How iCloud Drive Files work with offline devices ?

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JustMeDM Author

Level 1

4 points

How iCloud Drive Files work with offline devices ?

Hi,

I have a question regarding iCluod Drive.

Is this supposed to give you acces to files while offline (Mac & iPhone) ?

And How ?

I have two questions about offline usage:

Question 1 (Changes Merging Issues)

I have this "user case":

I create a text file for a shoping list on a Mac and put it to iCloud Drive, the list is:

"Bananas

Apples"

Then later I add an Item from my iPhone (while my Mac is offline) and the list is now:

"Bananas

Apples

Milk"

Later my Mac is offline (MBP, I'm out of home...) I can acces the File offline ?

If Yes the file on Mac still is:

"Bananas

Apples"

If now I add "Sugar" I have the text be:

"Bananas

Apples

Sugar"

When the Mac will be online again if I open the file what happen ? (Is supposed to be synced if online)

Will iCloud sync automatically to the Mac list (which is newer) and lose modification made in iPhone ?

Make two copy ?

Automatically sync the Mac to iCloud (which is more "shared version") and lose last modification ?

Make available instruments for merging ? (Only applicable to text andother few file types...)

(The "Shoping List" is to be intended as a simple example of text file which can be modified not sequentially, as for example if you make corrections to a long document...)

Question 2 (Availability on a per-file way)

Is one of the more discussed question... HD usage on MAC...

I understood that is quite probable that files will be available offline on a MAC as they use storage space...

But people are concerned about iDevice storage space... SO:

The offline acces to file will not be available for iDevice ? (to avoid occupy all space with files from a larger MAC HD...)

If the acces will be available will be on a (user selected) per-file strategy (to avoid occupy all iDevice storage...)

Posted on Aug 27, 2015 2:10 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Winston Churchill

Level 10

122,487 points

Aug 27, 2015 6:06 AM in response to JustMeDM

Welcome to the Apple Community.

iCloud will recognise there is a conflict and ask you with version(s) of the document you want to keep.
I'm not sure I understand what you are asking, but if you are asking if a mirror copy of iCloud drive is maintained on your mobile device, then the answer is no.

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Answer 2

JustMeDM Author

Level 1

4 points

Aug 27, 2015 6:37 AM in response to Winston Churchill

Thanks for Answering !

So for Question 1 Very Well, my main fear was iCloud make an automatic choice... Does it simply prompt a choice between the two versions or give also the possibility to keep both ?

I know it would be asking too much... but maybe someone will came out with a diff&merge App ? 😎

About Question 2 I was imagine for iDevice one of 3 possible implementation, and wondering which one is used by iCloud, namely:

iCloud Drive files are available offline as for MAC (with a "mirror copy"). This use iDevice storage and from your answer I understand this is not the case.
Offline use of iCloud Drive files from iDevice is not possible (hopefully minimizing data consumption...). This will not use iDevice Storage.
Offline use of iCloud Drive files from iDevice is possible for certain user selected files (as for Google Drive). This will use user selectable amount of iDevice storage.

Given your answer the option 1 is not surely the one implemented.

Option 2 and 3 remain available, as option 3 is not a "mirror copy".

For me using iCloud Drive... I will start !

Your answer resolved my doubt about Question 1 and for what about Question 2 the only option I will not agreed to was 1.

I prefer if it is implemented like option 3 (as Google Drive) but I will use it even if it is option 2 for it's clean interface with Apple's Apps.

I can move copies of file I forecast to need when iDevice cannot be connected to Google Drive if needed.

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