Feature request, auto iCloud sync

[LeoC2]

I would love to see TF have the option to set iCloud sync to automatically sync at times as opposed to manually doing the upload. It seems many programs perform the sync in the background without any need for user intervention.

I’m working on a form that several people will use in the field and it would be great if they didn’t have to manually perform several taps to get a sync upload. If TF would do this automatically (perhaps optionally) then the administrator (me) and all users can keep track of results in real time.

Leo

[Brendan]

I agree this would be good.

One of the reasons why I haven’t enabled full auto-sync is because each time you upload to iCloud, a sync file is generated. A sync file is really just an encrypted SQLite file that contains the changes you’ve made to the database since the last time you tapped the upload to iCloud button.

What ends up happening over time is you get a whole bunch of these sync files accumulating in your iCloud storage space. Pressing the Reset iCloud Sync button occasionally will clear all the sync files out of iCloud and then when you use the upload to iCloud button again, a new baseline snapshot of your database will be uploaded to iCloud. That’s one for each device.

These sync files are about 25 KB minimum for just the tiniest change to your database. If I were to make it fully automatic, it would possibly interrupt you while you were doing something and/or accumulate a ton of these files into your iCloud storage. And when you bring on a new device, Tap Forms has to process all of the sync files from each device in your pool of devices. It can be time consuming.

I haven’t found a good way to amalgamate all of the different sync files into a single baseline file yet. It’s difficult because the work has to be done on the client since there really isn’t a server component to syncing. iCloud Drive is just used as a central storage device really.

Anyway, that’s why I haven’t done that.

Thanks,

Brendan

[LeoC2]

That’s interesting Brendan. So you’re saying that Pages, 2Do, Notes, Numbers, iCal and others are actually filling up my iCloud space? If that’s the case then that’s not good as people will suddenly be confronted with diminished space and required to purchase more space.

[Brendan]

Hi Leo,

Not necessarily. Pages just stores its entire document in iCloud. It’s not a database app so it’s just storing whatever you see in your documents as a folder of files in your iCloud Drive. 2Do seems to sync with CalDAV servers and Dropbox. Not sure if it uses iCloud. It didn’t say anything about iCloud.

Pages and Numbers will only use your iCloud space if you store your documents there. You don’t have to store documents in any specific location with a document based app. Tap Forms is a “shoebox” type app which stores all its data in one file (other than external files such as photos, etc.)

[Colleen Easley]

Brendan, could you set it so that the upload to iCloud goes automatically on quit? That way it would be just one upload per session and it would prevent us from forgetting to upload. Or maybe a pop-up message when we close asking if we want to sync our changes.

[Brendan]

That might work on the Mac version, but not on the iOS version because you can’t interrupt the user with a message when they press the Home button on iOS.

[LeoC2]

One other feature request Brendan, Can you place an iCloud sync button on the forms data list header? This would save a lot of taps to get to the sync option. Something like the attached idea?

Barring that I would suggest placing the iCLoud sync option in the upload popup that is already there and move the “Delete All Records” option to the tools. Delete should not be where it is anyway, it should be under tools and be locked out when Enterprise settings are on.

Leo

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[Brendan]

Leo,

On the main Forms list, just pull down far enough to initiate an upload to iCloud.

Thanks,

Brendan

[LeoC2]

Well I’ll be damned, I didn’t know about that feature, that’s pretty cool. Would you consider adding this to the list of completed forms also?

[Brendan]

Hi Leo,

What do you mean by “the list of completed forms”? Do you mean on the list of records?

It’s easy enough to get to the main forms list on the iPhone version by just tapping twice on the Forms tab button at the bottom no matter how deep you are into the navigation hierarchy.

Thanks,

Brendan

[LeoC2]

Sure Brendan but I’m thinking ease of use by my staff in an attempt to kep them from tapping too much in all directions and possibly creating a problem. If there was an iColud sync button always available it would be a lot easier. After all, there is one in the Mac version so why not the IOS version too?

[Author]

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