OnSong works great with modern storage service platforms like Dropbox, Google Drive, and others. But if you are using a storage service provider that offers standard ways to access content, or if you're using network-attached storage, you can configure your own import source for connecting to even more services.
Adding Import Sources
To get started, you need to add a new import source. To do this, locate the Songs button in the upper left corner of the Menubar and tap to open the Songs Menu. Make sure that you have the Songs tab selected and that you are viewing All Songs or a book. Tap on the + button in the lower right corner to access the Add Songs Menu and then tap on the Other option at the bottom of the Import section.
From here you can tap on the + button to add a new import source using the Import Source Editor. You will fill out this screen differently depending on the type of service you are attaching to.
FTP
FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol and is one of the original ways to transfer files between computers and servers. While this is super-convenient, the protocol is fraught with security issues. SFTP or SecureFTP has replaced this protocol for instances where your information may be traveling over the Internet. FTP still remains a popular choice for connecting network-attached storage devices.
Give your import source a Name and then choose FTP or SFTP as the Type per your service provider or manufacturer instructions. The Host field should contain the server name or IP address. Do not type in FTP:// or other information in this field as OnSong will add that automatically. The Path field contains additional information on where to find the resources you need to import.
The Use SSL switch will use SSL to secure the transmission of information. This is normally not used for standard FTP, although it is possible. If you select SFTP, the transmission of information is secure regardless of this switch. Turn on the Authenticate switch if you need to provide a Username and Password to authenticate to the FTP server or peripheral.
WebDAV
WebDAV stands for Web Distributed Authoring and Versioning and is used by services like Box.com. It takes the concept of remote file management to a level for managing content on web pages but can be used for much more with the security of standard web sites.
To set up a WebDAV source, give your import source a Name and then choose WebDAV as the Type. If you're attaching to a Box.net account, you can set the Host field to dav.box.com and the Path field to /dav so that the service knows you are attaching to the WebDAV endpoint. Turn on the Use SSL switch to ensure that your information is securely sent to the Box web server. Then enable the Authenticate switch and type in your credentials in the Username and Password fields.
Amazon S3
Amazon S3 stands for Simple Storage Service and is a very cost-effective way to store large amounts of content. This service is similar to other services but does change the names of some of the fields.
To set up an Amazon S3 source, give it a Name and then choose Amazon S3 as the Type. Since all Amazon S3 access goes through the same server, you then type in the name of the Bucket that you want to access. If this is blank, OnSong will display all buckets on your Amazon S3 account. The Path field is normally not used since S3 is stored in a flat list, but OnSong can use specific folders you create in Amazon S3. Like the other import sources, you then turn on the Use SSL field for secure communication. Lastly, turn on the Authenticate switch. Amazon S3 doesn't use a username/password to authenticate, but rather an Access Key and Secret Key provided through the Amazon S3 console.
The password you enter into the import source editor is not saved in plain text but is stored securely in the system keychain. This means that passwords are not stored in a backup file and need to be reentered if you've restored the library to another device.
Exporting Import Source
You can export your import source as a file that can be imported. To do this, use the toolbar at the bottom of the Import Source Editor. Here you can choose to include the authentication information into the exported file and then tap on the share icon to export. If you include the username and password in the file, it is stored as plain text.
Importing Files
Once you've created an import source, you can select it from the Import Source list to browse your files. You can then select files to import by tapping on them and then tap on the Import button in the upper right corner to import those files to your library.