[Spyro]

I don't understand what I am reading about holding down "option" button?  I have no option button or choice as tabs?
 
I transferred my entire library to an external hard drive as a back-up.  I now realize I have tons of duplicates and triplicates songs.  I know how to get rid of those but how do I get what's on the hard drive BACK onto my computer Itunes library?  What will happen with the established folders?   Should I delete the folders before transferring the music back to the computer  and then drop and drag everything, like starting over?
 
I thought this was a common thing but can't seem to find easy instructions online.  I am NOT tech saavy so please be descriptive in instructions.
 
Thank you for your help!!

 

[themouse]

I can answer your first question. The Mac keyboard has an Option key. If you had different iTunes libraries you could hold that Option key down and then click to open iTunes. Instead of seeing your familiar window, you'd see a dialogue box. And in that box there are Tabs to select. It allows you to navigate your computer setup, including external drives, to open the iTunes Library of choice.
 
I have so much music on my drive it's way over the capacity of iTunes to be running swiftly. I separated all the opera recordings out of the main library. That reduced the main library and it is a separate enough category for me. Option Open of iTunes will allow me to view and play the contents of each library separately.
 
The thing to master in iTunes is understanding that the word "Library". The actual Library file is what iTunes is referring to when it asks you to select a Library. It is one file that is, I think, .xml. It is the data that iTunes shows you relating to all the music you have saved. Inside that Library file you must assign a physical 'Library' so that when you press to Play an item in the iTunes window, there is a link to the actual music file wherever it may be.