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It's possible that I missed this somewhere, but is there any way to add an option to the app and to the companion to rename the PDF files based on the song names, and optionally organize the files based on sets or collections?
Thanks!
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There is no option to rename the files at the moment - this would be an enhancement. Renaming the files based upon the song title isn't too difficult, but grouping the files based on sets or collections would start to raise the complexity. Songs can be a part of multiple setlists or collections, so the files would only be grouped with the first setlist or collection the song is part of. If the song changes setlists or collections, the files would then have to be moved. If users showed strong support for this idea, I would definitely consider adding it. As a side note, if you manage your files yourself, instead of having MS Pro copy them, you could organize them however you like.
Mike
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IMHO that's not a task for MSP. Currently MSP does not change the files at all, neither name nor content. All changes happen ONLY in MSP database. And I think it is great as it is.
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07-14-2015, 07:34 PM
(This post was last modified: 07-14-2015, 07:35 PM by GraemeJ.)
On balance, I think I'm with itsme. I see requests for a number of 'features' to be included within MSP that would be much easier to handle externally and with other software.
Every additional feature added to MSP has the potential to break something already working (anyone who has coded software will know all about that) and in many cases, it's just a case of re-inventing a wheel. Most often, these wheels have already been accommodated by other software - and to a better level.
Over the years, I have seen too many pieces of good software gradually brought down by the inclusion of 'features' that were really not necessary to the operation of that software and ending up at a point where coding bloat took over, the original conception got buried and users looked to something else, or just ceased upgrading because each release got increasingly worse in terms of usability.
MSP is, essentially, a piece of software designed to display music charts - please let's keep it that way. There are plenty of ways to rename a file without involving MSP.
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I agree with itsme & graeme on this. I've seen many projects ruined by 'creaping featurism'.
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It's all about workflow.
I prepare and organise my musical sheets on my computer, transfer them to the tablet and import them into MSP. MSP is then used to create setlists, last-minute annotations and, most important, to display the sheets while playing.
When I get a new piece of music during a rehearsal, I put it on a stand, make annotations with a pencil. Later, when I'm at home at my computer, I scan it and enter it in the collection of sheets and import it into MSP.
So all maintenance is done outside of MSP and the documents are organised the way I want it.
It may seem temptive to ask Mike to implement my workflow (and yours, and more). But that is not what I see the main purpose of MSP. Moreover, my preferred workflow will not be yours, and I'l probably change mine anytime I feel like doing so.
Johan
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