07-16-2026, 03:24 PM
Hi - I wanted to share an app I discovered that has been helpful to me lately.
It's called LocalSend and is available on all three platforms. It works when you have all your devices on the same wifi network. I'm finding it to be quicker and easier than google drive for individual files.
I have "Manage my own files" turned on in my android. (Not an option on ipad, but I can move things around in the Files app with no issues.) On both devices I have "Create Folder for each song" turned on. I also had to tell MS on the android to place the MS directory under Documents. That way I can easily manage all files in the MS directory with files apps like Solid Explorer.
On Windows, I quickly read the sheet music melody line and type up the notes, chords and lyrics in abc notation using the EasyAbc program. Even though it uses the old abc2ps, instead of abc2svg, it's no issue for the basic notes. It has great time-saving features like automatically adding barlines and entering doubled quotes with the cursor backtrackng between them to quickly enter chords.
Once I save the file, I find it in Explorer, right-click choose Send... in the context menu and choose localsend. I open the localsend app on the ipad and instantly send it over.
If I'm doing a new abc file for a song I already have in Mobilesheets in pdf or chordpro form, then I find the file under the localsend folder that ipad created when installing the app. Longpress and choose move. Then I move it to the folder that already exists for that song in the MS directory.
If it's a new song, I create a new folder for the song first, then move the song into the newly created folder.
Important: MS doesn't know about it yet. So after the file is in its right place, I go to MS. if I'm wanting to replace the pdf with my new cleverer easier-to-read abc file, I longpress the song and choose Swap File from the three dots. I pick local file and find the one I just put in it's place.
I usually uncheck "Delete File" so the pdf just still stays in the same folder, so I can look at it with a files app if I want to (but it won't show up as a song in the MS db anymore).
If it's a new song, I chosse import, and choose local file the same way.
Then I open the abc song within MS and edit it on the ipad, copying and pasting (from Notes) a list of directives I use to establish size, fonts, etc. (I don't want that part cluttering up the file in Easyabc when I'm wring it in Windows.)
I also check it for mistakes, make chord, note or formatting corrections.
When I'm happy with it, I follow the same procedure to send it from the ipad to the android tablet with localsend.
I created a folder called Localsend, also under Documents, before setting up localsend on the android, and then pointed it there to save files. This makes it really easy to jump back and forth when moving a file from localsend to the MS directory with a files app on android.
On both the ipad and the android, it's not necessary to MOVE or COPY the file to the localsend folder. In both platforms you can utilize the "SHARE" option and choose localsend. But after you've RECEIVED a file into the localsend app's folder, then you'll move it into MS's directory.
Right now while my devices MS dbs are not similar enough for the sync feature to be reliable, this has been working for great me. This way I can control where my files are.
One caveat: the ipad is a bit tricky. I usually have to completely close 'swipe away' localsend and reopen the app for it to be seen by the other devices. Even when they 'see' it, it sometimes doesn't send the first time, but reloading once or maybe twice always works.
Maybe someone else will benefit from the idea.
It's called LocalSend and is available on all three platforms. It works when you have all your devices on the same wifi network. I'm finding it to be quicker and easier than google drive for individual files.
I have "Manage my own files" turned on in my android. (Not an option on ipad, but I can move things around in the Files app with no issues.) On both devices I have "Create Folder for each song" turned on. I also had to tell MS on the android to place the MS directory under Documents. That way I can easily manage all files in the MS directory with files apps like Solid Explorer.
On Windows, I quickly read the sheet music melody line and type up the notes, chords and lyrics in abc notation using the EasyAbc program. Even though it uses the old abc2ps, instead of abc2svg, it's no issue for the basic notes. It has great time-saving features like automatically adding barlines and entering doubled quotes with the cursor backtrackng between them to quickly enter chords.
Once I save the file, I find it in Explorer, right-click choose Send... in the context menu and choose localsend. I open the localsend app on the ipad and instantly send it over.
If I'm doing a new abc file for a song I already have in Mobilesheets in pdf or chordpro form, then I find the file under the localsend folder that ipad created when installing the app. Longpress and choose move. Then I move it to the folder that already exists for that song in the MS directory.
If it's a new song, I create a new folder for the song first, then move the song into the newly created folder.
Important: MS doesn't know about it yet. So after the file is in its right place, I go to MS. if I'm wanting to replace the pdf with my new cleverer easier-to-read abc file, I longpress the song and choose Swap File from the three dots. I pick local file and find the one I just put in it's place.
I usually uncheck "Delete File" so the pdf just still stays in the same folder, so I can look at it with a files app if I want to (but it won't show up as a song in the MS db anymore).
If it's a new song, I chosse import, and choose local file the same way.
Then I open the abc song within MS and edit it on the ipad, copying and pasting (from Notes) a list of directives I use to establish size, fonts, etc. (I don't want that part cluttering up the file in Easyabc when I'm wring it in Windows.)
I also check it for mistakes, make chord, note or formatting corrections.
When I'm happy with it, I follow the same procedure to send it from the ipad to the android tablet with localsend.
I created a folder called Localsend, also under Documents, before setting up localsend on the android, and then pointed it there to save files. This makes it really easy to jump back and forth when moving a file from localsend to the MS directory with a files app on android.
On both the ipad and the android, it's not necessary to MOVE or COPY the file to the localsend folder. In both platforms you can utilize the "SHARE" option and choose localsend. But after you've RECEIVED a file into the localsend app's folder, then you'll move it into MS's directory.
Right now while my devices MS dbs are not similar enough for the sync feature to be reliable, this has been working for great me. This way I can control where my files are.
One caveat: the ipad is a bit tricky. I usually have to completely close 'swipe away' localsend and reopen the app for it to be seen by the other devices. Even when they 'see' it, it sometimes doesn't send the first time, but reloading once or maybe twice always works.
Maybe someone else will benefit from the idea.