Restoring from backup with unsorted icons

[Commodore]

I restored backup of a previous iPad (which was jailbroken and running iOS 6.1) on a new one (7.1.1). The icons/apps were all garbled, and bore very little resemblance to my previous layout.

Last time I did this (about a year ago) was the same (that was when upgrading from 5.something to 6.something on the same device). Is this a "feature", something we have to live with, or is there a way to make sure the restore will also restore icons layout (other than - I suppose - starting an iPad installation literally from scratch, as a new device)? Could it be related to my using certain tweaks that deal with folder layouts (Iconoclasm, Springtomize...)? I'm not sure about the latter, as I wasn't using no layout/UI tweaks when moving from 5 to 6 last year, but the result (garbled icons) was the same.

 

[willerz2]

Most likely the culprit would be something like IconSupport since you were previously jailbroken. I'm not sure if it still holds true, but a while back, the layout of icons were saved under IconSupport (if you have it) rather than on the iOS and have IconSupport read off of the iOS for the layout. If you have tweaks that allow for folder nesting, remember that you can't (supposedly on the stock iOS, though you still can without a jailbreak) nest folders ordinarily, so if you had folders nested into one another, the stock iOS reads that as an error and reindexes them as separate icons on your springboard, or possibly un-nest the folders.

Not sure if that answers you question as to why it happens.

 

[Commodore]

I checked the list of tweaks I exported a while ago and yes, IconSupport is listed. Is it used by Iconoclasm and similar tweaks? In 6.1, I did use 6x6 layout on home-screens, as well as "infinite" folders. I never used nested folders, though. So maybe that was the culprit (although I don't think I tweaked anything on home-screens prior to 5.1.1-to-6.something migration...).

I don't see the need for these in 7.x+ anymore as the folders can hold more than enough apps, so I suppose next time no rearranging will be needed?

Except maybe I will utilize 6x6 icons layout on home-screens (once we get a JB again), as I think 4x5 is just brutal and "un-green" waste of space...

 

[willerz2]

Quite a few tweaks use IconSupport such as Springtomize, the Infini line, Iconoclasm, and other packages that modified layout/format/structure of icons. But yes, which respect to infinifolder and tweaks like it, they aren't necessary on iOS 7+, but since there are still users (@saurik) that are still on iOS 6, they would find the use for it since the above mentioned tweaks work for iOS 5+ if not iOS 6+


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[Commodore]

On a related note, is there any (non-time consuming, such as deleting them selectively one by one from within iTunes desktop application) way to sanitize the contents of ...\iTunes\Mobile Applications\ folder? I see I have almost 1500 IPA files in there, totaling a little over 80 GB. Quite some time ago I moved all those files to an external drive, but when I had to do my first restore I discovered that moving them away was not such a good idea...
Perhaps about 10% of those are in use nowadays on either device, so it would be great to clean this up somehow.

And another space hog -- c:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\iTunes\iPad Software Updates\ contains iOS ipsw files. Can those be deleted "manually" without consequences (and iTunes will just re-download them in case of future updates/restores)?

 

[willerz2]

You can delete both the IPSWs and the iPAs in their respective directories. IPAs aren't essential as long as the cloud has knowledge of your version history in case you need it. And IPSWs are downloadable at any time.


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[Commodore]

IPAs aren't essential as long as the cloud has knowledge of your version history in case you need it.

Not according to my experience from when I had my first restore (I think it was last year) -- that's why I mention this. I had no IPA files there (as mentioned, they were on an external disk), and restore merely complained how apps could not be found. After moving them back to their original location (iTunes\Mobile Applications), they were installed subsequently with next sync.
I had thought it would simply pull them from iTunes as existing purchases. Also, I somehow thought that -- judging by the size of the backup folder -- the apps were already contained within the backup. I guess I was completely wrong about this.
Unless that was just a bug? Or something that only works on Mac (I have Windows 7)?

 

[Mickey330]

Not according to my experience from when I had my first restore (I think it was last year) -- that's why I mention this. I had no IPA files there (as mentioned, they were on an external disk), and restore merely complained how apps could not be found. After moving them back to their original location (iTunes\Mobile Applications), they were installed subsequently with next sync.
I had thought it would simply pull them from iTunes as existing purchases. Also, I somehow thought that -- judging by the size of the backup folder -- the apps were already contained within the backup. I guess I was completely wrong about this.
Unless that was just a bug? Or something that only works on Mac (I have Windows 7)?

My understanding is that the iPad and iTunes "talk" to each other during the backup (and backup restore) process.

If you transfer your apps to iTunes, that updates iTunes to have the latest version of the app/IPA. Then, during back-up, I think (!) iTunes makes a "map" (for lack of a better word) of the app. It saves the data and such for the app, but it doesn't actually save the app itself.

So, when you restore from backup, iTunes checks to make sure it still has the app. If it does, it links the app it has with the data in the backup and puts it [back] on the iPad. However, if the app is not on iTunes (or has been moved to a different location) iTunes can't find it and so can't link the data with the app. So, the app doesn't go on the iPad.

