iOS macOS Server account for Numbers not available after iOS 12 update

Question

iOS macOS Server account for Numbers not available after iOS 12 update

I have a Mac mini running High Sierra and hosting a server network based on the macOS Server app 5.6. I have various iOS devices that as of iOS 11.4 had 'OS X Server' accounts and using e.g. Numbers could maintain files on the server. I emphasize 'maintain' - read, update, save; read, update, save; etc. I have used this Numbers capability for years.

I recently updated my iOS devices to iOS 12.0.x and now find that I can no longer access my server based files. Also the is no longer an option to create an 'OS X Server' account using the 'Passwords & Accounts' option in iOS Settings.

My question is, under this new iOS 12 environment how do I locate the files that I been maintaining since mid-September 2018 using my iPad Pro that are currently 'lost to me'.

I realize that my server is 'functionally stabilized' at High Sierra / macOS Server 5.6 as macOS Server 5.7 guts the server app but has 'Mojave' as a pre-requisite. Needless to this that update is not going to happen.

I find it somewhat obscene that Apple would continue to sell a macOS Server app for the same price as the version that functionally more rich. Obviously the unwarded 'Open Source' providers have pushed back; or Apple have decided they no longer wish to take responsibility for maintaining their offerings.

P.S. I think the Apple Support categorization is ****!

iOS 12.0.1, See above

Posted on Oct 10, 2018 3:39 PM

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Answer 1

Oct 11, 2018 4:09 AM in response to LeoKovalensky

UPDATE: Oops, yes Server.app has lost the WebDAV feature but it seems the Files app in iOS12 has also lost the client side of being a WebDAV client and this is your real problem. I sadly expect Apple are not going to fix it but your only option is to either send them feeback via Feedback - iPhone - Apple or signup for the public beta of iOS12 here https://beta.apple.com/sp/betaprogram/ and provide feedback via that. It should be noted some third-party apps in particular OmniGroup ones still support using WebDAV in iOS12. Sadly Apple are under the insane impression that using iCloud and iCloud Drive is suitable for business use. IT'S NOT! You can't expect hundreds of employees to login to the same iCloud account.

I believe your issue is related to WebDAV. WebDAV is the protocol that iOS devices use to access a 'file server'. A WebDAV server is a standard web server but configured to do the additional WebDAV features.

Apple have been removing more and more features from their Server.app and the ability to configure WebDAV is one of those that has been removed. You therefore either need to hand edit the files in Terminal.app to configure this or have a look at the following.

WebDAVNav Server on the Mac App Store

Yes the current price of Server.app has not changed in line with the more recent significant loss of features but it was already ridiculously cheap and it remains a bargain. Longtime Mac admins will remember when 'Mac OS X Server' cost $999. See - Apple Introduces Mac OS X Server - Apple

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Answer 2

Oct 11, 2018 4:06 PM in response to LeoKovalensky

Thanks John, as a fellow - albeit ex Brit - your response had, I assume, the benefit of the time difference. It is appreciated.

Did you retract the latter portion of your response?

I will follow up on your Webav recommendation given that this was the vehicle for iOS / macOS communication prior to iOS 12.

On the other hand I commenced my implementation of macOS Server four years ago; I have invested many hours to get my network operational with little help from Apple - their 'certified manuals' where available six month following the new version.

I bought the Server app; maybe it was inexpensive but I bought it four years ago. It may have been $999 in the past but that is irrelevant. If Apple had increased their price to cover the 'open source' component - fine! This happens all the time.

But, if your car manufacture should decide that their new model will be the same price as that which you have invested loving care in but will no longer have engine or transmission - but they supply a newsletter describing how to assemble your own - would you be equally happy?

The 'bargain' I am looking at is the one when I purchased macOS Server app in 2014.

Apple should price their AppStore products based on continuity; if they need to increase their price, so be it.

But don't gut the product and say "that's okay it is still cheap" !

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iOS macOS Server account for Numbers not available after iOS 12 update

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