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Couple college student ipad question opening files iworks

Njzillest

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I.. I just downloaded the iworks suite (pages, numbers, keynote) along with atomic web. I just downloaded a few .ppt and .doc's for class. How do I open them and edit them??

Do I need to download something else, maybe a file manager?

Any help would be great, thanks!!!

Ps- I was considering to buy a pen for the iPad to take notes.. Does anybody have any experience with that, and if so what app worked the best..?
 

Tim SPRACKLEN

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No - you don't need a file manager. Once you've downloaded the files you should be able to touch on them and you'll be offered an 'Open In' pop-up box that will suggest the apps that are currently on the iPad that can handle that type of file. On the iPad each app has its own private file space, so it's not possible to have a typical Windows-style file manager.

Tim
 

richsadams

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I.. I just downloaded the iworks suite (pages, numbers, keynote) along with atomic web. I just downloaded a few .ppt and .doc's for class. How do I open them and edit them??

Do I need to download something else, maybe a file manager?

Any help would be great, thanks!!!

Ps- I was considering to buy a pen for the iPad to take notes.. Does anybody have any experience with that, and if so what app worked the best..?
Tim is right, but I'm a little confused. When you say that you "downloaded a few .ppt and .doc's for class", exactly what did you do...where did you "download" them to?

With regard to taking notes, simply use the "Search" button in the toolbar at the top of every page. Here are a couple discussing note taking apps and stylus...

http://www.ipadforums.net/ipad-apps/2037-best-note-taking-app-ipad.html

http://www.ipadforums.net/ipad-accessories/31850-ipad-stylus.html
 
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Tim SPRACKLEN

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I don't use the Atomic web browser but, in iCab - another third-party browser - you can download any file whatsoever into iCab's file space. From there, if you have a compatible app, you can use the 'Open In' facility of iOS to transfer the downloaded file to that app. iCab can 'view' some files - for example PDF and .doc - but it can't edit them etc.

Tim
 

twerppoet

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Safari will let you download and display many common file formats, but you have to use Open In immediately. It won't store them in any kind of folder or file space.
 

richsadams

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That's why I asked where the files were "downloaded". The most efficient way is to add (or drag and drop) files from the computer into the specific apps while the iPad is connected to iTunes...

27ysec9.jpg


That way they're saved within the app and instantly available. When you're done with them you can also move them back onto the computer as well.
 

twerppoet

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Don't forget that with the iWorks apps you still need to tap the plus button in the app, like you are creating a new document, then choosing Copy from iTunes. The documents don't just show up in the file view like they do for most apps.

You also have to export/save them to iTunes from the app to see them in File Sharing.

It's a rather confusing extra step, but probably has to do with the need to convert the file format both on the way in and out of the app.
 

richsadams

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Don't forget that with the iWorks apps you still need to tap the plus button in the app, like you are creating a new document, then choosing Copy from iTunes. The documents don't just show up in the file view like they do for most apps.

You also have to export/save them to iTunes from the app to see them in File Sharing.

It's a rather confusing extra step, but probably has to do with the need to convert the file format both on the way in and out of the app.
Good points. Thanks!
 
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Njzillest

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Ok I see..

I am trying to download .docs and .ppts off of my professors website onto my iPad. I want to be able to view and edit the documents without having to connect my ipad to a computer.
I have tried the suggestions, but it seems like pages is not finding the .doc.. Is pages a compatible app to edit .docs? If not, can somebody please point me to the correct app? I would also need it for power points and excel.

Thanks
 

Tim SPRACKLEN

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Pages is absolutely the right app to edit .doc and .docx files. When you say "Pages is not finding the doc", what do you mean? When you tap the button to Open In what options are you presented with? Are you saying that Pages is not one of them?

Tim
 
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Njzillest

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Btw: pages is returning the error "document couldnt be loaded file format invalid"
I don't get it, the file clearly is a .doc.. Is there an additional file conversions needed?
 

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Njzillest

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That's the downloaded files. The background is the actual document that opens up in my web browser. That is what should be opening up in pages.
 

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Tim SPRACKLEN

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I'm puzzled because clearly the browser can render it OK, so not sure why Pages can't.

Just to check, try one thing. Quit Pages completely.

Double tap the Home button to open the multi-task bar. Now hold any icon until they all start to jiggle. Now touch the upper left hand corner of the Pages icon to close it completely. Now press the Home button once more to close the multi-task bar and try again.

Tim
 
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Njzillest

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Problem solved--- it was the browser that was not correctly downloading the files... Everything is working great now, Thanks!!
 

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