iCloud Drive-ing me ...

[eN0ch]

Just getting my head around iCloud Drive here ...

My main unresolved question is around working with PDFs (and really I guess other text docs) between my iPad and my iMac. Everything I've so far read suggests that iCD should work roughly like other cloud services, so that I can read (and annotate / edit) the same file on my iPad and my desktop – as distinct from working with a separate copy on the iPad.

But that doesn't seem to be what's happening (except with iWork docs). I already have GoodReader on the iPad, and I have the latest update with iCD support. So I figured I'd be working with the same PDF files, a la with Dropbox sync in GoodReader. Instead there's no (as far as I can see) option to sync with iCloud; only an import function. Result: GoodReader on the iPad now has duplicate copies of the original PDFs stored in iCloud on the mac.

The originals are in a Finder folder "iCloud Drive" under ~/Library/Mobile Documents on the mac, and they appear as loose items at the top level in the Document picker on the iPad. The duplicates appear in the Document picker under a "Good Reader" folder (i.e. one level down from the originals). And they're not even viewable in the mac's Finder – even with invisibles unhidden. (But as it happens I can view them in Leap – a Finder substitute I've had for ages; and there they appear in a "GoodReader" folder at the same level as the "iCloud Drive" folder where the originals are.)

In other words – unless I'm really missing something (quite possible ...) I'd be better off sticking with Dropbox as far as any documents except iWork files. Can anyone correct me? Thanks.

 

[twerppoet]

Have you installed Yosemite on the Mac yet?

You can't use iCloud Drive on the Mac until you do. Once it's there, iCloud Drive will show up in the Finder as it's own folder/drive, under the Favorites list.

I've been playing with GoodReader and PDF Expert on the iPad, exporting, importing, and editing without moving the file. GoodReader hides the iCloud Drive options in obscure places and tends to crash a lot. PDF Expert has been behaving well, so far.

Not all the annotations are showing up across apps, probably some kind of incompatibility since there are still there when the app the created them opens the document again.


I have not tried anything between the Mac and iPad yet, but will later; probably using Preview on the Mac side.

In the mean time, I've just finished installing the iOS 8.1 update. Time to take a break and go get lunch.

 

[eN0ch]

Thanks for the reply. Yes I'm on Yosemite - which I think I'd have to be to be seeing what I'm seeing in Finder.

Can you elaborate on your bit about GR hiding the iCD options in obscure places? And I'd be especially interested in what you find when you do start switching between mac-preview and iPad-GoodReader. Will you be working with the same document or, as I seem to be, separate copies?

Oh and if you have a mac app that will let you see the full folder structure in iCD (which Finder seems not to), I'd be interested in whether you can see duplicate copies of files. e.g you might have one copy of file X under GoodReader and a duplicate under PDF Expert?

 

[twerppoet]

Dag nabit. I thought I had posted the screen shot showing where the iCloud Drive option was hidden; but I evidently didn't click on Post Reply. It's just sitting here waiting for me.

So, after editing the post, here's the screen shot.

As I said, it's been crashing on me as often as not, and I get errors about other apps blocking access. I think that was because I left the document open in the other app. Force closing the offending app in the App Switcher view fixed that problem.

Still have not done the Mac to iPad thing. Might not get to it tonight.

 

[eN0ch]

Right ... Well that's interesting. Last time (yesterday) I opened GR the import button only had the first two options, not the 3rd ('open file from iCD'). But as soon as I launched it today I got a message saying it had been updated - and voila, there's the 3rd option. So I now have the behaviour I was expecting, and have deleted my duplicate copies.

However, presumably due to iCD's limitations (?), it doesn't appear that it's possible to load iCD files into GR on the iPad for offline reading, like you can do with Dropbox and others. Is that correct, folks?

 

[Abrennan]

I have a question about Icloud drive also. If I let all my photos upload to iCloud Drive and I choose to only keep the 'lighter' versions on my device whilst the full resolution is stored in the cloud, how can I access and download the full resolution on my iPad to use to email to someone or post somewhere?

 

[twerppoet]

Right ... Well that's interesting. Last time (yesterday) I opened GR the import button only had the first two options, not the 3rd ('open file from iCD'). But as soon as I launched it today I got a message saying it had been updated - and voila, there's the 3rd option. So I now have the behaviour I was expecting, and have deleted my duplicate copies.

However, presumably due to iCD's limitations (?), it doesn't appear that it's possible to load iCD files into GR on the iPad for offline reading, like you can do with Dropbox and others. Is that correct, folks?

Sounds like you didn't have the last update installed. It was barely available when you first posted.

I appears iCloud Drive give developers a lot of flexibility in how it works. In GoodReaders case it looks like you're only two choices re to leave it on iCloud Drive, or make a local copy. You can't have a local copy that stays synced.

That might even make sense, most of the time.

The iWorks apps, on the other hand, treat their documents exactly as before. Local documents that are synced to their iCloud Drive folders. You can get to other iCloud Drive folders, but they don't show you the rest of the file system by default.

PDF Express is both does a better job. The files are local and synced, and the iCloud Drive options are front and center when you choose to open or save a file.

 

[twerppoet]

I have a question about Icloud drive also. If I let all my photos upload to iCloud Drive and I choose to only keep the 'lighter' versions on my device whilst the full resolution is stored in the cloud, how can I access and download the full resolution on my iPad to use to email to someone or post somewhere?

I don't have the definitive answer for this, since I've only been using he iCloud Photo Library (in beta) for a couple days. But, from what I've seen it downloads the full photo, if it is not local, before attaching it to the email and sending it.

However, Mail also has a new feature that automatically uses iCloud to send large attachments that can cause problems with some mail serves. If I understand right, it's transparent to the end user, so I don't know of any non-technical way to see if or when it happens.

But the end result should be the same. Your recipient gets the full sized image, if you send it. You can have Mail automatically downsize and image before sending.

Obviously you need an internet connection for this to work. In the case of Mail that shouldn't be a problem, at least most of the time. You need internet to send and receive the email anyway.

 

[twerppoet]

I did get around to testing iCloud Drive between my iMac and iPad. I passed a document back and forth between Preview on the Mac and PDF Expert on the iPad.

I didn't do an extensive test, just a few quick edits, the kind I've done in the past. It was quick, and all the annotations were preserved.

Then I decided to play with GoodReader on the same document. It crashed on me, again. Then my Mac crashed. I hope they were unrelated.

I'm thinking GoodReader is a no-go for iCloud Drive until they they fix a few bugs. Or it may just be me. When I get some time I'll try deleting and reinstalling the app. I don't have much in it, so it wont' be a major pain.

 

[Abrennan]

I don't have the definitive answer for this, since I've only been using he iCloud Photo Library (in beta) for a couple days. But, from what I've seen it downloads the full photo, if it is not local, before attaching it to the email and sending it.

Thanks I was hoping it would be something like that