[Heinzer]

I have a quite large directory structure with hundreds of songes for different instruments and different genres. All same songs have identical names.
When importing this structure I get lots of overwrite conflicts, although from technical and informational point of view all these files are different entities. It looks like Mobile Sheets is using the file name as a private key in its internal data base instead of using the directory path or something similar. The recommended solution by Zubersoft  is to rename all files with same name to something like files_trumpet, file_clarinet. But this solution requires a lot of additional work and is in my case not logical and contra productive because the instrument ist already part of the directory structure/file path. 
I and many other users would be very pleased if this problem could be fixed. It causes a lot of headache.
Thank you in advance!

[Lawrie]

While I have no need to sync. tablets at the moment as I only have one, that will not always be the case.
When I do purchase an additional tablet, I would really, really like it if the sync. process was capable of replicating the directory structures I already have set up.

I could, of course, do it manually, just as I manually manage my current system, but inclusion of the file path in the sync/backup(*) would certainly be helpful.

* I'm not sure if it is already included in backups as I look after everything manually at the moment due to the multiple libraries and mildly complex directory structure I use.

[Zubersoft]

If you are strictly on Android, you can go to Settings->Storage, uncheck "Let MobileSheets Manage my Files", then you can create whatever folders you want, import your files and there will be no conflicts. However, when you go to sync, this is going to create all sorts of problems. The sync feature is not really build for users that want to manage their own files and folders unless the databases on every device are identical. You have to pick and choose what is most important for you based on the way you use the app. If I try to support one method of working, it then creates problems for users that choose a different approach. I can't always be all things for all users - I have to make decisions based on what I think works for most cases, and I think my decision is that, if you want to rely on MobileSheets to handle things like synchronizing properly, then you also need to let it manage your files and folders and use unique file names. If you want to have control over your files and folders, then you shouldn't rely on the sync feature, and should be using an external approach to synchronizing data, such as using a file-based sync with an external application.

To be more clear - when I designed the app, I decided that I didn't really want it to be directory and file based. Instead, I want users to be able to import files from anywhere, and those get copied into the storage location, and users then don't have to care about the file management. I know this doesn't work for every user, and I try to add settings to support users that want more control, but this was a decision that is central to how the app is designed, and that will not change. You can't really manage your own files on iOS, for example, so using this approach is actually better for cross-platform compatibility.

Mike

[GraemeJ]

I and many other users would be very pleased if this problem could be fixed. It causes a lot of headache.

This your only post.  How come you think you know that 'many other users' have a problem with the way MSP works?

[Lawrie]

Thanks Mike,
I figured that would be the case.

[Heinzer]

I am already using the self managed Files in one case and yes - it works. But I need to use additional tools for synching. And it makes the entire handling more complex. My users do not have any IT knowhow. Thus everything needs to be as simple as possible. In most of the cases the song file structure to be imported is not under my control. So, it should be possible to decide (by using an additional option?) if I prevent or enable identical file names. From an informational point of view a file in another directory is another entity.

[Zubersoft]

I think you are trying to simplify this problem to only match the way you use the app (instead of users that import their files in a myriad of ways including from cloud services, through Google's file picker, through external apps, etc). There are many issues you are not considering dealing with file permissions across operating systems, required sandboxing (i.e. on Windows and iOS) and the behavior that is enforced if users don't enable the all files access permission. I have settled on requiring a flat file list in the storage direcory, because it greatly simplifies the detection of duplicate files, and eliminates problems users were having when subdirectories were used per song in the past (especially after renaming song titles which are used for matching, but that song title is also used for the song directory). It gets even worse for users that manage their own files, as this cannot be duplicated across platforms in most cases. 

You want the simplest thing? I think requiring unique file names is by far the simplest approach, instead of relying on a potential very complex directory structure. I can't change the way you want to use the app, but in this case, if you require precise control over your files and folders and don't care about cross-platform support, then you may need a different type of app that just is a light layer on top of the file system, and presents you your songs in that fashion (requiring you to tap folder by folder to access things).

Mike

[BRX]

You might also look into my way of syncing my sheets (with folder structure and managing the files in MS myself). It's a bit more effort to set up initially and bit for the syncing itself, but not much and it works well for me. But you need external tools, of course.

https://www.zubersoft.com/mobilesheets/f...l#pid63968