[maks261]

Hi,

i have been on an Android tablet for ages, and i have always used MSP with 2 libraries, like this:
1) my main library, for my personal music projects and other bands i play in
2) a second library, where i am 100% a slave, always syncing (via Google Drive) to my father's changes, who is basically the master of that library

I had my main library (1) backed up basically automatically, by syncing the corresponding files to another place via external tools, while the second library (2) was backed up anyhow, since it is in my father's google drive.

Now I am thinking about migrating to an iPad, which results in the following questions before doing so:

a) how do i transfer the existing main library to the iPad?
b) how do i keep backups once i start using it on the iPad? The file sync tool from Android does not exist on iOS
c) can i use google drive for both libraries, meaning, with 2 different google accounts (my father's and my own)? If i understand it correctly, yes, it should be possible, but not only do i need to switch libaries via the settings menu (which i find a bit cumbersome, because it is nested pretty deeply), but now i would also need to switch the currently used google-drive account via the menu as well - can somebody confirm this? It would be lovely to have the ability to set different google accounts per Library or something like that. If that existed i would automatically have a simple solution for Questions a+b as well i guess.

[Zubersoft]

a) Switch to the main library, go to Settings->Backup and Restore->Backup Library, transfer the .msb file to the iPad (or use the cloud) and restore that backup file on the iPad
b) You can either generate backups like I described above or you can synchronize to a cloud folder if preferred.
c) Google drive is only ever an import source, or the cloud service to use to synchronize to/with. The library itself is always stored on the device, but it can be synchronized to a cloud folder if desired. You can switch Google Drive accounts before synchronizing if needed (Settings->Storage->Switch Google Drive Account), but as you have mentioned, it's a bit tedious. I will be adding an option to switch libraries directly on the library screen soon. It would be easier if you can use a single google drive account and just synchronize to different folders for each library.

Mike

[maks261]

Hi Mike,

thanks for your quick response!

According to your c) reply... do i understand it correctly that i could for example use my dad's google drive account for both libraries? In other words, MSP still keeps them separate and doesn't mix them somehow accidentally? I wasn't aware of that. I always thought that they need to explicitly be kept separate, especially if both libraries contain songs with equal names and/or equal .cho file names, etc.

[Swiss1000]

Hi Mike,

thanks for your quick response!

According to your c) reply... do i understand it correctly that i could for example use my dad's google drive account for both libraries? In other words, MSP still keeps them separate and doesn't mix them somehow accidentally? I wasn't aware of that. I always thought that they need to explicitly be kept separate, especially if both libraries contain songs with equal names and/or equal .cho file names, etc.

Unfortunately, no, that's precisely the current weakness. If a file is updated by one library and has the same name, it will also be updated in the other. However, this isn't what's desired when you make a change to a song for one group that isn't necessary for another... Eventually, libraries should be in different directories to prevent a file with the same name from overwriting another with the same name. Libraries should be watertight within themselves.

[Skip]

I must be missing something. I thought each library was totally isolated, no interaction at all, backup separately, sync separately, etc. Unless each library was active on separate devices, which doesn't make sense to me.

[Swiss1000]

I must be missing something. I thought each library was totally isolated, no interaction at all, backup separately, sync separately, etc. Unless each library was active on separate devices, which doesn't make sense to me.

Backup and restore separatly yes, but

right now, same directory
same "parameters" no differentiation betwin "librairy parameters" and "General, or commun Parameters"
same backup name (not include library name) but seems would evoluting

[BRX]

I must be missing something. I thought each library was totally isolated, no interaction at all, backup separately, sync separately, etc. Unless each library was active on separate devices, which doesn't make sense to me.

The libraries use the same files if you don't set it up differently. I see that as a strength and not a weakness since it saves space and you *can* change songs globally if you edit them externally (or with the feature within MS to save tp the PDF).

Now, annotations and such are saved to the library and don't affect the source song unless they are intentionally saved to PDF. 

IMO it's up to the user to be aware that if he changes a source PDF externally or writing to it it affects all the songs that are referenced in the database(s) regardless if they are in multiple collections, albums or libraries. If he wants tö edit externally (which shouldn't be often IMO) than I see it as obligation of the user to set up different locations/files/names for the PDFs so only they are affected. I really dislike to have identical duplicates on a tablet (or in general) if it really isn't necessary (I dislike the iOS file restrictions as well).

[Swiss1000]

Things become complex when we move away from reality and create a virtual geek... A music manager has photocopies on paper; he makes notes or modifies a score for one band, but keeps the score for band No. 2 as it was originally. He organizes them into binders, and these binders are watertight. A simple, software-driven, and human-friendly application will always be more efficient than a sophisticated one. Two libraries must be watertight.

[Skip]

OOKKKK! It looks to me as if there are 2 [or more] ways to use a separate library, one is 2 [or more] separate sources, slave/not slave, as used by the OP, or my library and your library. Another is using a separate library, basically, as a switchable backup [with some restrictions] to a similar/same library.

[Zubersoft]

Hi Mike,

thanks for your quick response!

According to your c) reply... do i understand it correctly that i could for example use my dad's google drive account for both libraries? In other words, MSP still keeps them separate and doesn't mix them somehow accidentally? I wasn't aware of that. I always thought that they need to explicitly be kept separate, especially if both libraries contain songs with equal names and/or equal .cho file names, etc.

To specifically answer your question (which is about Google Drive, not about the storage of files on the tablet), you can use the same Google drive account, but you must synchronize each library to a different folder under that Google Drive account. That will keep the files for each library completely separate in terms of what is stored in Google Drive. However, please note that MobileSheets will not directly reference any files on Google Drive - it downloads everything to the tablet storage and that is where files are managed and referenced. 

At the moment, each library does share the same storage location (Settings->Storage->Set the MobileSheets Storage Location) so if you use files with the same name in both libraries you will get a conflict. If you uniquely name all the files for each library, then there will be no conflicts at all.

Mike