What exporting your history means in VirtualDJ

Exporting your history in VirtualDJ means saving a record of the songs you have played during your DJ sets to a file on your computer. VirtualDJ keeps this record automatically — every track you play gets logged with the time you played it and how long it lasted. When you export, you are pulling that data out of VirtualDJ's internal database and turning it into a file format you can open, share, or back up elsewhere.

Most DJs export their history to share with venues, to keep personal records of what they have performed, or to move the data to another computer or DJ software. The exported file is usually a text file or spreadsheet that lists each song title, artist, album, and the exact time it played.

Key Takeaways

  • VirtualDJ stores your play history automatically in its database, and you can export it as a text or CSV file through the History tab.
  • The simplest export method is to right-click on a date in the History panel and select "Export", which saves that session to your computer.
  • Exported history files can be opened in a text editor or spreadsheet program like Excel or Google Sheets.
  • You can export a single session, a full day, or multiple sessions at once depending on what you need the file for.

Finding and opening the History tab

Open VirtualDJ and look at the left side of the screen. You will see several tabs — usually Folder, Playlist, History, and others. Click on the History tab. This panel shows every session you have ever recorded in VirtualDJ, organized by date, with the most recent at the top.

Each date entry shows how many tracks you played that day. Click the arrow or plus sign next to any date to expand it and see the individual songs you played during that session, listed in the order you played them. The History tab is where all your export options live.

Exporting a single session or day

Find the date of the session you want to export. Right-click directly on that date entry in the History panel. A menu will appear with several options. Select Export from this menu.

A dialog box will open asking where you want to save the file. Choose a folder on your computer — your Desktop or Documents folder works well. VirtualDJ will suggest a filename that includes the date, like "History_2024-01-15.txt". You can change this name if you want, but keep the .txt or .csv extension at the end. Click Save, and the file is now on your computer.

Exporting multiple sessions at once

If you need to export more than one session, you can select multiple dates. Click on the first date you want to export, then hold down the Ctrl key (or Cmd on Mac) and click on each additional date. All selected dates will highlight. Right-click on any of the highlighted dates and select Export.

VirtualDJ will create a single file containing all the tracks from all the sessions you selected, in chronological order. This is useful if you want to back up several weeks of history or compile a longer record for a venue or client.

Opening and using your exported file

Once you have exported your history, you can open the file with any text editor — Notepad on Windows or TextEdit on Mac will work. The file will show each song as a line with the artist name, track title, album, and the time you played it. The format is plain text, so it is straightforward to read and share.

If you want to organize the data further, you can open the exported file in a spreadsheet program like Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets. Copy the entire contents of the text file, paste it into a new spreadsheet, and use the spreadsheet's tools to sort by artist, date, or any other column. This is helpful if you want to count how many times you have played a particular song or analyze your DJ habits over time.

Backing up your history to another location

Exporting your history is also a way to back it up. Once you have the exported file, you can copy it to an external hard drive, a USB stick, or a cloud storage service like Google Drive or Dropbox. This protects your history in case something happens to your computer or your VirtualDJ installation.

If you ever reinstall VirtualDJ or move to a new computer, you will have a record of what you played. While the exported file cannot be imported back into VirtualDJ's database directly, it serves as a permanent archive you can reference or share with others.

Troubleshooting common export issues

If the History tab is not showing any dates, check that you have actually recorded sessions in VirtualDJ. Sessions only appear in History if you have used the Record button during playback. If you have only practiced without recording, there will be nothing to export.

If the export option does not appear when you right-click, make sure you are right-clicking directly on a date entry, not on an empty area of the History panel. Some versions of VirtualDJ also require that you right-click on the date itself rather than on an expanded track listing. If you are still having trouble, check that your VirtualDJ version is up to date by going to Help and checking for updates.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I export just one song from my history instead of a whole session?

VirtualDJ exports by date or session, not by individual track. To save a single song's information, you can open the exported file in a text editor and manually copy just that line, or take a screenshot of the song in the History panel.

What format does VirtualDJ use when it exports history?

VirtualDJ exports as a plain text file (.txt) or comma-separated values file (.csv). Both formats open in any text editor or spreadsheet program. The CSV format is better if you plan to sort or filter the data in Excel or Sheets.

Will exporting my history delete it from VirtualDJ?

No. Exporting creates a copy of your history on your computer. Your original history stays in VirtualDJ's database and remains accessible in the History tab.

Can I import an exported history file back into VirtualDJ?

VirtualDJ does not have a built-in import function for history files. The exported file is a record you can read and share, but it cannot be loaded back into VirtualDJ's database. It is meant for backup, sharing, or analysis outside of VirtualDJ.

How far back does VirtualDJ keep history?

VirtualDJ keeps all recorded sessions indefinitely, as long as you do not manually delete them. Your entire history from the day you installed VirtualDJ should be visible in the History tab, though very old sessions may require scrolling to find.