Import and export¶
Songcards has more than one way to move information because the jobs are different.
Use a full backup for recovery. Use the other formats when you want to move, share or work with Songcard information in a more targeted way.
Full JSON backup¶
A full backup is the main library-level recovery format.
Use it when you want to:
- protect the whole Songcards library;
- restore the library later;
- move a working library through Songcards' backup/restore workflow;
- open a supported backup in the Songcards Companion.
Full backups support the Merge and Replace restore modes described in Backup & restore.
Do not treat ordinary exports as a substitute for a current full backup.
Portable Songcard¶
Songcards supports a portable Songcard format for moving an individual Songcard through the supported import/export workflow.
Use this when the useful unit is one song record rather than the complete library.
The portable record keeps Songcard structure and is different from a full-library backup.
Markdown¶
Songcards can import and export its supported Markdown structure.
Markdown is useful when you want a Songcard to remain readable and editable as ordinary text, including in Obsidian.
No Songcards-specific Obsidian plugin is required.
For the Markdown workflow, see Obsidian.
Catalogue ZIP export¶
Songcards also provides a catalogue ZIP export.
Treat this as an export of catalogue information, not as your only recovery copy. Keep a separate full backup for restore purposes.
Companion workflow¶
The Songcards Companion works from a backup you provide.
The basic flow is:
- Export a full backup from Songcards Desktop.
- Open that backup in the Companion.
- Work with the library in the browser.
- Export an updated backup when finished.
- Bring that backup back to Desktop using the appropriate restore workflow.
The Companion is not automatic cloud sync. Moving the backup is an explicit user action.
Older data¶
Songcards 0.0.8 has a supported migration path for older Songcards records and 0.0.7 backups.
The original source file is not rewritten during import. Keep it until you have checked the resulting library.
Choose the format by the job¶
| What you want to do | Use |
|---|---|
| Protect or recover the whole library | Full backup |
| Restore backup content into an existing library | Merge restore |
| Make a selected backup become the working library | Replace restore |
| Move one structured Songcard | Portable Songcard |
| Work in ordinary text / Obsidian | Markdown |
| Export catalogue information as a ZIP | Catalogue ZIP |
| Work from your own backup in a browser | Companion |
When in doubt about recovery, make a fresh full backup before importing or restoring anything.
Next: SongCards & Obsidian.