[richbreen]

Hi all - been sifting through threads, and can't seem to figure out what the current situation is. I'm a happy OO mac user, and am looking to add OO to my iPad. Is it still currently true that I can't just open an OO3 document from my dropbox on the iPad version? Can this really be true? If so, it seems it makes the iPad version of OO useless. Just looking for the current state of this issue.

Thanks in advance!
rich

[whpalmer4]

While it is true that you can't open it from Dropbox on your iPad, it certainly doesn't make OO for iPad useless. There are a number of routes you can take to transfer files back and forth:

• Email (you can tap and hold on the attached document in the iPad Mail app and it will offer to open it in OO for iPad)
• iTunes sync (scroll to the bottom of the Apps section and select OmniOutliner, then select the file you want to transfer)
• MobileMe (copy file to your MobileMe volume, use Import feature in OmniOutliner for iPad)
• Omni Sync Server (copy file to your OSS volume, use Import feature in OmniOutliner for iPad)
• Other webDAV server (use like OSS)

I use the Omni Sync Server for most of my documents (sign up at http://sync.omnigroup.com, it's free). You can mount the volume on your Mac with the Finder's Go->Connect to Server... command. Be sure to put a trailing '/' on the path name, and you may have to experiment a bit to see which of the https://sync<n>.omnigroup.com values works for you (n=1,2,3,etc.) due to a Finder bug. (Note to Omni: you could make this easier for people if you displayed the information on the website!) Just remember to export the changed document back to the OSS so the Mac can get the changes and similarly, when you change it on the Mac, you'll want to do the import on the iPad again. It sounds like more of a hassle than it actually is, though it would certainly be nice if one didn't have to bother.

[richbreen]

Originally Posted by whpalmer4

While it is true that you can't open it from Dropbox on your iPad, it certainly doesn't make OO for iPad useless. There are a number of routes you can take to transfer files back and forth:

I appreciate the list of options, but I'm afraid it just confirms the problem. None of these are sufficient; to be useful, the file needs to be local on desktop and iPad and synced automatically (ala dropbox and every other syncing app like Omnifocus, iCal, mail, etc...). If the file's not local (ala Omnisync server) then you're SOL if you're offline, and if you keep it locally, then all these solutions involve having to remember to manually upload before leaving whatever environment you're in. It's going to need to be a lot more transparent/automatic before any of the above are a viable workflow for me anyway.

So I guess the state of OO iPad hasn't really changed in the last 4 or 5 months wrt this issue?

Thanks,
rich

[whpalmer4]

If you convince yourself that it won't work, then yes, it won't work. Even though none of them support Dropbox directly, between OmniGraffle, OmniOutliner, OmniGraphSketcher, and OmniPlan, I get a lot of mileage out of a WiFi-only iPad, and have yet to lose a change despite frequent switching between Mac and iPad and quite a bit of offline use of the iPad. (They all use the same framework for file access/storage)

What's more important to you, having access to OmniOutliner, or not having to think? Right now, you don't get to use it at all. Surely getting to use it most of the time is an improvement, no? You do get a view showing you when you last edited a document (sorted by modification date), so figuring out which ones you might need to sync isn't so bad even if you didn't have the presence of mind to make a note of them at the time you changed them.

I think you should try it out, and if it turns out not to be workable after an honest attempt, contact Omni for your refund within 30 days of purchase. Be sure to tell them why you threw in the towel.

[richbreen]

Originally Posted by whpalmer4

If you convince yourself that it won't work, then yes, it won't work. ....

Not trying to be obstinate - I appreciate your listing of the current options and understand them. My original question was whether the status of this issue had changed in the last few months. I guess the answer is it has not. The notion of manually uploading each of the project files to a server before moving locations is only marginally better than my current solution (save as OPML, upload to carbonfin, sync to iOS devices for accessibility).

So, nothing from Omni about if/when one will actually be able to sync OO3 files across iOS devices and desktop version?

best,
rich

[whpalmer4]

Yeah, they've improved the file browser, but no new transport mechanisms. My guess is that iCloud is more likely than Dropbox to be the next addition.

Whatever the desired feature, if it is important to you, send mail to Omni to let them know! omnioutliner-ipad@omnigroup.com is the address.

[Dan Baril]

Message to "richbreen"

I am in total and complete agreement with you. I too, for months, have been receiving the same band-aid workaround from the folks at Omni Group, instead of delivery of the real solution. The simple fact of the matter is Omni Outliner is the best outliner program on the market, but without true and full Dropbox or iCloud synchronization it's akin to owning a ferrari that you can't take out of the driveway.

