Q: It is not possible to backup your Pages, Numbers or Keynotes stored on iCloud!

Barry,

have you read, what iCloud Drive is meant to be?  I think, you want it to be something different. See this link:  iCloud Drive FAQ

Here's what you can do with iCloud Drive:

• Store and access all of your documents in one place from any of your devices
• Keep files and folders up to date across all your devices
• Create new files and folders from iCloud-enabled apps
• Work on the same file across multiple apps

You use iCloud Drive like any external drive.  And the advantage is, y'all your devices can access this drive.

Why they changed this for these new apps is beyond common sense. Who would buy a drive that you cannot back up?

If you are using Time Machine with your Mac, your Cloud documents are included,  since all iCloud Drive documents have local shadow copies in your user library.  You'll find your Pages documents for example in ~/Library/Mobile Documents/com~apple~Pages/Documents

and your own custom folders on iCloud Drive in ~/Library/Mobile Documents/com~apple~CloudDocs

Online, remote storage has been used as a safe backup system forever. iCloud is not safe.

iCloud Drive is not meant as an online backup storage. It is an online drive for your working set of your most important documents, that you need to access everywhere and anytime.  And you back it up the same way as all your other documents, by backing up your Mac.

-- Léonie

That's incorrect.

Any document you save 'on iCloud' is also saved on your internal drive (in ~/library/mobile documents) and can be included in any normal backup routine (it is included by default in Time Machine)

Barry,

iCloud Drive make sense only if you don't mind transferring your iWork files to Apple storage

for 35 years I have maintained my files on my desktops, now use Time Machine with Drop Box

if you have put your Number files in the iCloud Drive, and update a file, it does not update the corresponding file on your iMac and Drop Box if you keep Drop Box

if you open a Numbers file on the iMac and make changes, it will not appear in the iCloud Drive file

there is not connection between iCloud Drive files and those on the iMac

I have read stories over the years that Steve Jobs attempted to acquire Drop Box

to me iCloud Drive is a reflection of failure by Apple to duplicate the Drop Box service

I don't understand why Apple would do iCloud Drive when Apple for years has had services like Mail and Contacts update across OS X and IOS devices

dkb46 wrote:

 

Barry,

if you have put your Number files in the iCloud Drive, and update a file, it does not update the corresponding file on your iMac and Drop Box

Of course it doesn't. iCloud Drive and Dropbox are two completely separate services run by two completely different companies.

if you open a Numbers file on the iMac and make changes, it will not appear in the iCloud Drive file

 

there is not connection between iCloud Drive files and those on the iMac

Sorry. You don't know what you're talking about. If you're using iCloud drive, it's updated on your Mac. iCloud drive is synced to your local hard drive as has already been explained.

I have read stories over the years that Steve Jobs attempted to acquire Drop Box

 

to me iCloud Drive is a reflection of failure by Apple to duplicate the Drop Box service

 

I don't understand why Apple would do iCloud Drive when Apple for years has had services like Mail and Contacts update across OS X and IOS devices

Sorry You've crossed the line into being a troll now. have a nice life.

if you have put your Number files in the iCloud Drive, and update a file, it does not update the corresponding file on your iMac

Yes it does, please check your facts before posting inaccuracies.

if you open a Numbers file on the iMac and make changes, it will not appear in the iCloud Drive file

If it is on the iCloud drive the copy on the iMac will also be updated (what are you reading?)

to me iCloud Drive is a reflection of failure by Apple to duplicate the Drop Box service

That's not where the failure is.

Barry Rickert1 wrote:

 

Thanks all for the info. I see that those documents are in the hidden library user folder.

They are in the Finder Sidebar marked as iCloud Drive. You are making this far more complex than it really is.

On your Mac in Finder is a folder called iCloud Drive, anything in it is mirrored to the online side of the drive. No special requirements at all, it's just another folder.

Sorry, but don't you think that Apple Tech support should know this? There is no Knowledge Base in Support for this that I could find either.

There are Apple Support members who know this. At least one post here cited Apple Support, when the shadow copies were mentioned.  Probably the shadow copies are not mentioned in the knowledge base, because we are not supposed to access them directly. There is surely a purpose for them being hidden away in the user library.  The User interface to iCloud Drive is the Drive icon in the Finder.

Part of iCloud is still in Beta development, and I am sure things will change. There is not much pint in writing extensive documentation for features, that will change pretty soon. Why not write your suggestions for improvements and feature requests for a better documentation to the developer team, using the feedback form?  Apple - iCloud - Feedback

You cannot rely on the developers seeing your post here, even if they occasionally browse the forums.

dkb46 wrote:

 

Barry,

 

iCloud Drive make sense only

 

 

I told you all this you are spouting is incorrect and how it all worked the other day, why are you now trying to scaremonger other users with your nonsense.

It isn't actually hidden at all, it is in fact the versions that are in the cloud that you are unable to see. This is an important point since you'll find you still have access to the documents from the Finder on your Mac when you have no internet connection. I really don't think your documents could be all that much more accessible.