Numbers reverted a spreadsheet to an old version

OrangeMarlin wrote:

I have a fairly large and complex spreadsheet on numbers. For some dumb reason, it defaults to saving my files on iCloud,

Why don't you save locally instead?

OrangeMarlin wrote:

So, I go to Time Machine. Well, of course Time Machine doesn't store iCloud stuff, so I can't find any of the changed files for 3 weeks.

Time Machine backs up all files on your Mac, this will include iCloud storage (the local copy of your spreadsheet is saved in ~/Mobile Documents) If yours is not doing that something is wrong with it (I assume that you have made no manual exclusions)

OrangeMarlin wrote:

This is ridiculous on so many levels. What corrupted my files on iCloud so that I cannot use them? Maybe I can, and someone just needs to explain it to me. And why can't I have a time machine of iCloud? Cause, I need to go back and get this file.

So, 3 weeks of work down the drain. Can't find anything. And I get paid a ridiculous amount per hour to do this. But that's down the toilet.

Any suggestions? Maybe go back to Microsoft, who despite Excel's annoyances, I know when I save a file there it doesn't go missing.

This is the most ridiculous thing I've ever gone through with Apple.

I can't tell you what happened, I wasn't by your side this past 3 weeks but you should be able to recover with Time Machine and the local (Mobile Documents) copy. And you can decide where Numbers saves its files, you don't have to take the default choices.

OrangeMarlin wrote:

I use iCloud because I want to access the files with my iPad. It is a simple way to do that.

There are numerous simple alternatives that will do that far better than iCloud can, sync any file rather than just Apple apps files, sync any folder rather than only the Mobile Documents folder etc etc.

OrangeMarlin wrote:

And no, Time Machine does not back up ~Library/Mobile Documents. I have done nothing to exclude it. I've turned on view hidden files. Nothing. Time Machine doesn't back up that folder, according to several threads I've read here.

Time Machine does back it up, it backs up the entire user Library folder, it wouldnt be able to perform a restore if it didn't.

But if you want to continue to insist that it doesn't rather than figuring out why yours doesn't that's fine by me.

OrangeMarlin wrote:

So tons of money down the drain, because Apple expects iCloud to be perfect and does not give a mechanism to back up the files. I'm just going to have to quit using it, and store locally. And keep reminding myself that the iPad is just a toy, it really can't be a business machine.

OK, so you are looking for somewhere to vent rather than seek a solution.

Good luck.

I use iCloud because I want to access the files with my iPad. It is a simple way to do that.

That is an excellent reason to use iCloud. Other cloud services are much more likely to corrupt Numbers 3 documents and, further, don't provide the automatic syncing right into the Numbers for iOS app. If you are using Numbers on your Mac and Numbers for iOS (and perhaps Numbers for iCloud at iCloud.com) then iCloud sync is definitely the way to go.

no, Time Machine does not back up ~Library/Mobile Documents.

I used to think that was the case too. But I've found that in Finder you can hold down the option key and in the Go menu navigate to Library > Mobile Documents > com~apple~Numbers. Then in Time Machine go back in time on that folder and "restore" the document that is giving you trouble.

If that doesn't work for some reason, there's another thing that you can try. I noticed you describe a folder within which are jpeg files and other unreadable files. That folder might be a Numbers "package". If you can get the folder and contents to a place that you can access in Finder you could add .numbers to the folder name and see if it once again is recognized as a Numbers document.

SG

SGIII wrote:

I use iCloud because I want to access the files with my iPad. It is a simple way to do that.

That is an excellent reason to use iCloud. Other cloud services are much more likely to corrupt Numbers 3 documents and, further, don't provide the automatic syncing right into the Numbers for iOS app. If you are using Numbers on your Mac and Numbers for iOS (and perhaps Numbers for iCloud at iCloud.com) then iCloud sync is definitely the way to go.

That's a bit generalized, some other sync systems work rather better than iCloud (in all the areas you mention). Some don't.

