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+--- Thread: MobileSheets on 2 devices, different path to audio files (/thread-12945.html)
MobileSheets on 2 devices, different path to audio files - Blumi - 02-27-2025
I installed MobileSheets Pro on my smartphone (meant to be an emergency backup of my tablet) and restored the most recent backup (database and settings) from my tablet.
Audio files are not copied to the MS directory as per settings.
For some reason the restored version on my smartphone expects audio files to be located in the MobileSheets directory, eventhough the settings are identical to those of my tablet ('copy audio files' = 'off')
MS directory on the smartphone (device02) is: /storage/6434-3134/Android/data/com.zubersoft.mobilesheetspro/files
Example:
- Audio file on device 01:
/storage/0000-0000/Music/AC-DC/Back in Black/06 - Back in Black.mp3
Displayed path to audio on device 02 (with error message: file not found)
/storage/6434-3134/Android/data/com.zubersoft.mobilesheetspro/files/Back in Black/06 - Back in Black.mp3
the correct path is:
/storage/6434-3134/Music/AC-DC/Back in Black/06 - Back in Black.mp3
Unfortunately, the path to the associated audio files is different on the smartphone. So even if the app would consider the settings, the path would still be invalid, - I am aware of this.
But the path to audio files on device 01 and device 02 only differs at the second position: /storage/0000-0000/... vs. /storage/6434-3134/...
I was hoping for some 'magic' option to supply the root directory of audio files on device 02
Is there a way to fix this issue without editing each and every song?
Thanks and kind regards
Blumi
Mobilesheets Pro versions installed
device 01: 3.9.7
device 02: 3.9.11
RE: MobileSheets on 2 devices, different path to audio files - Zubersoft - 02-28-2025
When SD cards are used, it's not possible to restore files to their original location, as the SD card can be mounted under a different path on every device (as you have mentioned). If you want to maintain the original file path, I would instead suggest using the library synchronization feature and use the folder mapping feature to map file paths from one device to the desired file path on the other device (this is covered in the tutorial video on library synchronization: https://youtu.be/85EzubSZsZ8).
So in short, synchronize your tablet to your phone with your tablet as the server, the phone as the client, set the sync type to "Update Client", and then tap the folder mapping option and create a folder mapping entry on the tablet named "Audio" with value "/storage/0000-0000/Music" (without the quotes of course), then on the phone, create "Audio" with a value of "/storage/6434-3134/Music".
That would ensure any file path from the tablet that starts with /storage/0000-0000/Music is converted to /storage/6434-3134/Music on the phone. In order for this to work, you must have granted MobileSheets permission to access the SD card on the phone, either by changing the storage location or by using the "Set SD card" option in the overflow menu.
Mike
RE: MobileSheets on 2 devices, different path to audio files - Blumi - 02-28-2025
(02-28-2025, 05:17 AM)Zubersoft Wrote: [...] I would instead suggest using the library synchronization feature and use the folder mapping feature to map file paths from one device to the desired file path on the other device (this is covered in the tutorial video on library synchronization: https://youtu.be/85EzubSZsZ8).Thanks a million, Mike. You are my personal hero!
I just love Mobile Sheets (Pro) and I was convinced that there will be a solution to my problem.
Your solution proposal reaffirms my conviction that MobileSheets is the best app in this application area.
RE: MobileSheets on 2 devices, different path to audio files - Zubersoft - 02-28-2025
I'm always happy to help!
Mike
RE: MobileSheets on 2 devices, different path to audio files - Blumi - 03-02-2025
I'd like to describe my findings regarding the synchronization while using the folder mapping feature for (external) audio files
Hint: it didn't quite work as expected
First off, I made sure to run the most recent app version on both server and client device and on the client side I did a clean install before the synchronization.
In the first run the app transferred the audio files physically and stored them inside the mobilesheets directory ( /storage/6434-3134/Android/data/com.zubersoft.mobilesheetspro/files), eventhough I had maintained the folder mapping as suggested by Mike above
Server side "Audio" with value "/storage/0000-0000/Music" (without the quotes!)
Client side "Audio" with value "/storage/6434-3134/Music"
Then I cleared the database on the client device in order to give it a second try:
Now I chose option 'Audio Files: Sync changes but do not transfer files' on the server side.
This time no audio files got transferred but also no mapping of the folder path was carried out. Path to audio files on the client is shown as "/storage/0000-0000/Music" for all songs, which is invalid.
Anyway, I found a workaround:
using the function 'Settings -> Other Settings - Fix Broken File Paths' I was able to replace all occurrencies of "/storage/0000-0000/Music" by "/storage/ 6434-3134 /Music" in the database on client side.
So by now everything works fine. But I am afraid that next time when sync'ing new songs the path mapping for audio files still won't work.
What am I doing wrong?
RE: MobileSheets on 2 devices, different path to audio files - Zubersoft - 03-02-2025
MobileSheets most likely did not have access to /storage/6434-3134/Music during the sync, as it's outside the storage location. If you set the storage location to /storage/6434-3134/MobileSheets, for example, it will prompt you to provide access to the SD card, and you have to pick the root of the SD card (/storage/6434-3134) and then MobileSheets will be granted write access to the SD card by the OS. Then the folder mapping should work.
Mike
RE: MobileSheets on 2 devices, different path to audio files - Blumi - 03-02-2025
(03-02-2025, 04:54 AM)Zubersoft Wrote: MobileSheets most likely did not have access to /storage/6434-3134/Music during the sync, as it's outside the storage location. If you set the storage location to /storage/6434-3134/MobileSheets, for example, it will prompt you to provide access to the SD card, and you have to pick the root of the SD card (/storage/6434-3134) and then MobileSheets will be granted write access to the SD card by the OS. Then the folder mapping should work.
Mike
Thanks a lot for your quick response. I did as you suggested and yes indeed, the path was mapped to /storage/6434-3134/MobileSheets successfully. Of course there wasn't any audio file.
Then I deleted the newly sync'ed song on the client, changed the audio location back to /storage/6434-3134/Music (was asked again to grant permisssion to this folder) and started the synchronization again - but for whatever reason no mapping was done. The path to the audio now was /storage/0000-0000/Music (the value taken from the server side).
This really is a miracle to me, maybe there is something special about the folder named 'Music' on Android devices ?
Anyway, it's not a big issue, the vast majority of songs is in a correct state now on the client device and finally I know now how to replace invalid paths using the ' Fix Broken File Paths'-function.
After all, it is only an emergency copy on my smartphone.
Thanks anyway for your continued and quick support!!!