Restoring the "Getting Started" Help file for iPad Numbers

[jowhitlock]

I made the mistake of following instructions to try out things while reading the "Getting-started" Help file that comes with Numbers. I'm using a new iPad 3rd Generation. I never guessed that I would be making permanent changes to the master file without a "Do you really want to do this?" challenge. So now I've made a mess of the delivered Help file, having been adventuresome and tried a lot of things, and I would like to restore the original undamaged Help file for my day to day continuing reference. How do I do that? Or, where can I go to download the original?

 

[Mickey330]

If you don't have anything that you're wanting to keep in the app - or if you have a way to save any work you've got in the app, how about trying to delete the app and then re-downloading it? You won't get charged again for it but maybe doing that will make the app think it's new to your iPad and it'll download it as if it is new and will include the help file.

Worth a shot, maybe...?

Marilyn

 

[jowhitlock]

If you don't have anything that you're wanting to keep in the app - or if you have a way to save any work you've got in the app, how about trying to delete the app and then re-downloading it? You won't get charged again for it but maybe doing that will make the app think it's new to your iPad and it'll download it as if it is new and will include the help file.

Worth a shot, maybe...?

Marilyn

As senior IT staff at a large public university, I tend to look for solutions that would be appropriate for typical users. So, let's assume that I do indeed have lots of my own files already loaded and do not want to risk losing all that work just to replace a help file that should not have been damaged in the first place. Now what? Or do I really have to back-up files and re-install the app just because of Apple's oversight?

And, at the risk of compounding my forum question, where do problems and issues like this get logged and tracked visibly for owners?

 

[Mickey330]

Unfortunately, logging an issue here does nothing for Apple. We are a private forum of iPad enthusiasts, we have nothing to do with Apple officially.

My only suggestion, other than what I offered before, is to contact Apple and see if they can send you the file. Sorry, but that's all I've got.

Marilyn

 

[jowhitlock]

Unfortunately, logging an issue here does nothing for Apple. We are a private forum of iPad enthusiasts, we have nothing to do with Apple officially.

My only suggestion, other than what I offered before, is to contact Apple and see if they can send you the file. Sorry, but that's all I've got.

Marilyn

Thanks, Marilyn, for your time, interest and help. I had not done enough homework and vaguely assumed Apple was connected to this forum. I'll reinstall the app for now and then see how I make out with corporate support.

Do you know if there's a way to make Numbers files read-only, to lock all or parts of them, as one way to prevent the kind of problem I experienced?

 

[jowhitlock]

I found an answer of sorts. I have two iP_d IOS-5 devices and simply emailed an untouched "Getting Started" Numbers document attachment to myself from one device and then opened it up from email in Numbers on the other device with the corrupted version. Having it online as an email attachment also makes it easy to backup on iPad 01
Numbers - Getting Started
20120504anearby long-filename visible-directory systems. If anyone else ever runs into the same problem, put a call out to the list for anyone else's uncorrupted copy.

That bumped me into another problem or aspect of my ignorance: I have been unable to find a way to rename a Numbers document so as to differentiate it at a glance from other copies, drafts or versions. I stumbled upon one solution though, and wonder what others have found? My stopgap solution is to include a large bold text block on the first page that declares the information you might have included in a filename. In large enough type, the data/name is legible in the icon for the file in your /Numbers/Spreadsheets directory -- and please forgive my nomenclature here, I'm hoping to be heard as simply trying to use using generic descriptive terms, being very new to Apple. So now I can easily work with a file-set that includes various versions but I still have no subdirectory tools to increase my effective storage area. Are there simple solutions for file re-naming and/or for using sub-directories for larger manageable working sets?

 

[jowhitlock]

Sorry. I'm still getting used to the iPad interface and typo-sent by accident before I had finished editing. The first paragraph should read:

I found an answer of sorts. I have two iP_d IOS-5 devices and simply emailed an untouched "Getting Started" Numbers document attachment to myself from one device and then opened it up from email in Numbers on the other device with the corrupted version. Having it online as an email attachment also makes it easy to backup on any nearby long-filename visible-directory systems (e.g. a simple Windows home or workplace desktops). If anyone else ever runs into the same problem, they can put a call out to the list for anyone else's uncorrupted copy.

Filename and directory issues and questions stand, if you have time. Thanks -- Jim

 

[Mickey330]

I don't use Numbers, so I don't have an answer for you. However, I am glad you "fixed" the missing document issue.

However, I noticed that no one has been jumping in to assist you (there are a, sorry, number of Numbers users here). So, I'm going to move your post from the general discussion area over to the Help section. Hopefully, it'll get more "eyes on" and you'll get some expert assistance.*

Good luck.*

Marilyn*

 

[MikeeW]

I know this is several months later, but perhaps this will resolve your issue. If you go to "settings" for your iPad and click on Numbers, you should see a set of off/on switches. There should be one under the heading "Getting Started". It is "restore". The default for mine is off. I have made changes to the getting started document. If I want to restore that document, I'd only need to turn the switch to ON and I would get a new "Getting Started" document.
Good luck.