HansWorldTravels

Q: keyboard shortcuts not syncing, bug not fixed with repeated iOS updates

Just reposting all of this as the need to fix the problem doesn't seem to being put on the Apple Developers' radar.  And it's frustrating to all of us that want to use this simple feature for exactly the reasons it was added, but if it doesn't work, just get rid of it.  Apple community members shouldn't have to be problem solving and drilling into the backend of this problem as we have been, as this is not a fix it is just a temporary work-around that has taken years to figure out.





https://discussions.apple.com/thread/6616661

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/6656922 page 17

 

  1. Backup iPhone to iTunes (I used encrypted backup. The only reason for this is because encrypted backups also save Apple Watch health data).
  2. Open this app after installing on your Mac
  3. Navigate to System files > KeyboardDomain.
  4. Delete Delete "CoreDataUbiquitySupport” folder.
  5. I had a couple more keyboard sounding files from 2013 in the KeyboardDomain folder.  One was CloudUserDictionary.sqlite (I forget the other 2).  I deleted those.
  6. Exit icopybot.
  7. Restore the iPhone backup created in step 1.
  8. Do the same process for the iPad.
  9. When done reboot both Macs.
  10. Clean up your shortcuts on all devices inc Macs - They may not be the same.
  11. Go to bed!  Stuff takes a long time to fully sync.
  12. 12+ Hours later and several iOS reboots to confirm, no zombie shortcuts are back.

 

HansWorldTravels     Sep 6, 2015 7:11 PM 

  Re: I cannot delete iPhone keyboard shortcuts.  They keep restoring.   in response to Pickinic   

Picknic,

 

Looking for your Page 18 solution.  Not on 18 (maybe I have to go back some).

 

This problem is a *****... tired of it, as I've done everything imaginable fight with it a long time (years it feels like!), only starting to make success.

 

I have an iPhone 5 iOS 8.4.1 (12H321) and an iPad Air2 iOS 8.4.1 (12H321)... and I've updated/backup out the waazoo today.  I have no Macs only iOS devices & PCs.

 

I've followed links, done this, done that, seen shortcuts deleted on iPhone sync over and delete on the iPad.  Cycled both devices, cycled the "dictation" button, switched to different keyboards, everything!  I have not factory reset either device

 

Now I'm to this,

 

1) iPad does not push existing or new Keyboard Hhortcuts to iPhone  (I have about 50 there; emails, urls, SM accounts, etc) that I need on my iPhone as iPad is only Wi-Fi, not cellular)

 

2) iPhone - I have deleted all old shortcuts [I don't want], cycled phone, shortcut list is empty, cycle "dictation" and my list of 3 shortcuts I want & 1 I created new on iPhone will reappear.  Zombie shortcuts are gone!  Yaaahooooo!

 

"Push" syncs are not happening from either device now.  Isn't this exactly what was supposed to happen in the first place???

 

I just backed-up via iTunes (no iCloud backup for me only data sync) both devices, cycled... iPad good (its list of 50 shortcuts) & iPhone "good" (blank list --> "dictation" cycle --> 3+1 shortcuts return, no zombies)

 

New tests of new Keyboard Shortcuts, no "Push" syncs from either device.  "dictation" cycle on iPad no longer "importing" iPhone Zombie Keyboard Shortcuts.

 

So new questions;

 

1)  Where has the original Keyboard Shortcut Sync capability gone to????

 

2)  If the issue is in the iPhone5 as that is the Zombie Keyboard Shortcut Pusher, this must be the device controlling the misplaced file/folder on iCloud [as mentioned throughout many threads ~/Library/Mobile\ Documents/ ~/Desktop/Real\ iCloud\ Drive ]   How does a non-techie like me get to it???

 

I can't go and create 50 "repeated" new Keyboard Shortcuts in my iPhone only for them to vanish and reappear whenever they like.  Who knows how long it will be before the original zombies reappear (but I hope they've somehow been cleared from the Library/Mobile "cache" given the repeated testing has wiped them so far.

 

Thanks!

Any ideas would help

 

great, found it!

 

Now how do I do it myself!  And, as I just replied before seeing this... I hope you are right that syncing returns again, as that's the only thing missing now that I've gotten the "Zombie Shortcut House" cleaned so to speak.  It seems it has been overwritten, the cache cleaned.

