Any plans to support built-in PDF syncing?

[haydentech]

Are there any plans to support PDF syncing via the built-in iCloud sync instead of requiring the user to set up their own PDF syncing via iCloud Drive or DropBox?

The problem we're running into is that we need to sync everything with 5 people, but they all already have their own DropBox and iCloud accounts on their machines. We assume we can use a DropBox shared folder for the PDFs, but it would be so much cleaner if everything went through the one iCloud sync account.

[Jon]

If you don't care about syncing with iOS devices you can use any file sync service you like to sync PDFs. We're not planning on setting up our own servers, if that's what you're asking.

Jon
Sonny Software

[haydentech]

I was just wondering what prevents the existing iCloud reference syncing from being used for PDFs as well.

[Jon]

I don't know what you mean -- you can use iCloud Drive to sync PDFs. Instructions on how to do so are in the User Guide (Help menu). You use it just like you'd use Dropbox. OneDrive, etc.

If you're also syncing with iOS then the setup is a bit different (detailed in the Bookends for iOS user guide), but you'd use iCloud Drive just the same.

After reading the docs, if you need help in setting PDF sync up in iCloud Drive please contact tech support (support@sonnysoftware.com) and we'll help you.

Jon
Sonny Software

[haydentech]

We have no trouble setting up the existing method of PDF sync. It's just doesn't make sense that there is a separate way to sync references versus PDFs. It's added hassle that we have to deal with.

We'd like the PDF syncing to be part and parcel of the existing built-in iCloud sync for references. The built-in sync allows us to specify which AppleID to use. Using iCloud Drive, on the other hand, would require us to use the same AppleID as the logged-in user on the Mac, which is not tenable in our situation. We have 5 different employees, each with their own iCloud login settings, so using iCloud Drive would require us to make them all the same. We are not sharing with iOS in any way, BTW.

So basically the ideal situation for us would be for there to be no additional setup for PDFs -- they would get synced to iCloud just like references, without the need to set up any external drive, be it iCloud Drive or DropBox. I know of no way to make Bookends sync PDFs using the iCloud account specified in Bookends and NOT the iCloud Drive associate with the Mac user.

[Jon]

As I said, we have no plans to administer our own servers for file sync (which would, of course, not be compatible with iOS sync, which many (most?) of our users rely on. Perhaps a shared Drobox folder would work, as you suggested. I'll see if Serge has any thoughts about this.

Jon
Sonny Software

[DarrenIngram]

Is there a technical restriction why PDFs cannot sync (as an option) with iCloud? I'm sure you would have offered it if it was possible, so I am just wondering why?

It does appear, as a layperson, that iCloud is not as functional as Apple give the impression of in its shiny presentations. Dropping Dropbox or similar is no option because of the apparent limitations (at least as visible to the user).

[Jon]

Bookends *does* offer PDF syncing with iCloud Drive, and the instructions in the User Guide tell you how to do that. What the OP wants is for multiple users to share the same iCloud Drive. That's not possible because, as designed by Apple, iCloud Drive is for single users, not groups.

Jon
Sonny Software

[DarrenIngram]

Ah, ok. Now I think about it after more coffee my own PDFs are synched there. It is the other preference ("custom folders") that isn't supporting iCloud and I mixed the two up!

I think my "unhappiness" with iCloud not acting more like Dropbox insofar as being able to upload and use files system-wide affected my judgement

[Jon]

There is *no* problem with iCloud. This discussion is about sharing syncing PDFs among a group.

Jon
Sonny Software