Files on the iPad...

[samcraig]

How will files be handles in the iPad?

Specifically - email attachments. Are there any write-ups yet?

I know pictures will no doubt save to the photo roll/photos app or iPad equivalent. But what about word, excel, iWork and PDFs for example.

Will you be able to save them to the iWorks "folder"?

Will email attachments ONLY be read-only within the email app?

Will you be able to send one or more attachments from iWorks from iWorks - or will you go to email and will we finally get an attachment button?

Will everything need to be synced via computer and/or will wireless/bluetooth file transfer be implemented. And I'm not talking about a fee-based mobileme cloud solution.

These are questions and "concerns" I have about the iPad and it being this "middle" ground between phone and computer.

And please - I'm not looking for guesses, assumptions or anything like that. If anyone has read, watched a video, etc that can answer the questions with facts, I welcome your response.

 

[rdowns]

Seriously, dude. No one knows the answers to these questions. Did you think we do but are holding out?

 

[yyy]

If it helps, Engadget confirmed that:

iPhone OS 3.2 supports file downloads and local storage in the browser, which means you'll be able to pull files off the web and use them in other apps

 

[samcraig]

Seriously, dude. No one knows the answers to these questions. Did you think we do but are holding out?

No... and no reason for an eyeroll. Perhaps unlike some, I'm not reading every single article, thread nor watching every news program, etc which might have discussed this.

So seriously dude - did you even need to post in the thread?

 

[miles01110]

No... and no reason for an eyeroll. Perhaps unlike some, I'm not reading every single article, thread nor watching every news program, etc which might have discussed this.

So seriously dude - did you even need to post in the thread?

You're the one that asked a stupid question. You don't need to read articles to realize that the iPad isn't out yet, and that hardly anyone would be able to give a qualified answer.

Ask your question after it's released and you probably won't get such obnoxious (but justified) responses.

 

[samcraig]

You're the one that asked a stupid question. You don't need to read articles to realize that the iPad isn't out yet, and that hardly anyone would be able to give a qualified answer.

Ask your question after it's released and you probably won't get such obnoxious (but justified) responses.

Stupid question? How? I know the iPad isn't out yet. But there have been several articles and such from people who have used one even if briefly and tv news stories. Not to mention - developers on this website who have played with the SDK.

Thanks for your obnoxious and completely unjustified "stupid" response.

 

[anthonymoody]

Not a 100% answer, but interesting info, from the 3.2 SDK:

“File-Sharing Support
Applications that want to share files with the user can now do so using the file-sharing support in iPhone OS 3.2. Here’s how it works:

An application indicates that it wants to share files by including the UIFileSharingEnabled key in its Info.plist file.
It puts whatever files it wants to share in its Documents/Shared directory.
When the device is plugged into the user’s computer, a mount point is added to the system and the contents of any shared directories appear on the user’s desktop.
Users can modify the contents of this directory freely by copying files out, deleting files, or dragging new files in.
Applications that support file sharing should recognize when files have been added to the directory or removed and respond appropriately. For example, if the user added files to the directory, your iPad application might make those files available from its interface. You should never expect the user to go searching for files in this directory, nor should your application rely on any files being in this directory. It is strictly for sharing files with the user’s computer.”

 

[samcraig]

Not a 100% answer, but interesting info, from the 3.2 SDK:

“File-Sharing Support
Applications that want to share files with the user can now do so using the file-sharing support in iPhone OS 3.2. Here’s how it works:

An application indicates that it wants to share files by including the UIFileSharingEnabled key in its Info.plist file.
It puts whatever files it wants to share in its Documents/Shared directory.
When the device is plugged into the user’s computer, a mount point is added to the system and the contents of any shared directories appear on the user’s desktop.
Users can modify the contents of this directory freely by copying files out, deleting files, or dragging new files in.
Applications that support file sharing should recognize when files have been added to the directory or removed and respond appropriately. For example, if the user added files to the directory, your iPad application might make those files available from its interface. You should never expect the user to go searching for files in this directory, nor should your application rely on any files being in this directory. It is strictly for sharing files with the user’s computer.”

Interesting as that addresses some of the questions - still wondering about file management on the iPad itself (like saving attachments). I guess we'll see soon enough.

I also wonder/hope that they've all thought about subfolders. For example. What if I am working on 2 different projects. Each with several iWork documents that I want to keep separate. Will you be able to create subfolders like "Project X" and "Project Y" - or will all files be at the "root" for the application. Over time - that could get messy and lengthy.

Just a thought

 

[vini-vidi-vici]

another thread...

Read some of the links here:
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/859734/

 

[t0mat0]

See http://www.cultofmac.com/microsofts-my-documents-folder-makes-triumphant-return-on-ipad/29590

 

[master-ceo]

For example, if the user added files to the directory, your iPad application might make those files available from its interface.

Yaaaay!! 1 Step closer to freedom

 

[admanimal]

See http://www.cultofmac.com/microsofts-my-documents-folder-makes-triumphant-return-on-ipad/29590

"My Documents" is the name of the screen in Pages that shows you a scrollable preview list of all of your existing Pages documents. It's the first screen that is displayed when Phil opens Pages. "My Presentations" in Keynote is the same thing- the initial preview list of your existing presentations.

iPad apps are not supposed to ever give you a traditional Open File or Save File dialog box of any sort. All of the relevant docs for a given app should just be there in some kind of list that the app will display without having to navigate through folders. There will apparently be some way of adding/removing documents from a desktop computer when the iPad is plugged in, or by receiving documents over email.