NOTE: We are no longer adding new features to Set List Maker. We recommend our newer product, BandHelper, for the latest design and functionality.

Synchronizing data between devices

If you want to manage your set lists from multiple devices, or if you want to collaborate on set list management with your bandmates, you can configure your databases to synchronize wirelessly between any number of devices. You can watch a tutorial video, or read on for more details:

Note: The synchronization functionality requires an in-app purchase for each user (per iTunes, Google Play or Amazon account). This means that you can sync all your devices with a single purchase, but if you want to sync with your bandmates' devices, each bandmate will have to purchase the upgrade as well.

Note: This feature was discontinued on January 15, 2018. Please see this forum post for alternatives.

  • To set up synchronization, start with the device that already contains your data. In the Set List Maker app, navigate to Settings > Database Sync. Enter a sync name and a password, and remember these so you can enter them on the other devices. You will see the error code 202 if you enter a sync name that another user has already taken, so it's best to enter a sync name based on the name of your band or project. (Many generic names like "band," "database" and "test" are already taken.)
    sync
  • Turn on the Auto-Sync option if you want your data to be synced whenever you use Set List Maker. If you would rather sync manually, leave this option off and save your database settings, then tap Edit again and tap the Sync Now button. (Auto-syncing is recommended because it's easy to forget to synchronize manually after making updates in your database.)
  • Next, go to a device that you would like to synchronize with the first device. From the databases list, tap the + button to add a new database (don't use the Sample Database or any database that already has data in it). Enter a database name and tap Add, then open the Database Sync settings. Enter the exact sync name and password you entered on the first device, then tap Sync Now. You should see the download activity begin in the sync button at the top right corner of your screen. You can repeat this step on as many devices as you like.
  • After the syncing is all set up, please write down your sync name and password somewhere for safekeeping. You will need this is you ever lose or reset your device and need to sync your data back onto it.

Here are some additional notes about how the sync process works:

  • Synchronization uses an intermediary sync server, so the synced devices do not need to be online at the same time, and do not need to be on the same network. Synchronization works over wi-fi or cellular network connections.
  • With auto-sync turned on, synchronization occurs whenever you open the app, change databases within the app, save data within the app or tap the sync button. Without auto-sync turned on, synchronization only occurs when you tap the sync button refresh button at the top right corner of your screen, or the Sync Now button in the Settings > Database Sync window. This means if you have the app open on two devices at the same time and make a change on one device, you'll have to tap the sync button to see the change on the other device.
  • Without auto-sync turned on, a number will appear next to the sync button showing the number of changes waiting to sync. You should sync regularly to prevent this number from becoming too large (i.e., more than a hundred items), which would increase your risk of sync conflicts or network timeouts.
  • The sync button will blink whenever a sync is running. If you're editing data, it's generally okay to start your next edit without waiting for the previous sync to finish. However, you should wait for the last sync to finish before leaving the app.
  • If you edit your data while your device is offline, Set List Maker will save your changes until you're online again, then copy all your changes to the sync server the next time you sync.
  • Set List Maker will merge together changes made on all the devices in your band. But if the same data is edited on two devices at the same time (e.g., you change a song's tempo to 120 and a bandmate changes that same song's tempo to 118), Set List Maker will ask you which change you want to keep.
  • If you want to change your sync name or password, you cannot change it on your own. You will need to send a support request and receive an authorization code to change it. This ensures that your devices stay connected to your sync account.
  • If you've attached documents to your songs, those documents will not synchronize between devices. However, links you set up from your songs to your documents will sync between devices on the same platform. This means you would only have to link your documents to your songs once on each platform, then if you copy the same documents to each device manually, they will be linked to your songs automatically on the other devices. (If you switch to BandHelper, it will sync your document files.)
  • If you've attached recordings to your songs, those recordings will not synchronize between devices. However, links you set up from your songs to your recordings will sync between devices on the same platform. This means you would only have to link your recordings to your songs once on each platform, then if you copy the same recordings to each device through iTunes (for iOS) or manually (for Android), they will be linked to your songs automatically on the other devices. (If you switch to BandHelper, it will sync your recording files.)
  • You might want to manage some data separately from the other devices you're syncing with. For example, you might want to enter your own personal notes, documents or MIDI data. You can disable syncing for particular fields if you tap Settings > Database Sync and scroll down to the Sync Contents section. If you disable a field here, your entries will still be backed up to the sync server, but entries from other devices will not be downloaded to your device.
    sync contents
  • You can avoid making unwanted changes on a device by turning on the Settings > General Settings > Read Only Database option. This will hide all the editing functions on that device, so that device will not be able to perform any changes.
  • If you want to revert any changes to your database, you can select previous changes to undo. Navigate to Settings > Database Sync and tap Roll Back. You will see your complete editing history, with the date and device on which each edit was made. You can then select any number of previous edits to undo them. For example, if you change a song's key to G and a bandmate changes it to F, you will see both edits in the History window. You can select your bandmate's F edit to undo it and return the song's key to G. If you accidentally delete a song and want to restore it, you can select the Delete action for that song and undo it. To show all the actions for a particular item, you can tap the Search button and type the item name into the search field.
    history
    NOTE: Set List Maker will show the names of items when possible, but it might only identify items by their ID number. In that case you can use the timestamp to identify the item you're interested in and then find all the edits for that item by typing the ID into the search field.
  • Since your edits are archived automatically, you can use the database sync feature as a backup tool even if you only have one device.
  • The sync server will save all edits for 24 hours and the last five edits for each field indefinitely. Earlier edits that are at least 24 hours old will be purged.
  • Someone who picks up your device and navigates to the sync settings can use the View button next to the password field to see your password. If you need to keep your database secure, you should add a passcode to your device.