February Update: Dark Mode, Custom Event Fields and PDF Optimization

Development on Chorilo continues at a rapid pace. In the second half of February, we focused on areas that noticeably improve everyday life in the mobile app, make event management more flexible and optimize performance for large PDF files. We also added further options to the permission management system.

Dark Mode for the Mobile App

Many users have wished for a dark mode for the Chorilo app, and with this update we fulfill that wish. The entire app now supports a complete dark mode that can be activated via the profile settings. All screens, forms, lists and dialogs automatically adapt to the chosen color scheme.

Behind the scenes, we developed a completely new theming system. Instead of hard-coding individual colors, the app now accesses a central color system that provides the appropriate values depending on the mode. Texts, backgrounds, input fields and buttons are automatically displayed in the correct contrasts. The result is a pleasant user experience in poor lighting conditions, such as during evening rehearsals or concerts, without compromising readability.

Brightness Reminder for Concerts and Events

Anyone who has ever sat in a concert and suddenly had a glaringly bright phone display in the row in front of them knows the problem. The Chorilo app now features an intelligent brightness reminder that automatically appears during concerts and events. When you open an event marked as a concert or performance, the app checks the current screen brightness and suggests reducing it.

The reminder is not intrusive. It appears as a subtle modal that sets the brightness to a fixed value you can permanently define in the profile settings. This way, the app remembers your preference. If you don't need the reminder, you can dismiss it for the current session.

Custom Fields for Events

Custom fields were previously only available for sheet music and members. From now on, you can also define your own fields for events to capture additional information beyond the standard fields. Whether dress code, meeting point for carpools, parking information or internal notes: you decide which details should appear with your events.

The fields are created once in the ensemble settings and are then available for every new event. When creating or editing an event, the fields can be filled in, and in the event detail view they are displayed clearly. Custom fields for events work both in the web application and in the mobile app, so all members can see the additional information.

Event Type Filter for Better Overview

The more active a choir is, the fuller the calendar gets. Rehearsals, concerts, board meetings, sectional rehearsals and special events can quickly become confusing. With the new event type filter, you can now filter the event list specifically by type of event. Want to see only the upcoming concerts? Or exclusively rehearsals? One click on the corresponding filter is all it takes.

The filter is available both in the web application and in the mobile app. In the app, the entire filter bar has been redesigned so that the event type filter integrates seamlessly into the existing interface. The filter setting is retained until you actively reset it, so you don't have to filter again every time you visit the events page.

Extended Chat Permissions with Functions and Voices

We have expanded the chat function introduced in January with an important capability: When creating group chats, you can now specify which members should automatically have access based on their function or voice part. For example, you can create a chat that automatically includes all sopranos, or a board chat that only includes members with the "Board" function.

These access restrictions can also be adjusted later in the group settings. When a new member joins the ensemble and has the corresponding voice or function, they automatically gain access to the chat. This saves administrative effort and ensures that the right people are always in the right conversations. The feature is available both in the web application and in the mobile app.

Backfill Function for New Members

When a new member joins your ensemble, they are missing from the attendee list of all already created future events. Previously, you had to manually add the new member to each individual event, which could be very time-consuming with many planned events. The new backfill function solves this problem elegantly.

In the members list, administrators can now see at a glance which members are missing from future events. A small icon shows the number of missing events. Clicking it opens a dialog that lists all affected events. You can then backfill individual or all events at once. The system also takes into account the member's permissions, so only events for which the member is authorized are backfilled.

Automatic Cleanup of Attendee Lists

When a member leaves the ensemble, they previously remained in the attendee lists of future events. This led to distorted attendance numbers and confusion during planning. From now on, departed members are automatically removed from all future events. Past events remain unaffected, so historical documentation is preserved.

Watermarks When Editing Sheet Music

You could already add a watermark when uploading sheet music. Now it is also possible to apply a watermark retroactively when editing a piece of sheet music. When you upload a new PDF file to update an existing piece, you can use a checkbox to specify whether the ensemble's configured watermark should be applied to the new file. This is particularly practical if you want to retroactively add the association name or a copyright notice to your sheet music.

PDF Optimization for Faster Loading

Large PDF files can load noticeably slowly on tablets and smartphones, especially when they contain high-resolution scans. With the new PDF optimization function, you can compress large PDFs directly in Chorilo without any visible loss of quality. The optimization reduces file size through intelligent image compression to a maximum of 300 DPI, removal of unused objects and linearization for fast web rendering.

In the sheet music detail view, you can see the current file size and start the optimization with one click. After completion, Chorilo shows the original and the new file size so you can see the effect directly. The optimization runs as a background process, so you can continue working in the meantime. Already optimized files are detected and not processed again.

Notifications on Event Creation

When creating a new event, you can now use a checkbox to specify whether members should immediately receive a notification about the new event. Previously, notifications were always sent automatically. With the new option, you have more control: If you want to create multiple events at once, for example, you can deactivate notifications and inform members later in a batch. The setting is available both in the web application and in the mobile app.

Decline Reasons Visible in the App

When members decline an event, they can provide a reason. This decline reason was previously only visible in the web application. From now on, it is also displayed in the mobile app, so choir directors and administrators can see directly on their smartphone why a member cannot attend. This makes planning on the go considerably easier.

New Permission for Attendance Editing

The permission management has been extended with a new granular permission: the right to edit attendance. Previously, only administrators and moderators could change attendance at events. With the new permission, you can specifically assign this capability to certain permission groups without having to grant these people all other moderation rights at the same time. This is particularly useful for section leaders or voice part leaders who should manage the attendance of their voice group.

Metronome Redesign

The metronome in the mobile app has been completely redesigned. The previous implementation could cause stuttering on older or less powerful devices, which is of course particularly disruptive for a metronome. The new version uses an optimized audio engine that delivers a precise and steady beat even on slow devices. The operation remains intuitively unchanged.

Further Improvements

The sheet music list has received improved pagination that makes navigating through large music libraries more comfortable. In the app, chat notification links have been fixed so that tapping a chat notification now reliably leads to the correct conversation. We have also made numerous smaller improvements to the permission management and fixed various bugs with guest login and PDF display on Windows.

We are continuously working to make Chorilo better. If you have ideas for new features or encounter problems, we would love to hear from you. Use the AI chatbot, the feature request function, or send us an email.