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Copying Windows files (pdf, jpg, .docx) to iPad?

We frequently travel with our dogs and we like to have some of their medical records with us.

Vaccination records, certificates, etc.

I have those on my Windows 7 machine as pdf's, jpg's and Word documents.

I'd like to get a copy (they are usually good for a year) to my iPad so that we would have easy access to it.

I know how to make a new folder and move apps into that folder.

What is the best way to get these kind of files to my iPad? Or is there an app for this?


Thanks for any help or advice!

iPad, iOS 5.1.1, Generation 3

Posted on Jul 30, 2012 3:53 PM

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19 replies

Jul 30, 2012 4:32 PM in response to randyw57

You can't create folders for file storage on the iPad like you can on a computer. On the iPad, documents are stored in an app that is compatible with that particular file type. An app that can save, edit or create that file type is what you need.


For PDF files, there are free apps such as Apple's iBooks and Adobe Reader. Both apps will store PDFs for viewing,, but Reader will lay to annotate the PDFs. There are scads of other apps that work with PDFs, but these two are free.


For the MS office files, Word, Excel and PowerPoint compatibility there apps available in the app store like Quick Office Pro and Documents to Go. Take a look at those and see what you think. Apple also has their iWorks suite of apps, Pages, Numbers and Keynote that are compatible with the MS Office apps.


You can email files to the iPad, use something like DropBox to transfer files and for apps that support file sharing - you can use iOS file sharing with iTunes on your computer.


iOS: About file sharing.

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4094


You should be able to email jpg files and then save them in the Photos app on the iPad.


GoodReader is one app that allows for some file structure. I do not use it and don't know much about it. You can check it out here and in the app store as well.

http://www.goodreader.net/goodreader.html

Jul 30, 2012 7:01 PM in response to Laxman25

Well, I like the idea of using iCloud. I looked at that link and that looks pretty simple to copy the files from my PC to iCloud. I had just made a note to myself this morning to get the Pages and Numbers apps. Along with iPhoto and iMovie. I wanted to try working with those. (We shoot short videos of the service dogs we help train for the lead trainer to review. I want to try doing that capture/editing on the iPad.) So this is a good reason to get started. I think I understand about files being associated with apps rather than folders. I probably just need more experience. I'm just thinking that if I'm asked for medical records, etc. at an airport I'd like to just be able to tap one place and be able to show everything. Maybe I need to combine all of my different filetypes from the PC into one Pages document for each dog? Anyway, on Windows I have a folder 'Shasta Records' and a folder 'Jazzy Records'. I keep all their stuff in those folders. I'm sure there is a different paradigm for this kind of organization on iOS.


Thanks for all the thoughts and help. This is really wonderful. Great community here.

The folks at Apple Support are super. The folks at the Store are great to work with.

It's really been great getting started with our iPads, Apple TV, iTunes, Airport Express. And soon an iPhone!

Jul 30, 2012 7:21 PM in response to randyw57

randyw57 wrote:


Anyway, on Windows I have a folder 'Shasta Records' and a folder 'Jazzy Records'. I keep all their stuff in those folders. I'm sure there is a different paradigm for this kind of organization on iOS.

This would certainly be a great way to keep records for both dogs in a single app. That would work very well. You should be able to copy and paste a jpg into a Pages document as well, if you need to include those. After you create the Pages documents, you can export the documents as PDF files and store all of those in a PDF app like GoodReader. I believe that you can save videos in GoodReader as well and then you would have everything that you need in that one app..


There are a number of different ways that you can accomplish what you want to do. You just need to do a little more research on some of these apps, see what they offer, and make your decisions from that.

Jul 30, 2012 7:30 PM in response to randyw57

The best way I have for you is Dropbox. I use it to sync SPECIFIED files into a single/multiple folder between my Mac and ipad so that I can access my important documents anywhere I want.


Download Dropbox on the Mac app store or google Dropbox if you're using a PC. Place all your medical records inside. Then download Dropbox again on the app store of your iPad. Sign in to the same account and they will sync.


It is perfectly useful.

Jul 31, 2012 8:37 AM in response to Demo

OK, I download all four of those apps last night.

I need to spend some time learning about them.

The Pages sample Documents were in some foreign language.

That seemed odd.


When I copy something from PC to iCloud is there any way I can control where it goes?

We use a common Apple ID for Home Sharing. Some of these documents I really only need

on one iOS device.


Thanks!

Jul 31, 2012 8:52 AM in response to randyw57

randyw57 wrote:


The Pages sample Documents were in some foreign language.

That seemed odd.

The text is in Latin. Those are merely place holders, you can select the text box and change the type when you use a template. You should go through the help section - and the Getting Started tutorial for tips.


These will be useful as well.

http://help.apple.com/pages/ipad/1.6.1/

http://www.apple.com/support/ios/pages/


When I copy something from PC to iCloud is there any way I can control where it goes?

We use a common Apple ID for Home Sharing. Some of these documents I really only need

on one iOS device

When you upload a document into iCloud it should go into the compatible app in your iCloud.com account.


Go to Settings>Store>Automatic Downloads and turn off apps on the devices that you do not want the apps to be downloaded to. In other words, if you don't want to download apps to your iPhone that you download on the iPad - turn that off in the phone settings.


You can always download purchased apps at a later time if you change your mind.

Jul 31, 2012 9:03 AM in response to Demo

Demo is spot on you dont need me. Just want to add you can pull those documents from Icloud at anytime with a browser(ie work computer). Just make sure you save the changes and load it back to icloud(pc). When you make a change on your ipad/phone it backs it up automatically.


Point 2- even when you turn off automatic downloads on your iphone, you can still pull those documents incase of an emergency. Since you bought pages/numbers, id throw them on your iphone as well. One day it might come in handy for even something else.(if its the same apple id)

Aug 1, 2012 3:12 AM in response to randyw57

OK, I copied a couple of Word docs from my pc over to iCloud by drag & drop.

Those appearred immediately on my iPad.

Added a jpg image to one of the docs in Pages.

I have an easy way to get jpg's to the iPad by simply tagging them for an album in PhotoShop Elements.

Added the Pages app to my wife's iPad through iTunes on the PC.

Created a 'folder' in Pages.

This all works great and very naturally. Now that I have the folder in Pages it seems to me that

would be a natural place to organize my files for the dogs.

Copying Windows files (pdf, jpg, .docx) to iPad?

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