How to backup/import Database?

@geek: theoretically, you are right. But the fact is, that i often experienced problems while updating (from 0.7rc1 to rc2 for example, but sometimes even when updating an add-on!), and the most common answer was: "create a new profil". And this solved the problems, but my library was lost in the process.

Well, my question stays: how can i backup & import my library (with ratings, play-counts, etc.) ?

I'm interested in how to backup&import ratings, etc, because I keep my mp3 hoard on an external HD that I access from multiple computers. So, the backup&import issue extends beyond the updating problem.

So there's NO WAY to backup/import settings with this program? That's kind of a big problem, isn't it? How can you upgrade a hard drive, or move to a new computer? How can you prevent against losing all playcounts and star ratings?

Sorry, this is a deal-breaker. I guess I'm going back to iTunes.

Well, you can always backup the profile folder that you're using. I've got two user accounts in my PC (job and home) and both share the same profile: in C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Application Data\Songbird2 you'll find your profile settings.</user>

Sure Pablo, but that doesn't actually address the core problem. What is your drive letters change? What if you need to migrate your music files? It's simply a gaping HUGE feature hole that needs to be filled... I wish I had known this wasn't possible before switching.

In any case, I've gone back to iTunes, I'll just check back with Songbird in another few months. :(

Following this thread too. The ability to save the database with my music, for instance on a network share, like iTunes or MediaMonkey do is a pretty important feature. "Profile" is perhaps a separate thing, but the "Library", eg ratings, playlists, etc, should not be stored in appdata, but with the music.

I just want to say that I too tried switching to SB .

I started building the database - ratings, comments and so on - only to discover halfway through that the metadata is stored separate from the songs and that the database is not exportable to other players.
In short, SB doesn't play nice with any other player, at least for now.

An easy solution would be to store the metadata of each song in the song file itself, or at least alert the users to the possibilities and let us choose.
That way I can use SB, Itunes and any other player to listen to my library because the metadata is stored on the music file itself.

In the meantme I cannot use SB although I really like the concept and some of the feathers.

I like the idea of storing ratings in the song metadata. I think windows media player does that and I can move my music to another computer and still retain my ratings.

Is anyone from Songbird listening?

I need this, I have several playlists set up based on ratings and spend a lot of time rating my songs. if i lose them that would be awful..

i hate itunes, and never used it as my main player, but i may have to head that way if it saves your ratings..

I'd really, REALLY like it if songbird would store song metadata with the song...

I too would really like some way to back up and sync my ratings, play counts, play lists, etc., between computers. Copying the profile folder is too cumbersome. There needs to be some automated, or at least some simple manual, method for backing up and ideally also syncing this information.

Enabling writing of songs does ease the pain a little bit (other players can read the tags then), but yes a backup feature would be very nice. Any extension dev want to give this a shot?

@Ivan: That's what I was hoping for...

@Ivan: Or better yet, how about an extension that allows you to sync these things between computers the way Foxmarks (and Weave) allow you to sync bookmarks and passwords (and tabs, history, etc.) between computers?

@dave, Geoffrey: I really don't think that would be too hard. It could be so simple, just a text file that stores the uid of a song, and then ratings, playcounts, etc. You could even use something like dropbox to sync them between computers. If I knew anything about the api I would give it a shot, but I'm sure someone else could do it better than I.

@Ivan
Just a minor point, but instead of just putting it in a plain text file it should be done in XML...just for uniform-ness...
Could be wrong...doesn't matter.

My opinion is that writing metadata to the file is more important that an easily exportable library file.

If you use a daap server (Firefly) to serve music files to another computer, is there any way to (easily) edit the metadata of a file in Songbird from the remote computer? That's something I would like. Syncing of ratings and other metadata changes even when you don't have the files on your computer, but are streaming them from a home server. I'd also like the same functionality when you do have the same music files on two or more computers though.

the feature of storing the song data in the file itself doesn't need to be an extension...it needs to be built in to the player. i can't think of any reason why it is better to store that information elsewhere

Though it would be nice, if I could choose if I want to save it in the songfile itself, or in an external library file, as I create the profile.

This recently uploaded add-on seems like it might be able to help as well: http://addons.songbirdnest.com/addon/...