[GuitarPlayer]

New to MobileSheets, I was wondering what work flow folks used to get their PDFs into shape for use the program.

I've been migrating my 15 year old music into PDFs using the following sequence in batches:

1. Scan into a PDF using the work copier. I scan songs with single pages first, setting the resolution at 600x600 and creating a single file for each page. The copier has a feature where by each page is saved as it's own file.

2. Then scan songs one at a time that have multiple pages after changing the copier/scanner setting. It also can save multiple pages as one file per song.

3. Using File Explorer, or whatever Windows calls their file manager these days, I rename each 18 alpha/digit copier PDF name each file with the name of the song.

4. Using PDF Scissors, https://sites.google.com/site/pdfscissors/ I trim the margins on each song to maximize the display of the content. This product is free and works great. It can do single pages, stacked pages and treat even and odd pages simultaneously using different margin settings. Brilliant.

5. To save time in Pdf Scissors, the new cropped file is saved with the default _scissored appended to the file name. No worries, after a batch of cropping, I move all the scissored files into a new folder and use another brilliant Windows program
Bulk Rename Utility, http://www.bulkrenameutility.co.uk/Main_Intro.php to change the file name back it's original.

I use it to remove the _scissored filename adder to entire folder seconds.

6. The files are now ready to batch import into MS.

I use dropbox to store all my files as I work with them which offers safety as well as portability. I plan to keep my libraries and backups there. In some of my forum reading, it appears as though the author will allow file access to this storage medium as well in a future release.

Anybody got a smoother work flow? Only been at this for a week but can't wait to stop lugging around that stinking heavy suitcase worth of guitar music!

GP
Samsung 12.2 Note Pro & Note 4

[maintech]

[quote='GuitarPlayer' pid='7273' dateline='1418779102']
New to MobileSheets, I was wondering what work flow folks used to get their PDFs into shape for use the program.

I use an inexpensive all-in-one Epson printer XP-300 to scan in each sheet as a PDF, and the Epson program allows adding sheets to the file, so you could have all of the music books original song content in the song file. The Epson program sequentially numbers the files, or you can type in the song title. I'm making some images from previously scanned pages to reduce the complexity of repeats, DS codas etc. I cut and paste in Windows Paint and for some songs end up with several extra pages, but that's not a problem with the effortless page turning in Mobile sheets.
The Epson scanning software is easy to use and the equivalent printer XP-310 or XP-400 is available from WalMart or Amazon for about $50. (I got the XP-300 for on sale at WalMart for $39 about 2 years ago)

Work flow:
Note. Previously I had all of my books of music rebound at Staples with a wire spiral hinge to allow pages to lay flat.

Remove hinge binding
Scan* each song as a PDF file adding pages as required.
Save file to dedicated folder on PC.
Backup folder to pen drive.
Connect tablet to PC.
Download files to tablet Download folder.
Disconnect tablet from PC
Open Mobile sheets on tablet
Batch import the files.
Add each song, adding Meta-data

* I find it worthwhile to experiment with the scan quality and when I'm happy with the results I save the settings. It can be recalled again without repeating the trials.

So far I've not set up Set lists but to do that I'll link the tablet to the PC, running Mobilesheets companion on PC and use it for all the heavy work.

[jeffn1]

You sound like you have a good procedure to me. I Have pretty much scanned them using my work printer/copier/scanner's default setting and did not think about it.

You should know in MS Pro you will be able to crop pages on all 4 sides. This is a great new future (among may others). Hopefully it will be released soon.

[tjrob]

I have found it more efficient to use the scanner at the library -- it goes MUCH faster than my 3-in-1 at home, and can scan to the edge of the binding. I save each song or piece as a single file (unless they are too long, in which case I limit each file to about 30 pages).
I scan to a thumb drive, carry it home, and on my Mac I rename each file to its title, and copy them to my NewScans directory on the hard drive.
I then combine multiple sub-files using Preview.
I go through each file with Preview, checking for too much junk around the edges, and cropping it away when necessary.
I also look for repeats, and deal with them by duplicating pages and then drawing white rectangles over music to be skipped (using Preview).
I batch import NewScans into MobileSheets, on each of my Tablets (the companion app runs in a virtual machine running Windows). The only meta-data I use is genre (plus title).
I move the files from NewScans into a directory called MusicDisplay -- it contains all the music on my tablets. It is on my Dropbox for safety and sharing.