I was willing to be patient at first with the company line that "we are working on it with no clear eta" but now my patience is wearing thin. That line has been the company line for far too long now. Moreover, I am tired and frustrated with hearing back from OO user experts of staff about long and technical descriptions about how I can manually get the ferrari out of the driveway, but frankly that simply is no longer good enough.

Enough is enough Omni Outliner. Figure out a way, IN THE NEXT 2-3 WEEKS, NOT 2-3 MONTHS, to make OO files sync automatically with Dropbox and/or iCloud, or else one-upon-a-time supportive and loyal customers like me are going to start telling you how we really feel :-)

/Dan.

[lucianofuentes]

Originally Posted by whpalmer4

While it is true that you can't open it from Dropbox on your iPad, it certainly doesn't make OO for iPad useless.

This may have been covered elsewhere, so apologies if this isn't new. While you can't open directly from Dropbox within Omnioutliner, you can push to Omnioutliner from the (free) Dropbox app. You can also push your outline back to Dropbox when you're done, then open it on your desktop.

From desktop to iPad.

• Save file (as regular Omnioutliner 3 document) to any Dropbox folder in Finder (I have a folder called OmniO - but it can be anywhere)
• Open the Dropbox app on your iPad, find and select the file.
• Press the "open in" button that's at the top right (arrow pointing out of box) and choose Omnioutliner
• Your outline will open in Omnioutliner

From iPad to Desktop.

• In Documents view, press the same-looking "send to" icon (arrow pointing out of box.)
• Choose "send to app"
• Select Dropbox
• Provided you're online, the file will immediately sync to Dropbox. If you're offline, you will need to open the Dropbox app when you're online again to sync.
• Your outline will be in your desktop Dropbox folder ready to be opened using Omnioutliner on the desktop.

For those feeling clever...

You can use GoodReader to sync Dropbox folders with Goodreader folders. If you have a folder with all your outlines in Dropbox, and you're going to be offline (say on a flight), you don't need to manually sync all of your outlines to Omnioutliner on the iPad up front. If you set up the a Goodreader sync folder, press one button to "sync", and all your outlines (actually.. anything that's in the given sync folder) will be synced to the "local folder" within Goodreader. From there, you can push the outlines to Omnioutliner as you need them. When you're done, you can push them back the same way you would if you were pushing them back to Dropbox. When you're online again, sync Goodreader with Dropbox (one button press) and all your outlines will be waiting for you on the desktop.

I think this is good as you can get within the current limitations. True syncing with iCloud is the obvious preferred solution.

I was interested in the neat way the SmileOnMyMac group implemented iCloud sync for their nice PDFPenPro app. iCloud was built in to the iPad app from the start, but they released a nice little companion app that syncs to iCloud on the desktop for people running PDFPenPro desktop version (which doesn't have iCloud support if purchased prior to the release of the Mac app store version).

You see it it here (Mac app store page - might bounce you to app store)

Hope this helps :-)

[Dan Baril]

To Lucianofuentes...

I wish what you are suggesting was so.

On the iPad if you select an OO file that's in a Dropbox folder and choose "open in," Omni Outliner is NOT one of the options available on my iPad. Are you saying that in your case Omni Outliner on the iPad appears as one of the applications you can open the file with, and that it successfully does so?

If so, that's all I am trying to replicate in both directions; MacBook to iPad and iPad to MacBook. And I don't much care if its Dropbox or iCloud so long as it works.

/Dan.

[whpalmer4]

Originally Posted by lucianofuentes

This may have been covered elsewhere, so apologies if this isn't new. While you can't open directly from Dropbox within Omnioutliner, you can push to Omnioutliner from the (free) Dropbox app. You can also push your outline back to Dropbox when you're done, then open

That's a nice theory. Too bad it doesn't seem to be true :)

The Dropbox app that I have (1.4.6) doesn't know what to do with package files (which is what OmniOutliner always creates, and OmniGraffle creates if you don't tell it otherwise). If you have a package file in your Dropbox, if you tap on it, Dropbox just drills into the package folder, and does not know to offer to send it to the app that has registered to handle that package folder type. OmniFocus does know how to do this, and if I embed package files from OO or OG in an OmniFocus action, they can be handed off to their respective apps correctly.

I haven't seen anything on the Dropbox forums that would suggest anything has been done to change this, and it does need to be changed on the Dropbox side (or Omni needs to start offering a flat file option for OmniOutliner like it does with OmniGraffle). Others have been asking for this, too: http://forums.dropbox.com/topic.php?...21#post-318904