Database utilities
Found under: Settings > Utilities > Database utilities
OpenSongApp encourages you to use OpenSong formatted songs. When you do this, it builds a database with a reference to every valid file (OpenSong, PDF or image) in your OpenSong/Songs folder when it boots and you allow it to index the songs. Using the database speeds up dealing with songs and searching when using the app. This database is referred to as the Temporary database and each time you allow the app to index your songs, the temporary database is recreated. This database in not usually accessible to users except when using the app.
If you also use PDF/image files as songs, OpenSongApp will also create a Persistent database that can store extra information for these non-editable files to allow you to access some of OpenSongApp's extra features such as MIDI messages, autoscrolling, pads, etc. This database does not include your PDF files, but simply keeps a reference to them and holds any extra feature information. This database is then merged with the temporary database when using the app. This database file can be found at OpenSong/Settings/NonOpenSongSongs.db. This file is loaded when the app boots up and you allow indexing. The app does not update this file while you are using the app to avoid multiple file writes, but waits until yourclose the app down.
When you back up you songs, you are recommended to include this persistent database as part of your backup. You can also export, backup, restore and clean up this database using this page.
These database files are in SQLite3 format and are not easy to read or edit outside of OpenSongApp without specialist software.
Persistent database actions
Export: This will save a readable comma separated text file at OpenSong/Export/NonOpenSongSongs.csv. This file can be opened using any text editing software, but will be more useful if opened using a Spreadsheet application such as Google Sheets. This file simply allows you to see the contents of your database, but can be used as a manual readable backup. Once the backup is created the app will give the option of sharing or opening the file if you have suitable software installed.
Backup: This will create a separate backup of your NonOpenSongSongs.db file (not a full song file backup). This backup file will be created at OpenSong/Backups/NonOpenSongSongs_backup_YYYY-MM-DD.db (the YYYY-MM-DD represents the date the backup file was created). You can restore this backup file if your persistent database gets corrupted. Alternatively you could simply make a copy of the original OpenSong/Settings/NonOpenSongSongs.db file and rename it or save it somewhere else.
Restore: This will allow you to import a separate NonOpenSongSongs.db backup file if your persistent database gets corrupted. Before doing this you are highly recommended to make sure you have backed up your current database as this process can't be undone (but you can reload any other backup). Your existing database will be overwritten with the backup file and the songs will be reindexed. Alternatively, you could also simply replace the original OpenSong/Settings/NonOpenSongSongs.db file with your backup (it must have the same filename though) and restarting the app allowing a full index.
Clean up database: If you manually move, delete or rename PDF/image files from your OpenSong/Songs folder using a file manager, your database will not reflect these changes and you will end up with orphaned references in your database that cause clutter and slow the app down. If you haven't stored extra feature information for these songs, the entries can safely be removed using this process. If the songs do contain extra feature information, you will be informed of this and when you clean these entries the app will keep a record of the song feature information in a readable CSV file at OpenSong/Settings/removedNonOpenSongSongs.csv. You can use this file to manually review and fix songs if required by copy and pasting the information back into the Edit song page on OpenSongApp.
Temporary database action
Export: This will save a readable comma separated text file at OpenSong/Export/SongDatabase.csv. This file can be opened using any text editing software, but will be more useful if opened using a Spreadsheet application such as Google Sheets. This file simply allows you to see the contents of your database (all songs available in the app). Once the backup is created the app will give the option of sharing or opening the file if you have suitable software installed. Depending on the size of your database, this process may take a while! Editing this backup file will not change your temporary database.