So that's a firm no on the filesystem?

[dmnc]

Android doesn't allow it nonetheless, unless you have root access. Yes, technically it is linux, but that wasn't the reference I was making.

I don't use android anymore, but I think they do. That's what happens when you "drag and drop" files from a PC to an Android phone, and there are a lot of file managers that don't require root access and read/write to /home.
In any case I'm using /home as a reference for a common user-accessible part of the system. It could be /home/asdasd or whatever.

 

[ashindnile]

I don't use android anymore, but I think they do. That's what happens when you "drag and drop" files from a PC to an Android phone, and there are a lot of file managers that don't require root access and read/write to /home.
In any case I'm using /home as a reference for a common user-accessible part of the system. It could be /home/asdasd or whatever.

I guess that used to be the case. Now we only get access to /ext, where the flash storage is sdcard0 and the other is sdcard1.

 

[dmnc]

I guess that used to be the case. Now we only get access to /ext, where the flash storage is sdcard0 and the other is sdcard1.

That makes sense...well then I don't see that reverting to its previous state. I think now companies believe that people can't be trusted to manage their own computers (think about SIP in OS X). The problem is that –for the vast majority– they're not.
Anyway, a file manager (viewer?) would be useful and safe, as a place to see all your files together and ordered in different categories. That could add more depth to the "pro" use of iOS, e.g. 3D Touch to "Open with..." a picture and then select which program to open depending on the task, is one idea that comes to mind...

 

[mildocjr]

From an admin perspective:

Giving users access to the file system without the ability to fix the problem themselves by entering some keyboard ninja code is a terribly bad idea.

That being said, I feel like we'd be giving the average users a gun to shoot themselves in the foot.

Think about it like this, the average person knows nothing about computer file systems and complains that /etc is taking up a lot of room on their phone and they delete... delete... delete... to free up space, not understanding what they are deleting.

It brings poor individuals like me to my knees faster than a kick in the sack because I have to deal with ignorant relatives who ask me the same question 50 different ways and beg for me to provide my expertise which, to them, is nothing short of the collective knowledge possessed by all of the engineers who made the device. To me it's a headache that no amount of Excedrin will relieve.

I think it's awesome that some people know unix file system, as for me, I think most of the iPhone users are better off without it. Could you imagine how mad Kim K.'s iPhone repair guy would be if she had access to the iPhone filesystem and "freed up space for more selfies 3 times a month?"

File systems on mobile devices should at least require some kind of sudoing for access preventing the Jon Snows of the world from messing with both the stability of their phone and my mental fortitude.

It's Friday and I'm slap happy.

 

[ashindnile]

Have you really followed the thread? No one's looking for that kind of access. Just a common storage pool that all apps can share.
And I've had pretty awful experiences too. My cousin read online somewhere that the System32 folder was a virus, and she deleted as much as windows would allow. -_-

 

[dmnc]

Maybe an option to leave some files locally in iCloud Drive or something like that, so you can choose what to upload and sync with other devices and what not.

 

[M. Gustave]

Maybe an option to leave some files locally in iCloud Drive or something like that, so you can choose what to upload and sync with other devices and what not.

A local "iCloud Drive", with files that may or may not be in the actual online "iCloud Drive"...? you must be joking. Apple will never do that.

It's supposed to 'just work', not be a confusing mess that generates support calls. And the whole idea of "local" vs "cloud", and mentally needing to maintain them as distinct is definitely old thinking.

 

[dmnc]

A local "iCloud Drive", with files that may or may not be in the actual online "iCloud Drive"...? you must be joking. Apple will never do that.

It's supposed to 'just work', not be a confusing mess that generates support calls. And the whole idea of "local" vs "cloud", and mentally needing to maintain them as distinct is definitely old thinking.

I'm not saying they're going to do that. They're certainly not. But is a solution to what OP is asking that doesn't involve giving access to a common directory to other apps, which is less possible.

Edit: Also, what confusing mess? What about local/cloud stored music or photo library? People use it just fine...

 

[cynics]

Have you really followed the thread? No one's looking for that kind of access. Just a common storage pool that all apps can share.
And I've had pretty awful experiences too. My cousin read online somewhere that the System32 folder was a virus, and she deleted as much as windows would allow. -_-

If thats the case then wouldn't you want to contact the dev of the app(s) that isn't utilizing iCloud Drive?

That is a common storage pool that iCloud Drive enabled apps can share.

 

[Led-zep]

They just have to make it so that attaching things is easier.

Say I get an email from my boss that has an excel sheet I need to complete. Currently I can open it in excel and edit it/save it to my iPad or onedrive.

What I can't do is go back to that same email, reply to it with the excel sheet attached as a single conversation.

If you work in a business environment this is the most painful thing to do on an iOS device. Yes there are 3rd party apps that can kinda do this but it really should be simple to do by now.

The iCloud Drive app was my hope that there would be a simple, folder that was secure that you could save files to and pull files from to send into your apps.

 

[M. Gustave]

They just have to make it so that attaching things is easier.

Say I get an email from my boss that has an excel sheet I need to complete. Currently I can open it in excel and edit it/save it to my iPad or onedrive.

What I can't do is go back to that same email, reply to it with the excel sheet attached as a single conversation.

