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Importing via Source Folders

Source folders let you bookmark locations on your device or in cloud storage for repeated access. Add a folder once, then import from it whenever you have new music. This guide walks through the complete process.

Overview

Section titled “Overview”

The source folder workflow has two parts:

  1. Add a source - Bookmark a folder so BitDek can access it
  2. Select and import - Browse the source, pick files or folders, import them

This approach works well when your music lives in an organized folder structure. Add your main music folder as a source, then selectively import albums as needed.

Adding a Source Folder

Section titled “Adding a Source Folder”

Step by Step

Section titled “Step by Step”
  1. Open BitDek and go to the Import Music screen
  2. In the Source Folders section, tap Add Source…
  3. The iOS folder picker appears
  4. Navigate to the folder you want to add
  5. Tap Open to confirm

BitDek creates a bookmark for this folder. The source appears in your list with the folder name as its label.

What You Can Add

Section titled “What You Can Add”

Works fully:

  • iCloud Drive folders
  • On My iPhone/iPad (local storage)
  • Dropbox folders (with some limitations, see below)

Does not work:

  • Google Drive folders
  • OneDrive folders
  • Box folders
  • Most other third-party cloud providers

When you navigate to an unsupported provider like Google Drive, the Open button stays disabled. This is an iOS platform limitation, not a BitDek restriction. See Cloud Storage Providers for technical details and workarounds.

Dropbox Considerations

Section titled “Dropbox Considerations”

Dropbox folders can be added as sources, but there’s a cache limitation. If you upload new files to Dropbox from your computer, those files may not appear immediately when you browse the source in BitDek.

The workaround: Open the Files app, navigate to your Dropbox folder, then return to BitDek. Viewing the folder in Files triggers a cache refresh.

See Cloud Storage Providers for full details on this limitation.

Browsing and Selecting Files

Section titled “Browsing and Selecting Files”

Once you have a source folder added:

  1. Tap the source in your list
  2. BitDek scans the folder contents (progress shown for large folders)
  3. A file browser opens showing your folder structure

The Browser Interface

Section titled “The Browser Interface”

The browser shows a hierarchical tree of your music:

  • Folders have expand/collapse arrows
  • Files show filename and size
  • Checkboxes let you select items for import

At the top, you’ll see a summary: “X files selected, Y MB”

At the bottom, three buttons:

  • Select All - Check everything
  • Clear All - Uncheck everything
  • Import - Start importing selected items

Selection Options

Section titled “Selection Options”

You have flexibility in what you select:

  • Individual files - Check specific tracks
  • Entire folders - Check a folder to include all its contents
  • Mix and match - Some files from one album, an entire folder from another

This selective approach means you don’t have to import everything at once. Add new albums as you acquire them.

The Import Process

Section titled “The Import Process”

After tapping Import:

  1. A confirmation dialog shows how many files you selected
  2. Tap Import to confirm
  3. Progress appears in the Import Music screen
  4. Results show in the Import Summary section when complete

Cloud Files

Section titled “Cloud Files”

If your source contains cloud-stored files (iCloud Drive, Dropbox), BitDek downloads them during import. You’ll see download progress before the import progress.

After import completes, BitDek releases the downloaded files back to cloud-only storage to save device space.

What Gets Imported

Section titled “What Gets Imported”

BitDek imports audio files it recognizes:

  • FLAC, ALAC, MP3, AAC, M4A, WAV, AIFF

Image files (JPG, PNG) in the same folders are used as album artwork if embedded artwork isn’t found in the audio files.

Other file types are skipped.

Managing Your Sources

Section titled “Managing Your Sources”

Renaming a Source

Section titled “Renaming a Source”

The default name is the folder’s name. To change it:

  1. Find the source in your list
  2. Tap the rename button (pencil icon)
  3. Enter a new name
  4. Tap Done

This only changes the display name in BitDek. The actual folder isn’t affected.

Removing a Source

Section titled “Removing a Source”

To remove a source from your list:

  1. Find the source
  2. Tap the remove button (trash icon)
  3. Confirm removal

This removes the bookmark from BitDek. Your files remain untouched. Any music you previously imported from this source stays in your library.

Re-adding After Removal

Section titled “Re-adding After Removal”

You can add the same folder again anytime. BitDek’s duplicate detection prevents importing the same tracks twice.

Best Practices

Section titled “Best Practices”

Folder Organization

Section titled “Folder Organization”

The source folder approach works best with organized music:

Music/
├── Artist A/
│   ├── Album 1/
│   └── Album 2/
├── Artist B/
│   └── Album 1/
└── Compilations/
    └── Various Artists Album/

Add “Music” as your source. Browse into artist and album folders to import selectively.

iCloud Drive for Simplicity

Section titled “iCloud Drive for Simplicity”

iCloud Drive has the fewest limitations:

  • Folder selection works
  • New files appear immediately (no cache refresh needed)
  • Files sync across your Apple devices

If you’re choosing where to store your music collection, iCloud Drive provides the smoothest BitDek experience.

Local Storage for Speed

Section titled “Local Storage for Speed”

Files stored directly on your device (“On My iPhone”) import fastest since no download is needed. If you have storage space, keeping your music local eliminates cloud-related delays.

One Source vs. Many

Section titled “One Source vs. Many”

You can add multiple sources. Some people prefer:

  • One main source - Your entire music folder as a single source
  • Multiple sources - Separate sources for different collections (owned music, downloads, recordings)

Both approaches work. Choose based on how your music is organized.

Troubleshooting

Section titled “Troubleshooting”

”Open” Button Disabled

Section titled “”Open” Button Disabled”

The folder picker won’t let you select folders from some cloud providers (Google Drive, OneDrive, Box). This is an iOS limitation.

Workaround: Use the Share Extension instead. Select files in the Files app and share them to BitDek. See Importing via Share Extension.

Files Missing from Browser

Section titled “Files Missing from Browser”

If recently added files don’t appear when browsing a Dropbox or similar cloud source:

  1. Open the iOS Files app
  2. Navigate to that folder
  3. Return to BitDek and browse again

This refreshes the file provider’s cache.

Import Stuck or Slow

Section titled “Import Stuck or Slow”

Cloud files must download before importing. Large files or slow connections cause delays. Check the progress indicator for download status.

For faster imports, consider copying files to local storage first.

Duplicate Detection

Section titled “Duplicate Detection”

BitDek checks for duplicates during import. If a file matches an existing track (same title, artist, album, and similar duration), it’s skipped with a note in the import summary.

Section titled “Related Guides”