Updating library: How not to lose playcount/rating info?

Setup:

• iTunes account shared by family members.


• One Mac mini connected to NAS drive is the single "administrator" of the library. In other words, everyone uses the mini to add songs to library. This iTunes is set to maintain/update library.


• All other computers/iTunes are set to not update their libraries. They all point to the iTunes library on the NAS and use the "Add to Library" command when they want to update their song list.

My iTunes is on my MBP. I use my iPod classic much more than iTunes to listen/rate music. When I plug my iPod into the MBP, it updates my ratings and playcounts when I sync.



This setup has worked well for me for years -- except in the following situation:



I'm starting to clean up the library on the Mini, doing things like fixing tags, consolidating Genres, etc. Of course, the Mini has no problem with this, the problem is when I want to sync the NAS library with the remote iTunes...



If I "Add to Library", the songs on the remote iTunes don't update. The song file is still the same, only the MP3 tags have been updated, and apparently, just doing that doesn't trigger an update in the remote iTunes.



I could delete the songs from the remote iTunes and reload everything. It doesn't take that long and everything would be updated/current, but I would lose all my playcounts and ratings.



Hopefully all that is clear enough!



So the question is...



Is there a way to update my remote iTunes list of songs to get the new/updated MP3 tags without losing my playcounts/ratings?

via iLounge Forums http://forums.ilounge.com/itunes-related-mac-pc-applications/278308-updating-library-how-not-lose-playcount-rating-info.html