 

Pickinic     Sep 6, 2015 8:44 PM 

  Re: I cannot delete iPhone keyboard shortcuts.  They keep restoring.   in response to HansWorldTravels   

I assume you found the solution reprinted on the prior page.  Syncing will resume, but give it some time...

 

HansWorldTravels     Sep 6, 2015 9:20 PM 
  Re: I cannot delete iPhone keyboard shortcuts.  They keep restoring.   in response to Pickinic   

I did Pickinic!

 

Unfortunately PageMakers4 made some giant leaps in assuming all forum readers are masters of working with MacOS & iOS with backup files and restoring.  Reading through pages of "it's so simple just don't question" teaching-style at Apple is always fun.  So backups always are a certain way to burn yourself, i.e., the "Restore" button on iTunes that instantly backs up your device first?!?!?!!?!!?

 

Gonna have to find someone to walk me through this process, even though the solution seems solid.

 

HansWorldTravels     Sep 7, 2015 8:28 AM 
  Re: I cannot delete iPhone keyboard shortcuts.  They keep restoring.   in response to pagemakers4   

Just responding to this as it's the solution [I hope!]

 

But after negotiating passed the "backup & restore is so easy" part, I've edited the files via iBackupBot [deleted them] then restored both my iPhone & iPad after deleting all the suspect folders.

 

I've added in a test keyboard shortcut on each of the devices that is different than the other.  No "realtime" syncing going that I am seeing.  Cycling the iPhone on/off --> blank list --> cycle "dictation" --> new "test" shortcut reappears (no zombies).  Haven't needed to cycle "dictation" on the iPad.

 

I went into the new backup file (as I've backed up both devices again after restore) and on the iPhone the folders are back.  So I'll just add this screenshot as a point of reference... and start "praying" that what Pickinic said will start happening, .... snycing will resume at some point and zombies will be gone.

 

I was on the phone with Apple support earlier (iCloud was associating with an old phone number to send a 5-digit verification & found in keychain advanced settings the number is on the device, not be iCloud settings).  With this[keyboard shortcut] problem, "yes we are slightly aware of it, maybe next updates will fix it".  Right, we know where that will go.

 

Keyboard Shortcuts Backup Folderspng

And I guess this is all I have now...

 

 

 

 

 

 

crmac     Jul 17, 2015 3:38 PM 

  Re: iOS 8.1 - Keyboard Shortcuts: Restores Previously Deleted Keyboard Shortcuts   in response to edwardmartin77   

NEW INFORMATION and POSSIBLE COMPLETE AND TOTAL FIX FROM APPLE --

 

Well, I've been here in this thread too long (see previous posts) and have stubbornly (and perhaps foolishly) refused to use the 3rd-party solution.

However --

 

After months of calling Apple, amounting to countless hours for wasted time on the phone, having been passed through no fewer than a dozen Senior Technical Advisors, and after having gone up to Mt. Olympus to ENGINEERING twice, the case was finally passed to an even higher power: THE DEVELOPERS. (everyone say: ooooooooo!...)

 

What I could not do, what no Advisor could do, and what the first set of ENGINEERS failed to do the first time, THE DEVELOPERS have apparently done. And here's the solution:

 

Get an Android.

 

Had to do that, sorry.

 

No, seriously. Here it is:

 

Get Apple tech front-end on the phone. Get him/her to "escalate" your case to a Senior Technical Advisor. Don't back down and let the ever-helpful, ever-earnest tech to try to fix it: s/he can't. Don't back down. Get to a Senior Tech, then get that person to work with you to have the ENGINEERS put your account Apple ID into "test mode" (allows them into your account and requires that you let Apple set a temporary password, which you can change when the account is released from test; no apparent risks or mischief). Advise the Senior Tech that the ENGINEERS will need to engage THE DEVELOPERS (dum-dum-DUM). The exalted DEVELOPERS will need to go into your User ID and remove the shortcut file. Once removed, you'll sign in and out of your Apple ID on each device, and voila! No Zombies.

 

Duh.

 

It's now been done on both my iPad, and I will -- obviously -- be keeping a sharp eye out for ghosts, vampires, Bill Murray, Glenn Close, the Walking Dead, Spinal Tap, those Grateful guys who play guitars, the random phoenix, soap opera stars who successfully renegotiated their contracts, and anyone who is fluent in Manx. Will report back. I hope I do not eat my words.

iPhone 5

Posted on Sep 7, 2015 9:51 AM

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Q: keyboard shortcuts not syncing, bug not fixed with repeated iOS updates

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  • by gregory202,

    gregory202 gregory202 Sep 7, 2015 10:26 AM in response to HansWorldTravels
    Level 2 (263 points)
    Sep 7, 2015 10:26 AM in response to HansWorldTravels

    THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!