TL;DR: To my understanding, in normal operations, the IPA is not in the iTunes backup; it's combined with the backed-up data and put onto the iPad during backup restore.

Marilyn

 

[Commodore]

It all makes sense. However...

If you transfer your apps to iTunes, that updates iTunes to have the latest version of the app/IPA.

...I don't think there's an "if" in this case anymore. I do remember "transferring purchases" was optional some time ago (because I sometimes did it explicitly with right click in iTunes and choosing "Transfer Purchases" from the menu). But nowadays, apps are transferred automatically (I know I've seen other people around the net complain about this part as well) -- which among other things makes local wifi sync virtually useless as it can take forever to "transfer purchases" (of updated or newly installed apps), especially larger ones e.g. Garage Band, Session Band, some "office" apps etc.

It's kind of stupid because the iTunes\Mobile Applications folder on the computer eventually becomes a graveyard of apps you used (or just tested) eons ago as they're not also cleaned up when you stop using them on iDevices.

Perhaps I should try deleting backups and creating them anew and see if it will also "refresh" the Mobile Applications folder on the computer.

 

[Mickey330]

It all makes sense. However...

...I don't think there's an "if" in this case anymore. I do remember "transferring purchases" was optional some time ago (because I sometimes did it explicitly with right click in iTunes and choosing "Transfer Purchases" from the menu). But nowadays, apps are transferred automatically (I know I've seen other people around the net complain about this part as well) -- which among other things makes local wifi sync virtually useless as it can take forever to "transfer purchases" (of updated or newly installed apps), especially larger ones e.g. Garage Band, Session Band, some "office" apps etc.

It's kind of stupid because the iTunes\Mobile Applications folder on the computer eventually becomes a graveyard of apps you used (or just tested) eons ago as they're not also cleaned up when you stop using them on iDevices.

Perhaps I should try deleting backups and creating them anew and see if it will also "refresh" the Mobile Applications folder on the computer.

Ah, but you can set up your iTunes to have apps NOT transfer automatically. We'll, at least mine is that way. You do so by turning off the automatic sync. In iTunes, go to Edit > Preferences > Devices and look for the line titled "Prevent [iDevices] from syncing automatically" and make sure there is a check mark in the box next to it.

Then, with the iPad connected to iTunes, go to the iPad's Apps tab. At the bottom of the Apps list is a box next to "Automatically install new apps" - have it UNchecked.

You may also have automatic downloads turned on for the computer. So, in iTunes, go to Edit > Preferences > Store and make sure the box next to "Apps" (under "Automatic Downloads") is not checked.

I have these settings on my iTunes and thus I always have to select 'transfer purchases"; it is never automatic. And I'm running the latest version of iTunes...

However, once you have apps installed into iTunes, yes, the only way to get them off your computer is to delete them. If you take an app off of iTunes, it won't come off iTunes on your computer; you'll have to delete it manually. It is a pain to delete them - but it's the only way as it won't be done automatically.

Marilyn

 

[Commodore]

Hm, I have all those three settings just the way you're describing, it's been like that pretty much from the start. The transfer purchases is however always one of the steps after clicking the SYNC button at the bottom of iTunes desktop application. Maybe it's some sort of leftover bug then.

The "correct" way of deleting apps in desktop iTunes is probably by going to Library / Apps section and choosing Delete from right-click menu on app (just discovered multiple selection is supported there, so there's at least that ).

 

[Mickey330]

Hm, I have all those three settings just the way you're describing, it's been like that pretty much from the start. The transfer purchases is however always one of the steps after clicking the SYNC button at the bottom of iTunes desktop application. Maybe it's some sort of leftover bug then.

The "correct" way of deleting apps in desktop iTunes is probably by going to Library / Apps section and choosing Delete from right-click menu on app (just discovered multiple selection is supported there, so there's at least that ).

Well, yeah, hitting the sync button is going to make iTunes make the iPad match it. That's not a bug - that's a feature (and one that's been there ever since I've been messing with iTunes. And, iTunes makes the iPad match itself, which is why I never press the sync button until after I've done the "transfer purchases" thing beforehand (that's if I ever use the sync button).

Marilyn

 

[Commodore]

OK, so that's by design then. My wishful thinking in this case is that there should probably be an option to exclude transferring purchased installed apps from an iDevice to computer -- just like there are such options for contacts, calendar, notes, music...

 

[eprisencc]

How to save iOS icon and folder layout Springboard Home Screen information when restoring as new as of iOS 8.1




You need to be jailbroken for this to work.


Transfer all your apps to iTunes so you can get them back.


Backup the following file using iFile in the following directory: private/var/mobile/Library/SpringBoard

• IconState.plist
  

Backup this file to dropbox using iFile.


Restore iPhone as new. Sync apps back using iTunes. Re-jailbreak phone. Install iFile.


To restore springboard organization, rename the backed up file IconState.plist to DesiredIconState.plist and then copy to private/var/mobile/Library/SpringBoard. Overwrite the existing file if necessary. Respring and springboard layout should be restored. Now all you have to do is go through the tedious process of logging into apps and setting the phone back up the way you like it.