.

Comments

[listersgirl]

I feel better knowing that I'm not the only one wondering. :)

[pomma-penses.livejournal.com]

yes, there is a way to do it. I know this because it's in the book iTunes Hacks by the O'Reilly publishers. It might be iTunes & iPod Hacks. Can't remember. :)

[listersgirl]

Huh, interesting. Thanks!

[glitterboy1.livejournal.com]

I copied this from the iTunes help files:

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Exporting playlists to archive or use on another computer

You can export a playlist and import it on a different computer so you can have the same playlist in iTunes in both places. You can also export the playlist to save a copy of it.

When you export a playlist, you get a list of the songs in that playlist; the actual songs in the playlist are not exported.

* To archive a single playlist or use it in iTunes on another computer, select the playlist in the Source list, then choose File > Export Song List. Choose XML from the Format pop-up menu.

* To save a copy of all your playlists, choose File > Export Library. (The exported information is saved in XML format.)

* To import an iTunes playlist, choose File > Import. The imported playlist will show only songs located on the computer's hard disk or external media.
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I have to admit I've never tried doing this! But it sounds as though it should work.

If you've added lots of information to the items in your playlist, it seems that not all of those tags will be transferred in the export/import process (only Track, Album, Artist, Track Number, and Year will transfer). This page has information on methods for transferring all of the information.

[listersgirl]

Ack, I totally fell victim to the "ask before looking" virus that I always mock people for. Oops.

Thanks. :)

[glitterboy1.livejournal.com]

Oh, don't worry at all (and I certainly hadn't thought anything like that). Me, I fell victim to the 'try google before looking in the help pages' virus. :-)

[canirl.livejournal.com]

Actually a friend gave me a nifty little executable that lets you do exactly as you wish--copy all your songs, zip them up in a file, which you can then transfer via memory stick to another computer. It's on my work computer, but I will send it on.

[listersgirl]

Hey, sweet - thanks!