Song files live where they live. In a folder, and existing iTunes/Serato library, or what not
When you analyze a track, the new meta-data for Engine Prime is put into a database (in your user folder)
When exporting to an external media (SD Card, USB stick), the files get exported, along with either a database file or sidecar file (I admit, I haven’t checked to see which of these it’s using)
All that is fine, but what if we want to move Engine Prime analyzed files to say, a different machine? Is there a way to do this?
I’d think the association between the track file and it’s location may become disassociated if the paths are altered. Or, imagine if you want to move an Engine Prime library from a Mac to a Windows PC.
Is there a way to do this currently?
In the future, it would be great if there was say, and “export” feature which just dumped the track files and all relevant metadata to a folder, then you could move this to a different machine and “import” it.
There’s still the complication of where the files actually live… One thing I like about iTunes is you drag a file into it, and it copies it into your iTunes folder in an organized fashion.
I just decided to move from using my Windows 10 machine to using a MacBook Pro. My tracks are managed in iTunes. I’ve moved iTunes libraries around between platforms in the past, so I knew that would work “OK”. I just copied the iTunes folder from my Music folder to the Mac, and it worked fine.
What I was happily surprised to find was that I also just copied the “Engine Library” folder from the Windows PC over to my Mac, and voila!, Engine Prime “Just Worked”.
Engine Prime found the tracks, all my hot cues and loops are intact. Kudos to the developers for handling the file paths in a sane manner!
Now, I’d still like to be able to analyze files on one machine, export them with the appropriate meta-data, and import them to another machines Engine Prime library. I use multiple machines, so it would be great to be able to use whichever machine I have handy and merge them in later.
This has been driving me crazy, I have not been happy at all with the prime software and its organisation, its like going back to the dark ages in terms of what we are used to with DJ software and Rekordbox, basically all I wanted to do was run all from one external hard drive,but after a short while Engine prime would no longer recognise my external drive (Exfat), so I had to go over to using my PC hard drive and that in itself has caused its own timely issues in its rather measly handling of library and database/file organisation/transfer , I want everything in one logical place and that being an external drive that is not bound to having to be recognised by engine ? How do I go about sorting this manually, moving all the needed data to my external drive that is not being recognised as a suitable device in engine prime ? and is this a way if any, has this been confirmed as I don’t fancy messing everything
You’re doing the right thing by moving everything to one external drive for moving between computers.
Engine stores all relevant meta tag data on the same drive that the song exists on, so a collection on a removable drive will have all it’s meta tag data as well as crates travel with it to any computer plugged in.
The unusual thing is why your particular drive is seen initially by Windows and Engine, but not after “a short while”.
Could you let me know what period the “short while” is e.g.: Do you mean “it worked for a few weeks, but then…” or do you mean "it works for 20 mins, then … "?
Also, could you advise the make and model of the drive and whether its powered (from mains) or usb powered, or usb powered with a USB Y-adaptor etc.
about 5 days, I did not use it a lot as at that time I had all my music on my PC hard drive and I thought I would just use it to build up all my sets and keep all on one drive, although I had 3 USB sticks also with different genre I started to use before hand, but I did not like all the messing about so I setup my external drive and it seemed fine, it showed up, although I did not have it connected all the time but intended too, and on one of the occasions I connected it before starting my PC and then when opening engine it was not longer recognised as a usb/drive in Engine.
I was quite confused about where data was stored, but now you tell me its all on the collection drive then that is better for me, I did see a engine library folder on my external drive but I was dubious as I got caught out with some DJ software once and lost all my hotcues etc, .
But so far so good at present I have started over again and transferred my collection from PC to external drive, and over the next few day I will start to add hotcues etc, I would have copied the engine library folder from my PC to external drive but I have also Rearranged my collection tracks into a different folder layout (Sub categories ) so I presumed it would not find the engine library track data. But now so far so good.
Presuming if I want to back up my engine library and track collection I can now just copy all on my external drive to a secondary external back up drive and that would just play as if it was the original external drive Yes? and no need to worry about having to move any files/folders from my Pc, its all just on that Engine library with the collection ? .