DOS like File Manager

[richsadams]

...

In the world of Windows (and its DOS legacy) files were generally the starting point. In iOS it's just the opposite. Whatever you're going to do it will start with an app. Within that app you will have saved files. So instead of finding an .xls file, double clicking on it to open a program as you would in Windows, you open the app, then open the file. Unlike Windows you won't find files listed that cannot be opened with that app (unless you accidentally saved them there).

...

I have a question - If I have an ebook in epub format that I've opened with iBook, then iBook knows where it is. Then maybe I find another ebook reader and open the same ebook with it & it also knows where the ebook. With Apples system, of course I don't have a clue & will have to import it again. So does Apple then have two separate copies of the ebook or is the iOS smart enough to know it already has that ebook, create a pointer to the it and 'share' the location?

It seems more likely that I'd end up with two copies since I would be importing the ebook anew from a location I know (e.g. my Dropbox). But if I knew where Apple put the file then 'I' could point the second ereader SW to that location, thus saving memory space.

As others have mentioned, if you want to save a file to more than one app, then yes, you would have more than one copy. That would apply to epub, .pdf files, etc. The fact is that you're almost certainly going to settle on one app to do what you want so I guess I don't see that as being a real concern.

This is just an example. Many file types can be worked on by more than one program (or app). How would the second app know where the file is?

I'm a little confused as to why you would want to "work on" a file in more than one app. Even though one file might work with more than one app you shouldn't assume it would be the same experience or that you'd end up with the same results. That's no different on an iPad than on a computer.

Although MS Word and Apple's Pages are both word processors, they are two different programs. Apple's Pages is much more accommodating when it comes to opening and saving MS Word files than the other way around, but in the end they are different programs and handle files in different ways. It's no different with apps on the iPad. You shouldn't expect to "work" on a file in multiple apps.

Like any computer, you should pick a program/app you want to use and use that exclusively. If at some point a better app comes along, just as on a computer, you'd need to import your files into the new program, make adjustments if needed and then archive or delete the old files and start using the new app.

Or am I missing your point completely? (Wouldn't be the first time )

 

[PDB]

There may be no need to work on a file in several apps, but for many tasks a centralised folder system is very much needed. In a work environment, where keeping track of different tasks for a particular client for example, being able to store different file types in a folder structure (spreadsheets, powerponts, word doccs, mails) is very much needed. Thinking about this the other day I thought of one way which could potentially work within IOS as it is. We can save a web page links to our homescreen, right? Well if we could do the same with files - ie. Save a direct link to that file, which lies within an app, to the homescreen, we could then use folders to organise the different files as we wish. Make any sense?

All the best!

 

[Mickey330]

Well, PDB, you can kind of do that now - if you use Dropbox.

In Dropbox, there's a public link folder, in which you can put any file that you wish. Then, you can copy that link and paste it anywhere, to include Safari on the iPad. Once it's open in Safari, you can save the link to your homescreen and manipulate it (the icon) from there.

Hang on a sec...

Yep, just tried it - once it's on the homescreen, and when you press on it, Safari opens with three options: View your file within Safari (for example, I just looked at a PDF) or two "Open In" options, (1) Open In..." where you pick the app to use or (2) Open In [the last app you used, from Safari, to open files of that type].

It's not that pretty, given the sandbox restrictions, but it does help gain easy/quick access to some of your files. And, as long as you never move that file from within the Dropbox public folder, you can edit it all day long (within Dropbox, or by using your PC) and the changes will come up when you press that home screen bookmark.

And, Dropbox is free (to have a 2GB account).

Marilyn

 

[richsadams]

Well, PDB, you can kind of do that now - if you use Dropbox.

That's exactly what I was going to suggest...great minds think alike.

Besides Dropbox another option is Spideroak, a great new cloud/sync service (also 2GB free).

Ultimately I think folks still need to understand that the iPad is just not a replacement for a full-fledged computer. I get the desire to do everything on an iPad that you could on a computer, but that's not its current design or really objective. Many millions of folks are very happy with the capabilities of the iPad and what the iPad can do seems to grow daily, but they are not for everyone.

I love my iPad and use it for all sorts of things, but when I want to get serious about detailed and/or complicated work on various files I switch to my 11" Macbook Air if I'm on the road or one of my computers if I'm at home.

For those trying to get iPads to do the work of a computer, I think only frustration will be the result. I had a play with a couple of Android tablets and the new HP Palm/Web OS-based tablet. None live up to the iPad at any level IMHO, but I suppose it's possible that file-oriented folks might find some of those meet their needs better than an iPad. Otherwise a laptop or even a netbook might be the answer.

 

[PodFace]

Do you mean your buddy tethered his iPhone to his iPad?

 

[PDB]

Thanks for the suggestion. I do actually get my work files more or less organised with indeed both Dropbox and Goodreader. The only pain is if you decide to do the "open in..." thing, you then start duplicating files all over the place which is far from ideal of course.

I was just suggesting that if a link or pointer could be created on the home screen (ie. Not duplicating) then we could organise with folders, the idea being that by clicking on the link, the original file itself would open within the given app, much like the web link can be created which opens safari to the according web page.

Anyway, just as IOS makes you think "out of the file system" box, I was trying to think out of the box but within the IOS way of thinking so to speak. The Ipad after all is more and more present in work environments, and I understand not just to consume media and browse the web. Helping manage professional needs can only help Apple in penetrating a very lucrative market and gain an even stronger market share. As it stands, the Ipad is inefficient for important professional needs: you can't expect managers to keep saving files from Dropbox to apps to Dropbox etc to keep things updated. That's my experience using the Ipad in a sales environment: clumsy when it could be very efficient. For personal use, I think it is a beautiful, useful and indeed addictive piece of hardware!

All the best.

 

[LeHero]

I am new here so please bear with me ....

I have read this thread with interest and I have a clarification question.

First of all I don’t have an iPad .. yet. Also, and this maybe heresy here, but I am a ms windows desktop user.

I understand the app and it’s files concept rather than the Explorer file management approach. But how would I achieve the following :

I want to take an Excel file on my PC into Numbers, manipulate it and either then move the new file back to my PC for backup or print it. (My printer is not wifi)

I don’t yet feel comfortable with using the internet to move files nor with the security of the “cloud†concept to store files.

Thanks

Nigel

 

[Vlammetje]

Thanks for the suggestion. I do actually get my work files more or less organised with indeed both Dropbox and Goodreader. The only pain is if you decide to do the "open in..." thing, you then start duplicating files all over the place which is far from ideal of course.

I was just suggesting that if a link or pointer could be created on the home screen (ie. Not duplicating) then we could organise with folders, the idea being that by clicking on the link, the original file itself would open within the given app, much like the web link can be created which opens safari to the according web page.

Anyway, just as IOS makes you think "out of the file system" box, I was trying to think out of the box but within the IOS way of thinking so to speak. The Ipad after all is more and more present in work environments, and I understand not just to consume media and browse the web. Helping manage professional needs can only help Apple in penetrating a very lucrative market and gain an even stronger market share. As it stands, the Ipad is inefficient for important professional needs: you can't expect managers to keep saving files from Dropbox to apps to Dropbox etc to keep things updated. That's my experience using the Ipad in a sales environment: clumsy when it could be very efficient. For personal use, I think it is a beautiful, useful and indeed addictive piece of hardware!

All the best.

I would think that something like a 'shared cloud', much like a network file system accessible to multiple users, would address that issue. I know the guys at our ICT dept do something similar wiht sharepoint-based solutions.

Sent from my iPad using iPF