Use TabToolkit's built in Upload & Download function to transfer files between two different iDevices.

I’ve noticed a few keyword searches coming into the site from people looking for the best way to transfer information or sync between different copies of Agile Partner’s TabToolkit app. I ran into the same question myself when the iPad version of the app came out. I had already been using the iPhone version for quite a while and had a nice little library of tabs that I didn’t want to have to go through the trouble of recreating in the iPad version. Although there is no true sync feature and I don’t believe there is any documentation that recommends this workaround specifically, there is a way to transfer files easily between multiple copies of TabToolkit using the apps built-in Upload & Download functionality.

Here’s what you do:

  • First, you have to make sure both devices are on the same Wi-Fi network. The devices aren’t paired explicitly when you’re transferring files, so this will even work if you want to transfer a file to a friend’s phone or iPad as long as you’re both on the same network.
  • Open TabToolkit on the device you want to transfer the files from and open the Upload & Download page. On the iPad, it’s the Upload & Download item under the left hand menu. On the iPhone, you have to click the + in the lower right hand corner of the screen. Take note of the URL displayed on this screen.
  • Next, open TabToolkit on the device you’d like to transfer the files to. Open the Upload & Download page just like you did on the first device, only this time click on the “Download Tabs” button that appears on this page.
  • Once the browser interface opens on the target device, simply enter in the URL you saw on the first device. (Be sure to include the “http://” at the beginning. The browser seems to be pretty picky about that.)
  • That’s it. Once the page loads, you’ll have a really nicely formatted list displaying all the Guitar Pro, Power Tab, PDF and text tab files that are on your source device. Just click on a file to download it to your target device.

Of course, you can use this same method to transfer files to and from your desktop machine too, but I was very excited to find this little workaround for transferring files between devices. I don’t find myself using the iPhone version of the app for actually practicing songs very often anymore, simply because it’s so much easier to read tab on the iPad’s screen, but I do often find myself out and about when the urge to learn a new song will pop into my head. It’s real easy to fire up TabToolkit on the iPhone and download the tab I’m looking for. Then, once I’m back on a network again, I just transfer the files between devices and I’m good to go.

 
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