BTW Csound1, I have tried other services, and they are not seamless. And they cost money at the level of service I need. Yes, I pay for iCloud, yes it's more expensive, but it is seamless.

Rather less seamless than it should be, or than the better services it competes with.

You obviously have not tried them all. And yes, you have to pay for the good ones, no free trials so you probably haven't tried SugarSync ($500 per year for 500GB) perfect compatibility with IOS devices (Windows and Linux as well).

I have not tried all of the services so can't say that it is the best, but as a file storage and sharing service it is far far better than iCloud. Just not as cheap and not restricted to Apples dictates.

Rather less seamless than it should be, or than the better services it competes with.

Hi Csound1,

I use other cloud services too, and some are better than iCloud for some purposes. But name one, just one, that is more seamless than iCloud in syncing Numbers documents between Numbers on the Mac and Numbers for iOS, not to mention sharing and accessing Numbers documents in a browser via Numbers for iCloud. And beware of the mess other cloud services such as SugarSync sometimes make of the new Numbers 3 document format. The new format, with its protocol buffers and things, works really well in syncing via iCloud. In my experience it truly is seamless. And when trouble occasionally strikes, as can happen with any setup, there's Time Machine!

OrangeMarlin, I'm glad you found a solution to your problem and got your work back. Thanks for the green tick!

SG

Perhaps you failed to fully read my post. You will find that if you take the trouble to read all of it the question you ask has already been answered.

And I have no problem with Sugarsync and Pages/Numbers/Keynotes new (or old) format files, or iPhoto/Aperture databases, and of course iTunes libraries.

OrangeMarlin wrote:

I don't know about most of Mac buyers, but I know I am locked into the Apple ecosystem for one reason: it's seamless, easy-to-use, and I don't have to worry about stuff. My major disaster went from major to nearly insignificant mainly because Apple does allow me to easily back up everything without stress. I use my Time Machine to recover stuff maybe once or twice a year, but I'm glad it's there.

Indeed it is pretty seamless, but the price for that is high. I produce music for a living, I would have to quit if I used iCloud as a method of remotely accessing projects. If you can live within iClouds extremely limited set of Apps that can use it then it is quite good. As a Mail/Contact/Calendar and Notification system it is second only to MS Exchange, which is rather more expensive.

I have access to more than 3TB of work files on my iPad using SugarSync, very useful for that 'ad hoc' presentation.

You mention things like Dropbox Amazon's cloud (or even worse, Google Drive), I agree, they are dreadful but I did not consider them at all for myself (far too limited, worse even than iCloud)

Dropbox, the popular one for a lot of people, requires apps, it isn't seamless, and I trust them less than Apple.

Interesting that you mention that, Dropbox were investigated by the Justice Dept for making false claims regarding their security (a whistleblower) and later settled privately, during the investigation they lied to the JD, that was enough to ensure that they never see my business. At least Google are honest about accessing your data for money, not so DropBox.

They don't need anything for those tasks, including iCloud (which is not required for any of them)

You will find that if you take the trouble to read all of it the question you ask has already been answered.

And what was that question I was asking?

And I have no problem with Sugarsync and Pages/Numbers/Keynotes new (or old) format files, or iPhoto/Aperture databases, and of course iTunes libraries.

It's good to know that SugarSync is now less likely to mangle the new Numbers document format. Still best to be cautious, I would think. And on the iOS end, I suspect syncing with SugarSync involves extra steps with "Open in..." and all that to access the latest version of a Numbers document that has been modified on another platform. Then you have to save it back into SugarSync somehow, right? ... With iCloud you just open the document directly in Numbers for iOS. And when you close the document in Numbers for iOS, the changes you've made sync automatically up to Numbers for iCloud and to Numbers on the Mac or other devices.

I agree with OrangeMarlin that the iPad isn't the best platform on which to be doing a lot of Numbers work. The most useful aspect, I think, is the ability to show work to clients in a dynamic way, avoiding a lot of fussy work trying to get static printouts to look just right. For me that's been a time-saver and productivity enhancer. And to make that easy, iCloud is definitely the way to go with Numbers.

SG