Wish list: Export set list PDFs that contain bookmarks

[spinality]

When exporting a set list and including a PDF of the tunes, it would be FANTASTIC if you could add bookmarks to the generated PDF for each tune title. People who receive the PDF could then easily add those tunes to their own set lists, for access by title.

Exporting a set list without a PDF (just the plist) offers these benefits, of course, but only when sharing set lists with a receiver who has all the same scores and books installed. For me, this is rarely the case. I play with a lot of freelancers who need the 40-50 tunes we'll be playing TONIGHT but who aren't going to sync up their library with mine. (It is possible to use the new direct send/receive files transfer mechanism, and get all the necessary source files moved over; but this is invasive, time consuming, and can move a lot of books/scores, perhaps more than the recipient can store. And again, with a freelancer, they aren't interested in loading a lot of new books they don't normally use. They only want the specific charts/pages we're playing tonight.)

I realize that generating PDF elements like bookmarks isn't trivial; but it would sure be a big help.

If you could do this, it would also make it possible to provide an option for exporting a set list that references the exported PDF, instead of pointing to the original books and scores. The exported PDF and set list, together, would essentially be self-contained. It would offer a very clean, simple way to share set lists for subs and casuals. Of course, the recipient would need to open the PDF and "import bookmarks" -- but that is easy enough to explain.

Perhaps you've already looked at this and see problems I'm not aware of. But I thought I'd mention it.

[Phil Smith]

How much are you willing to pay for this feature?

[spinality]

How much are you willing to pay for this feature?

I would pay for an upgrade to do this. I would not be in a position to fund its entire development, unless I were becoming an investor which is something neither of us would want.

My intuition and experience with iGigBook tell me it would increase the value of the app for many users. It would address a problem often expressed to me: “It’s hard to get my set list onto somebody else’s iPad in a usable form.” So some users who have chosen other music readers would probably be more willing to use iGigBook, especially if you could export a self-contained set list with its own PDF that didn’t require any specific source books/scores.

So I’d think this could pay for itself as a feature upgrade.

As far as specifically how much I’d pay, I guess it would depend on the feature set. I’ve bought every upgrade you’ve offered so far. I’ve persuaded bandmates to buy your upgrades.

[Phil Smith]

My intuition and experience with iGigBook tell me it would increase the value of the app for many users. It would address a problem often expressed to me: “It’s hard to get my set list onto somebody else’s iPad in a usable form.” So some users who have chosen other music readers would probably be more willing to use iGigBook, especially if you could export a self-contained set list with its own PDF that didn’t require any specific source books/scores.

What other music reader has other users chosen that have this feature?

[spinality]

What other music reader has other users chosen that have this feature?

No, I’m not aware of other apps capable of doing this. I’m saying that this capability would give iGigBook a clear usability advantage. The musicians I work with who have chosen other tools have often done so because a) they don’t rely on standard fakebooks or b) they rely on PDFs with embedded hyperlinks for navigation or c) they tend to exchange and work directly from custom PDFs. Such users don’t get as much benefit from iGigBooks fast searching and set management tools.

I think that, if iGigBook could easily export/import a self-contained set list that has no linkage to existing books and scores, and thus a streamlined setup process, then many such users would install iGigBook to accept and display such lists.

In fact a stripped down iGigBook Reader might be offered that does not include access to Books, just for receiving such set lists. But that’s a different topic.

[Phil Smith]

I think that, if iGigBook could easily export/import a self-contained set list that has no linkage to existing books and scores, and thus a streamlined setup process, then many such users would install iGigBook to accept and display such lists.

So you're saying, produce a file that wouldn't require iGigBook and that would make a person more likely to use iGigBook?

[spinality]

I think that, if iGigBook could easily export/import a self-contained set list that has no linkage to existing books and scores, and thus a streamlined setup process, then many such users would install iGigBook to accept and display such lists.

So you're saying, produce a file that wouldn't require iGigBook and that would make a person more likely to use iGigBook?

No. Although the file would be of limited use for people with other products, you've already done the hard work of assembling the PDF. The iGigBook advantage would be in having the plist that links to all those tunes by name, so they could then use the Set Manager to reorder entries, add separators, add other tunes, etc. They'd get the advantage of iGigBook set management without needing to import all the source documents from which the original set list was assembled. I would have no trouble getting a dozen different musicians to use iGigBook to display and manipulate set lists distributed in this fashion. It would counter the argument I often hear from non-technical people "I tried using iGigBook but I wasn't smart enough to figure it out and get it set up." This way, they'd be able to display and use set lists immediately.

[spinality]

Here’s a use case.

I have a quintet gig coming up at the end of the month. It’s a long job, four hours, so I have a set list with about 50 tunes plus another 15 spares (since we haven’t played together as an ensemble before, and will wind up adjusting the material on the fly). All the musicians have igigbook installed. One uses it regularly in the normal way, with access to fakebooks, etc., as I do. The others mostly use a different reader, for their big band charts, classical repertoire, etc. But they do have igigbook available. The software is probably not up-to-date. They probably have only a few books/scores installed. Their index settings are probably wrong.

I have sent them all the two versions of the exported set list PDF, one in order by set, the other in alphabetical order. The one who uses iGigBook regularly already has about 80% of the same charts I sent, and can potentially use the plist after some editing. He may or may not decide to do this. We don’t have time for me to send all my annotated chars. Many of my charts have notes about the form, or intros, etc. Since this is a casual gig, we don’t really have time to do a complete sync between our systems.

The other guys will need to load the PDF, which they may do in igigbook or they might use their other choices. They will then scroll through, one page at a time, as we go through the set list. If we call a random tunes on the band stand, which always happens, they will need to scroll through the alpha list to find the chart in question, or hunt for it in the set list.

If instead, I could send them a PDF tied to a plist, they would all use igigbook — because it would give them access to all the tunes by title, plus the ability to do annotation, re-ordering, etc. Basically even though they’re not regular iGigBook users, they would get drawn to this platform because the leader is distributing material best suited to the tool. It would be the logical, simplest choice for them. They would also be motivated to get the drawing add on, etc.

[Phil Smith]

What it sounds like your asking for is the following:

Export the set list songs as a single PDF and then create a set list file that references the songs in the newly created exported PDF. Is this what you are after?

[spinality]

What it sounds like your asking for is the following:

Export the set list songs as a single PDF and then create a set list file that references the songs in the newly created exported PDF. Is this what you are after?

Yes. Well, actually, both. If you did this via bookmarks, then I could easily reference the same charts in other set lists as well. So ideally I’d like a) a generated set list that references an exported PDF, and b) exported PDFs that include bookmarks, so that I can i) find those exported tunes when doing a song search, and ii) reference those tunes from other set lists.

I’m constantly wanting to refer to charts from existing set lists. You let us search for tunes within set lists in the set manager, but I’d also like to be able to find tunes in past PDFs sent to bandmates. Those PDFs often have annotation specific to a particular ensemble, arrangement, singer, etc.

This all would involve a little more file management on my part, but I already have 1500+ pdfs under iGigBook, all managed externally via file naming conventions and a master spreadsheet. Adding a new category (exported set list PDFs) would be straightforward.

Note that i’m making these comments in the wish list because I thought you might find the input useful. I know you have your own view of how the tool should be used, which doesn’t always completely align with how I’ve wound up using it. But if the things I’m trying to do would fit within your vision of where the tool is going, that would be great.