iCloud Drive questions

A place for users to ask each other questions, make suggestions, and discuss Bookends.
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pip
Posts: 9
Joined: Tue Dec 19, 2017 5:22 pm

iCloud Drive questions

Post by pip »

I would like to use Bookends on iOS - and use iCloud to sync my Bookends data between my Macs, but as I understand it, first I should set up Bookends on my Macs for iCloud. I get the impression that once I've set these steps up, I can open up and configure the iOS app, with the extra licence and the subscription.

At the moment I have a folder in my Finder Documents folder called "Bookends" which contains all my Bookends libraries/databases and a subfolder that contains all my reference attachments (PDFs and JPGs).

If I set up Bookends in the macOS application to use iCloud, do I have to then manually move the attachments to an automatically created Bookends folder in the Finder's iCloud Drive folder? If so, can the attachments be in a subfolder in that iCloud Drive folder, or is a subfolder automatically created? And at what point do I move the attachments?

Also, should I move my actual Bookends libraries/databases into the iCloud Drive folder as well, or does the "switching on" of iCloud Drive sync in the app move them into iCloud å la CloudKit and remove them from the Finder? (Or, do they stay in the Finder somewhere while the iCloud sync use some sort of metadata? In which case why have the Finder library at all? and how do they get synced Mac-to-Mac?)

If I use iCloud Drive, I guess the libraries will be synced between my Macs as well?
Jon
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Re: iCloud Drive questions

Post by Jon »

Please see the Bookends for IOS user guide for how to set up cloud sync

http://www.sonnysoftware.com/bookendsontap/docs/

Basically, you initiate sync on the iOS device. Attach one PDF to a reference and let it sync. This should create a folder for attachments in iCloud Drive that you can see on your Mac (it MUST have the Bookends app logo on it, that identifies it as a sync folder -- note that you CANNOT create this manually).

Now move all your attachments on the Mac to that folder in iCloud drive (you can create a subfolder if you want, but no need.

Do NOT move your Bookends library there. Leave it where it is.

With iCloud sync turned on for your library in Bookends, it will sync to both other Macs (if the corresponding library has also been enabled for cloud sync) and your iOS devices.

Jon
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mathefff
Posts: 30
Joined: Fri Oct 06, 2017 9:11 am
Location: Poland

Re: iCloud Drive questions

Post by mathefff »

This does look cumbersome.
Somehow, the sync via WiFi did work seemingly with all the attachments. Or I forgot I did something specific...
Anyway, this is one of the things I still hesitate to recommend Bookends on IOS to my colleagues still using Mendeley and such. Then, I do think macOS version should have the priority in the development resources any day.

Sorry for the off-topic rumbling.
Jon
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Re: iCloud Drive questions

Post by Jon »

It's not a big deal to set up, and you only do it once, anyway, after that it's all handled with no user intervention.

The only extra step is that the Bookends sync folder for iCloud must be created by syncing one attachment from your iOS device. I shouldn't have listed this in my last reply -- starting with Bookends for iOS v3.2., Bookends does this for you automatically, there are no extra steps for you.





Jon
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pip
Posts: 9
Joined: Tue Dec 19, 2017 5:22 pm

Re: iCloud Drive questions

Post by pip »

On this page:

http://www.sonnysoftware.com/bookendsontap/docs/

... you write, "Note that the Bookends iCloud Sync folder will become visible only when it has content. So it is important that you import a PDF into your Bookends for iOS library or attach one to your Bookends for Mac library."

But how do you import attachments into Bookends for iOS? I can't see a way.

And I can't use any of my existing attachments on my Macs - move them over to the iCloud folder - because the iCloud folder hasn't been created yet - because I need to import an attachment for it to become visible.

A vicious circle.
Serge
Posts: 339
Joined: Sat Oct 22, 2011 1:09 pm

Re: iCloud Drive questions

Post by Serge »

The simplest way is just to import any attachment (from any pdf viewer via Share option) to Bookends to the already synced library. You can delete this reference with attachment later.
But if you are using Bookends 3.2.4 or later this step should be automated by the app itself (it puts “Bookends Cloud Test.txt” file to the iCloud Drive folder).
Another option to check is: look at the Bookends folder in Files.app (iCloud Drive) on iOS. Do you have this folder? Does it have any files?
pip
Posts: 9
Joined: Tue Dec 19, 2017 5:22 pm

Re: iCloud Drive questions

Post by pip »

OK, I made a "dummy" reference under a "dummy" library in Bookends iOS, and synced it via iCloud. And yes, then the folder appeared in the iCloud Drive folder - good. But I see no way of adding a PDF attachment to that one reference in Bookends iOS.

I moved a PDF file into the Bookends iCloud Drive folder on my Mac (so I could link it to the dummy reference), waited until I saw iCloud Drive itself had synced, then synced the iOS app, but I still see no way of linking it to the dummy reference I made.

In the iOS app, the "Share" option in the reference view (if you mean the usual icon with the rectangle with the arrow pointing upwards) does have a "Share" selection, but when I tap that, nothing whatever happens.

What I think everyone would be looking for is a big "add attachment" button somewhere! (preferably as one of the fields in the edit selection.

I don't feel like moving all my actual attachments over to the iCloud Drive folder until I can get this one dummy reference to have its PDF attachment.

Someone said "cumbersome" and I'm beginning to agree ...
pip
Posts: 9
Joined: Tue Dec 19, 2017 5:22 pm

Re: iCloud Drive questions

Post by pip »

Ah, I think I did it, but not i the way you'd think you should. I had a copy of the PDF in Dropbox, so I used Dropbox's share function to "open in Bookends", and then I was able to stick the attachment to the reference.
But what of the PDF I placed in the iCloud Drive folder? Will that now be a duplicate?

And, when I move all my existing attachments to my real libraries (JPGs and PDFs) into the iCloud Drive folder, and sync the real libraries, will the attachments automatically sync?
Serge
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Re: iCloud Drive questions

Post by Serge »

The example I gave you for “import a pdf from any app” was just to send a temporary file to iCloud Drive to “unlock” (create) the special type of iCloud Drive folder. Starting from Bookends 3.2.5 - it’s not necessary.

Now that you have “Bookends folder with icon” on both macOS and iOS, all you should do is Sync your library to the same cloud library on both platforms. Move your attachments to the Bookends folder with the icon on macOS. And set a path in Bookends for Mac Preferences to this folder. That’s all. If you have further questions please contact tech support directly at bookendsontap@sonnysoftware.com.
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