Sonny Software

My workflow syncs Bookends for MacOS with Bookends for iOS / iPadOS.

On MacOS, I am an avid user of folders and subfolders to keep track of all my different research projects, grant applications, and PhD supervisions. To illustrate, I have 9 static groups on MacOS, each for a different research project (with tag #project1). Each static group then has subfolders, for instance for PhD (#PhD1, #PhD2), manuscript status (#submitted, #draft, #revised, #published).
These folders have great use on MacOS to keep me organized, so hats off to you guys!

However, when I sync my library (over iCloud) to my iPads, these static groups are empty. Moreover - and what I find problematic for myself - is that these static groups cannot be hidden, which is even more problematic (for myself) as they take up the entire screen on my iPad and I always have to scroll own to reach the Smart Group section and the Online Search section, which I do use frequently on the iPad.

I searched the iOS forum with 'static groups' as a search term, but this topic does not cover what I mean.

Apologies if I missed a previous thread on this, but in case there isn't one: would it be an option to have a 'Hide' button for the Static Group section on the iPad?

Static groups can have subfolders. Please contact tech support and send screen snaps of your groups on the Mac and how the groups appears in Bookends for iOS.

support@sonnysoftware.com

Jon
Sonny Software

A few questions.

* Why static groups for status? Why not labels? Or tags? Put differently, why static groups at all for status instead of static groups or folders for Publication 1, Publication 2, ... followed by tags labels on the folder/group for its status?

* How do you put folders into static groups? In spite of this comment below from Jon ...

> Static groups **can** have subfolders.

I am unable to put folders into static groups. I can put static groups into folders. Perhaps you mean each static group *is then contained in a main folder* (instead of *has* subfolders*)?

* Which way are you syncing? iCloud or WiFi only? Have you considered splitting your library into smaller sub-libraries? Would you see any natural split and/or advantage to your workflow? For example, split along the Publication 1, Proposal 3, Publication 2 ... lines. Do the main work on macOS on any / all libraries. Do annotations / reading only in specific milestone (publication or proposal) libraries on your iPadOS?

Um, sorry, that was a typo -- static groups certainly *cannot* have folders.

Jon
Sonny Software

Thanks for the responses. I will try to upload some screens later today.

Also some confusion on my side, I think. I have Folders on MacOS with subfolders, that appears as Static Groups on iOS. These iOS static groups are (1) empty (whereas on MacOS, they're not and (2) take up unnecessary space on my iPad, as the Static Group section on iOS cannot be hidden.

But the MacOS folders and iOS Static Groups are the same folder. I just deleted a Static Group called 'Meta2022' on iOS and - after iCloud sync - the folder Meta2022 is now gone on MacOS.

Please try to do Force Resync of the library.
Mac: Click on the cloud icon in Bookends holding the Option key. And then do Force Full Sync.
iOS: Tap on the gear icon on the Sync row -> Resync Library.

If some static groups are still empty please send your library and these empty group names to support@referencesontap.com.

A Force Resync as suggested below did not work. I deleted the Bookends app on one of my iPads, imported the iCloud sync library again to the re-installed Bookends on that iPad, but same problem.

In fact, when I added a new folder TestSync on MacOS (and def. not a Static Group) and let it sync through iCloud, that new folder appeared on my iOS devices as a Static Group.

So my concern is not that my static groups are empty on the iPad, it is that my folders on MacOS appear as static groups on my iOS devices. And these static groups cannot be hidden, so they take up a lot of screen real estate with folders I do not need on my iPad.

Happy to help out further if needed.

Please send your library, as Serge requested.

Jon
Sonny Software

I just sent an iCloud link to the Bookends library to the support email.

I think my support email isn't iCloud sharing ready as I didn't receive your link. Please send me an email first or please zip and send your library using dropbox.

After looking at your library's structure we found that’s it’s organized with folders and smart groups. Because smart groups aren’t synced via cloud sync, the folder looks like an empty folder on iOS. As a workaround I propose that you move all or part of the groups into a single new folder on macOS and after sync just close this new folder on iOS. So, the groups will all be in a single closed folder on iOS but you will still have all folders on both macOS and iOS, and you can add static groups to them in either.