     

    That is very cool description and to the best of my knowledge as correct as it gets.(with few small exceptions)

    Unfortunately

    1. You do not communicate to developers here, just regular guys like you - you do submit feedback to them(developers/apple management) on specific site.

    www.apple.com/feedback.

    2. The thread you originally had appearance on presumes for one reason or other(correct or not) that container with shortcuts(zombies) is inside of device backup, but if that was the case Apple guys would not be able to delete it from your iCloud account.

    3. Another mistake (I believe) on the thread is that if they(shortcuts) do not come from iCloud, how else Apple would be able to delete them, they have no access to devices, just to iCloud account.

    4. Not everybody can contact Apple and/or not to have to pay for support.

    5. For some reason people are under impression that if they will scream at Apple advisor, or whine on this boards here,  Apple will hear and redesign operating system and none of them/us actually takes time to submit feedback. There use to be a switch "documents and settings" in ios 7 and that would actually be the one to stop shortcuts sync, all apple would need to do - bring something similar back.

  • by HansWorldTravels,

    HansWorldTravels HansWorldTravels Sep 7, 2015 11:14 AM in response to gregory202
    Level 1 (9 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 7, 2015 11:14 AM in response to gregory202

    Hello Gregory202,

     

    Yes I understand this does not go directly to the developers as well as not an iCloud backup problem directly.  But as there is no "iOS bugs and issues" subgroup within this community, I just posted here.  Imagine that, Apple puts a firewall between them and their customers!!!

     

    There are a lot of forum threads out there on this bug, and having combed through so many of them, between the work/efforts of Pickinic, crmac, Pagemakers4 & myself... we've really drilled down to the closest identity of the problem & user-side fix in the vacuum of Apple themselves resolving it.

     

    From all the research done, it appears to have happened when iCloud was integrated/released and rooted in iPhone5 itself.  I guess, that's why I wanted to detail the steps I undertook as I did, as so many others were saying "iCloud fixed it, or this step fixed it, or that one", when the truth is none of them actually fix it permanently.  I'm not a developer/software guy, and those who also worked on it don't seem to be either.  But we've narrowed it down enough that Apple could at least put an effort into fixing it.

     

    It blows my mind how many hours have been wasted on this issue (not only by myself, but others as well) with still no fix.  What's even worse, I finally gave in and moved to Apple from PCs/Android, finally listening to everyone saying Apple/Mac was so much better, and so much more stable, and so much more responsive to their customers, and that we pay a "exclusivity premium" to own Apple products that we can now get higher quality at a much better price through Android or PC platforms.  I've already made the decision to go all Apple platform as cross iOS/PC is a real pain in the butt and pay that "exclusivity premium" but with issues like this going unresolved, it begs the question and I hear about it all the time, "Am I really that much of an idiot for paying more to get less???!!"  Why would I spend $1500-2000 on a Macbook Pro when I can pick up a 2in1 tablet for $500-1000 with better performance???

     

    So, I was on the phone with Apple earlier, and it was "look for this to be resolved in the next update... blah, blah, blah" that will never come.  Sorry I'm 8 days away from moving to another continent, and 10-20-30 hours to "fix" this problem & backup/restore/reload, reenter, etc., etc., etc., is not in my time budget, so please excuse my irritation with this issue & Apple.   And I know in the past I've wasted the same amounts of time with still no luck.  For once it seems "The Community" has nailed down the heart of the issue, but Apple still refuses to address fix it.  Cheers

  • by gregory202,

    gregory202 gregory202 Sep 7, 2015 11:36 AM in response to HansWorldTravels
    Level 2 (263 points)
    Sep 7, 2015 11:36 AM in response to HansWorldTravels

    I am not an Apple fan and I consider your decision to move platforms " shortsighted ", but convenient.

     

    Apple just like any software company is doing what software company does - creates software and continuously improves upon it with no chance in He ll to be perfect. Problems a plenty, cause

    1. Apple is always trying to be first - hence more mistakes.

    2. Apple is still is trying to pretend to be small, customer oriented company.

    Wish you the best - you deserve it with your persistence.