Setting up OpenSongApp for the first time (or after reinstallation) (V5.x.x)
After installing OpenSongApp, you are presented with the boot up screen. The current version is shown at the top. This page is shown when you first install the app and whenever it updates to a newer version (you can view the latest update log by clicking on the 'Latest updates' link near the top of the page - this will bring you to this site, and the Latest updates page. You can return to this screen at any time using the button in the songbook options menu (covered later).
If you haven't already given the app permission to use your storage, you will first need to do this. This allows read access, but to allow the app to create and manage your OpenSong songs, you will also need to specify a location to create/use an app folder named OpenSong.
If you haven't selected your preferred storage location, you will be asked to do this before proceeding by a pulsing red button titled 'Change OpenSong Folder Location'.
When choosing your storage location, please read the following instructions to avoid issues.:
First time installation
Click on the red 'Change OpenSong Folder Location' button. This will open a quick tip (which can also link to this page), recommending you use internal storage. You can, if you'd prefer, use external storage if you have a separate SD card on your device. However, it is crucial that you do not use the recent or shortcut storage locations.
On the image shown, the internal (or external) storage is labelled with the device or card name. This is the location you should select to begin with.
If you cannot see this, check the preferences button (three dots at the top right) and choose 'Show internal storage'.
If you use the shortcut locations (such as the 'Downloads' folder shown on my screenshot, you will have 'one time' access only. This means that once the app starts up, permission is no longer given and you are told that the songs can't be found on your device.
Using an existing installation location
If you have previously used OpenSongApp on this device, you may at times need to tell the app where your songs and app folder is located. This can happen if you uninstall/reinstall or clear the app cache/data. Neither of these processes will delete your songs, but unless you point the app to the correct storage location, you won't see them in the app.
To check for previous 'OpenSong' folders on your device, click on the yellow 'Find a previous OpenSong folder' button. The app will then search your device and report any found locations and will include how many items are in the corresponding 'OpenSong/Songs' folder.
To use one of these previous storage locations, you will still need to manually find this location on your device (this is part of the security process on Android - the app can't tell you where you want to give storage permissions!). Once you've identified the folder you want to use, click on the red 'Change OpenSong Folder Location' button to locate it.
When setting your storage location, remember that the app needs to point to the 'root' OpenSong' folder (this will hold you Sets, Songs, Settings, etc. folders), so either select the location that contains the OpenSong folder, or the OpenSong folder itself. Do not select the OpenSong/Songs/ folder.
E.g. If your 'found' folder is documents/OpenSong:
You should select documents or documents/OpenSong
DO NOT select documents/OpenSong/Songs
Having problems with storage location?
If you do not see the green 'Start' button appear after setting your storage location, this means that you have chosen a location that the app does not have permission to use. On Android 9+ this can root, data or Downloads folders. These would show in your chosen storage location as '/OpenSong', '/data/OpenSong' or '/Downloads/OpenSong/'. This can vary by device, but if the green 'Start' button does not show, you will need to choose a different location. If you have songs in a folder that Android no longer allows you to use, you can move these using Android's file manager app.
If when the app boots up, you can see the songs listed in the songs menu, but cannot view them ('That song isn't on your device' warning), you have chosen a folder you cannot have persistent storage access to similar to the above issue. You need to use a different storage location.
If you wrongly choose the OpenSong/Songs folder as your storage location, you will see a warning that you shouldn't use the Songs folder. If you did, the app would look inside this Songs folder for a folder named Songs. As it won't find it (because you've already started inside this folder) the app would assume that you are creating a fresh installation, so would create an OpenSong folder here and inside this it would then create a Songs folder. You'd end up with the songs being stored at: /OpenSong/Songs/OpenSong/Songs/ - you have been warned!! This is one of the most common issues people have when setting their storage location. Do not choose OpenSong/Songs, but instead choose the OpenSong/ folder.
Starting the app
Assuming the storage location is acceptable, you will see a green 'Start' button pulsing. Clicking on this will start the app. By default it will open up Performance mode, but you can change that using the option underneath the button. You can also change the app mode once the app has started up.
During boot, the app will check that you have the appropriate folders inside your chosen 'OpenSong' folder and if not it will create them. These folders include 'Songs', 'Sets', 'Settings', etc.
If this is your first run, or you have reset your storage location, you will likely see the 'Welcome to OpenSongApp' song that will give you an example song display.
Adding Songs
If you don't have a collection of songs of your own, the app will automatically display the 'Welcome to OpenSongApp' screen. This 'song' is also the 'fallback' song if the app cannot find a song in your folder (if you accidentally or intentionally deleted it).
The app features several ways of adding songs. These are discussed later, but include importing my song collections, importing from Ultimate Guitar, Chordie, Worship Ready (coming soon) or creating your own songs manually.
To manually import your own existing OpenSong songs and sets from a desktop computer, browse to your OpenSong folder on your desktop (this is normally found in your Documents / My Documents folder). Copy the folders that you want to transfer (Ctrl-A selects all then Ctrl-C to copy). Then connect your Android device to you computer and browse to the appropriate OpenSong folder (make sure you browse to the internal/external storage location chosen above). Once in this folder, paste the copied folders (Ctrl-V). You can overwrite/merge the folders. I use Linux, so this may look different on your desktop if you use a Windows or Mac device.
