Chorus Hub is a versatile data-sharing tool that facilitates collaboration among people on a local network with an unreliable or costly Internet connection. This software is particularly beneficial for communities and individuals involved in linguistic research, translation, and language preservation efforts. Chorus Hub enables synchronizing data without an internet connection, ensuring that all team members have the most up-to-date information. In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to use Chorus Hub for local data sharing, making it easier to collaborate effectively with your colleagues.

Getting Started

Before diving into the specifics of using Chorus Hub, it’s important to understand its relevance. Chorus Hub enables teams to share data, including lexicons, grammatical information, interlinear texts, and more.

How To Guide

1. Setting Up Chorus Hub

To begin using Chorus Hub for local data sharing, you need to install and set up the software on one computer on your network. Others on the local network will connect to Chorus Hub on this computer.

Step 1: Install Chorus Hub

  1. Download the Chorus Hub installer
  2. Run the installer and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.

Step 2: Starting Chorus Hub

Depending on the version, start Chorus Hub as a process or a service:

  • As a Process: Navigate to the FLEx Bridge directory and launch ChorusHub.exe. Make sure no other instance is running on the network.
  • As a Service: Install the service using ChorusHubInstaller.msi. Start the service by going to Start > Services > Chorus Hub Sharing Service > Start.

2. Initial Data Sharing Setup

Once you have Chorus Hub running, you can set up your local data sharing.

Step 1: Initialize Send/Receive in FLEx

  1. Open FLEx on the machine with the master copy of the project.
  2. Go to Send/Receive > Send this Project for the first time.
  3. Select Chorus Hub as the destination.
  4. Follow the prompts to complete the initial send.

Step 2: Colleagues Get the Project

  1. On each colleague’s machine, make sure FLEx is installed.
  2. Go to Send/Receive > Get Project from Colleague.
  3. Select Chorus Hub as the source.
  4. Follow the prompts to download the project onto their machine.

3. Ongoing Data Synchronization

After the initial setup, all team members can keep their data synchronized.

Regular Send/Receive

  1. Open FLEx on your computer.
  2. Go to Send/Receive > Send/Receive Project (with other FLEx users).
  3. Select the appropriate synchronization option (Chorus Hub).
  4. Perform this regularly to keep data updated.

4. Troubleshooting and Best Practices

Step 1: Handling Conflicts

  1. If conflicts arise, FLEx will generate a conflict report.
  2. Review the report and manually resolve any conflicts.

Step 2: Backup and Restore

  1. Regularly backup your project using FLEx’s backup feature.
  2. Avoid using restore unless absolutely necessary, as it can cause data loss for teammates.

5. Advanced Usage

For those who want to delve deeper into the capabilities of Chorus Hub and FLEx, there are additional technical resources and advanced functionalities available.

Additional Resources

FieldWorks Language Explorer Documentation

Using Chorus Hub for local data sharing can significantly enhance collaboration on language projects. By following this guide, you can set up and maintain a synchronized environment that ensures all team members have access to the latest data. SIL’s commitment to community partnership and empowerment through language is greatly supported by tools like Chorus Hub, making it easier to overcome linguistic barriers and promote community flourishing.