Recently, I noticed (for the first time) a link to
this Apple article posted on several Mac sites:

How to recreate your iTunes Library

While it does show "how" (to recreate your iTunes Library), it does NOT
discuss why one would do this... nor enumerate the consequences either.

I did find one footnote in another KB doc:

iTunes 4 - How to backup and restore playlists
"Important: Some playlist information, such as
Play Count and Last Played date, is not preserved."

Sure, that I can dig. Some minor date information
goes away (like date added and date modified too).

HOWEVER... that's just the tip of the iceberg.

If anyone (such as myself) was laboring under the delusion that any
items from the "Options" panel of the song info window (such as EQ,
volume, start time, stop time, rating) were being stored inside the
song itself (the way lyrics and graphics are)... that is NOT the case.

If anyone (such as myself) has spent YEARS tweaking EQ settings,
volume levels, and start/stop times... so that a range of music (from
the 18th to the 21st century) can be played with some semblance of
balance (don't have to jump up and do any adjustments in real time),
then... ** take * care * to * protect * your * iTunes * Library files! **

Back them up six ways to Sunday (with a few old versions in reserve too),
lest those 'years of tweaking' vanish in the blink of an eye.  I repeat . . .
If one "recreates the iTunes Library" (whether for experimental or emergency
purposes), not only does some date info get cast into the abyss, but so does:

• All info pertaining to "Options"
  (volume, EQ preset, start time, stop time, rating, etc.)
   
• All custom playlist "View" preferences
  (columns for BPM, Equalizer, Grouping, etc.)
   
• The "wish-list" playlist (if you have one)

Also, any "Smart" playlists that refer to **other** playlists become stupid
all of a sudden. (Better hope YOU can remember which they were).
There are probably some other things that could be added to the list
of items lost after 're-creation'. (anyone know any? please post)

--

I wanted to point this out, because -- due to the fact that the "View"
options get defaulted -- the EQ settings no longer appear in a column
in playlists (you have to add it again). So... I didn't notice for a day or
two that all my EQ tweaked songs were back to zero.

What could have happened in that interim is: I could have overwritten
my backup Libraries... because everything "looked" fine (all playlists
had the right songs in them). Luckily, I happened to hear a particular
song and noticed that something was wrong. (it started too early)

All I'm saying is, if someone thinks those Libraries only hold "playlist"
info... if someone doesn't know they also store the data for EQ, volume,
and start/stop times... if someone recreates their Library and sees that
the songs "look" like they are all there... that someone could eventually
overwrite their backup Library, and then -- at some point later -- develop
a serious headache and an emotional heartbreak. Plus they'll still need
to go back and re-tweak a few thousand songs.

Fair warning from me,
(Apple could do more)



-HI-

BTW...

It does seem odd to me that Apple doesn't store that Options info in the song
(though I can see an argument when people are "sharing" a music collection).

But since that's the way it is, it then seems even odder that -- when importing
from a Library file -- the info pertaining to those Options would be omitted.

It's either a bug or a VERY poor design decision.



[ps - I'm using iTunes version 5.0.1 on OSX 10.4.2]