I have had Tap Forms for a couple years but I have never been able to get iCloud or Nearby sync to work reliably. Today I sat down at my computer with my phone in hand, determined to get Nearby sync to work. But I just don’t get it. Sometimes I update my Macbook Pro and the change propagates to the iPhone but sometimes it does not. Sometimes a change on the iPhone propagates to the Macbook Pro, but sometimes it doesn’t. Apparently I just don’t understand how sync works.
One, deleting a record on either platform never propagates to the other device.
Two, editing a field in an existing record (such as Quantity) never propagates to the other device.
Three, on my iPhone, while adding a record, I selected the category button and accidentally selected a category that was irrelevant to the field. That category then became locked to that field with no way to remove it. That change did not propagate to the laptop, and the only way to fix the mistake (that I could find) was to delete the form from the iPhone and resend it from the laptop.
Four, adding a record seems to propagate okay both ways.
You give instructions on how to setup sync, but not instructions on how to actually work with it.
Can you please tell me how to properly use sync?
Should the form be closed on the other device when editing?
Should the app be completely closed on the other device when editing?
How long should it take for a Nearby sync to take place (am I not waiting long enough)?
Do the two devices have to be within AirDrop range, or do they both just have to be on the same WiFi network?
What things do and do not sync?
What does the sync button at the top on the MacOS screen do? It does not seem to do anything.
Is there a way for force a sync if a normal sync does not seem to be working?
Another question: I have the iPhone in the Mac’s sync devices. Do I have to add the Mac to the iPhone’s sync devices too?
Hi Stanley,
Yes, if you have only one device set, that’s effectively a one-way sync. So you want the Mac to be added to the iPhone and the iPhone to be added to the Mac.
When you open a document, Tap Forms will check to see if the same document is opened up on another device on the network. If it is, it will sync with that device, getting its changes and sending its own changes to the other device. You have to have the same document opened on both devices at the same time for this process to work. It doesn’t matter which form you’re viewing at the time.
Both devices have to be on the exact same WiFi network.
Everything you do within a document will sync. The only thing that won’t sync are alias files for the File Attachment field from the Mac and any document icon change you make won’t sync.
The sync button at the top doesn’t do anything for Nearby Sync.
To force a sync, just make a change to something. Try changing a form’s icon or name and see if that syncs across.
Thanks,
I have Tap Forms running the same document on 3 devices – Mac-mini, MacBook Air, iPhone. All are running the latest OS/iOS version, and the latest version of Tap Forms. I am syncing using NearBy, and all are on the same WiFi.
The document apparently is syncing to all 3 devices, but there appear to be some problems/inconsistencies:
1) In one Category (Christmas/Birthdays), there are 3 forms showing on the MacBook and MacMini
– Birthday Presents
– Christmas Presents
– Marie’s Cross Stitch Christmas Cards
These are syncing correctly between the MacMini and MacBook Air.
However, only 2 forms (“Birthday Presents and “Marie’s Cross Stitch Christmas Cards”) appear (and are syncing) on the iPhone. The form “Christmas Presents” does not appear.
How do I get this third form (and its fields/data) to appear?
2) I’m confused about the dates of last syncing.
– On the MacMini, the last downloaded date shows as today. The last uploaded date shows as 22/9/2023.
– On the MacBook Air, the last downloaded date shows as today. I cannot see a last uploaded date.
– On the iPhone, under Sync Settings there is a down arrow, with today’s date. There is no up arrow.
I have made changes to a test form on all 3 devises, and these are syncing correctly. However, the uploaded date is not there, or does not change.
3) If I only have 1 device open, and make changes, and then open a different device on a different day, how do I ensure that the 2nd device (and later a 3rd device) will be updated to what has been updated on the 1st device.
I look forward to hearing from you with answers to these queries.
Many thanks, and a Happy (belated) Christmas.
John
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This reply was modified 14 hours, 32 minutes ago by
John Scoble. Reason: spelling correction! Notify via email
I am sure all devices have to be open at the same time for nearby sync to work. See your point 3. I am sure, but will stand corrected, that you cant make changes on one device, then open another device and expect the sync to work. Sorry of I am wrong.
https://www.tapforms.com/help-mac/5.3/en/topic/nearby-sync
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This reply was modified 6 hours, 9 minutes ago by
tonyt.
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This reply was modified 6 hours, 8 minutes ago by tonyt.