Yes you can. Hit reply to your boss, long press in the body of the email, hit the right arrow until you see "Add attachment". Choose that, and now you get your choice of cloud service to find your Excel file. I personally have three turned on: iCloud, OneDrive, and Google Drive. Works great, with the only negative being Microsoft's stubborn refusal to enable iCloud as an Office storage location.

 

[ashindnile]

If thats the case then wouldn't you want to contact the dev of the app(s) that isn't utilizing iCloud Drive?

That is a common storage pool that iCloud Drive enabled apps can share.

The problem is, I don't want my files on online storage. It takes far too long to upload, and even longer to merge changes. And I don't think you can make changes to existing iCloud Drive files via the app.

 

[eyeseeyou]

I just want them to shamelessly reproduce dropbox's and google docs UX using iCloud.

For over 90% of my use cases access to system level files and sources are not needed.

If you're trying to do devops work on an iPad the salesperson who sold you an iPad definitely earned his/her commission IMO.

 

[M. Gustave]

And I don't think you can make changes to existing iCloud Drive files via the app.

The options are:
Delete
Info
Rename
Share
Move

 

[cynics]

The problem is, I don't want my files on online storage. It takes far too long to upload, and even longer to merge changes. And I don't think you can make changes to existing iCloud Drive files via the app.

Well I can't say I understand why but I can appreciate you not wanting your files stored online.

As far as the rest, changes happen for seconds for me.

To test it since I'm sitting at my Mac I made a document in Pages. I than saved it to iCloud which is a default location. I than pulled out my iPhone, opened Pages edited that document and closed it. Reopened on my iMac and it was looking at the iPhone edited version.

30 seconds for sure, probably less if I could open and get into the apps faster.

Which obviously answers the last part of your statement, you can edit files on iCloud Drive from any app that is enabled to access them. You can also edit basic files like documents directly from the iCloud Drive app itself.

 

[ashindnile]

The options are:
Delete
Info
Rename
Share
Move

Is it possible for one app to perform the above actions on another app's iCloud folder?
[doublepost=1465691077][/doublepost]

Well I can't say I understand why but I can appreciate you not wanting your files stored online.

As far as the rest, changes happen for seconds for me.

To test it since I'm sitting at my Mac I made a document in Pages. I than saved it to iCloud which is a default location. I than pulled out my iPhone, opened Pages edited that document and closed it. Reopened on my iMac and it was looking at the iPhone edited version.

30 seconds for sure, probably less if I could open and get into the apps faster.

Which obviously answers the last part of your statement, you can edit files on iCloud Drive from any app that is enabled to access them. You can also edit basic files like documents directly from the iCloud Drive app itself.

Documents are fine. What about 4K movie edits? I'd much rather have them locally available at any given time, instead of having to upload them from one app and downloading from another.

 

[M. Gustave]

What about 4K movie edits?

Right, now the iPad has to smoothly edit 4k movies for you... you know, the movies that nothing can even playback yet at full res...

I'm out.

 

[ashindnile]

That was an example, kudos for realizing(not). I didn't say anything about the efficiency of the edit. But it's very important there's no duplication, and it shouldn't have to download each time.

 

[Shirasaki]

Personally speaking I hope iOS could have a unified place to store all personal files.
I am pretty OK with hierarchy and folder trees etc.

Sandbox easily creates duplicates, and don't need to mention movie files, some huge PDF files (10MB+) can easily crash a document manager when it is being opened because of copying duplicates to their own sandbox container.

As Apple can figure out enabling third party extensions they should have no problem to use the same methodology to solve duplicates and copy issue. What end user don't care is where those files actually is on local system.

For example, we have a song called "Guilty Night, Guilty Kiss" performed by "Guilty Kiss". We can find this song by locating "Guilty Kiss" artist and then see it in Music app. Where is this file on your iPhone? Maybe somewhere like "/private/var/iTunes/Music/F02/RE3F.m4a". End user does not need to dig into this directory and find this song to listen.

I think this is what Apple should hide from end user. There could be a consolidated location specifically for user generated files, including those on iCloud Drive or OneDrive or Google Drive.

 

[mr.bee]

I really don't understand the cry about wanting a filesystem in iOS.

Don't need it for music, photos, mail, office has its own cloud and professional cloud... So everything is ok.

 

[John Mcgregor]

It has a files system. Please educate yourselves.

 

[oldmacs]

It has a files system. Please educate yourselves.

What this thread means is a 'better way to handle files' - the iPad obviously already has a file system.

 

[John Mcgregor]

What this thread means is a 'better way to handle files' - the iPad obviously already has a file system.

So if you mean to say A and say B? How is that called. What you want is a user friendly way to access file system. Then just say/write so.

 

[oldmacs]

So if you mean to say A and say B? How is that called. What you want is a user friendly way to access file system. Then just say/write so.

I didn't start the thread!!

The object is not to access 'the file system' as in root access, but to have a central space to store files in a way they can be managed easier than they can today - essentially as I said - a better way to handle files.

In my case, I'd like the iCloud Drive App to be able to manage local storage + have more functionally and be more integrated with other apps (if need be), in combination with offering a way to access external storage.

 

[ashindnile]

So if you mean to say A and say B? How is that called. What you want is a user friendly way to access file system. Then just say/write so.

No, that's not what we want. We want less duplication, and easier interprocess file sharing.
I've updated the OP. Most people got what it meant anyway.