Preventing ReunionTouch from changing Reunion?

[PGHJ]

Is there a way to make ReunionTouch "read only", and thus unable to actually make changes to the main Reunion family file?

Paul

[Gregg]

Re: Preventing ReunionTouch from changing Reunion?

Is there a way to make ReunionTouch "read only", and thus unable to actually make changes to the main Reunion family file?

Once you have your family file on ReunionTouch, go to your Macintosh and move the family file out of Dropbox. When you do this the family file on ReunionTouch will be unlinked. Changes made on ReunionTouch will not appear on the Macintosh -- however, changes made on the Macintosh will not appear on ReunionTouch either.

[PGHJ]

Re: Preventing ReunionTouch from changing Reunion?

Once you have your family file on ReunionTouch, go to your Macintosh and move the family file out of Dropbox. When you do this the family file on ReunionTouch will be unlinked. Changes made on ReunionTouch will not appear on the Macintosh -- however, changes made on the Macintosh will not appear on ReunionTouch either.

That worked great, Gregg, thanks! This will allow me to share a snapshot of my family file with someone on their iPad (using Reunion Touch), but they can't make changes to my main family file. Great!
Paul

[Bob White]

Re: Preventing ReunionTouch from changing Reunion?

Please note the last sentence of Greg's note.... Perhaps he needed to be more explicit for you to say: The family file will not be viewable from any iPad once you move it out of the Dropbox folder. Period. So don't have your family members run out and buy ReunionTouch.

[Frank]

Re: Preventing ReunionTouch from changing Reunion?

...The family file will not be viewable from any iPad once you move it out of the Dropbox folder. Period. So don't have your family members run out and buy ReunionTouch.

Just to clarify...

Once a family file is downloaded to a device and appearing in ReunionTouch, the family file can be removed from Dropbox on the Mac and it'll still appear and work properly on the device -- except, as Gregg pointed out, changes made on the device won't appear on the Mac, and vice versa.

We've already had Reunion 11 users sharing their family file with their kids via Dropbox (where the kids buy ReunionTouch and download the family file from Dad's Dropbox account). And even after Dad removes the family file from Dropbox, the kids can still view and enjoy the family file in ReunionTouch.

I am preparing a new FAQ web page on this very topic.

Edit 14 May 2015: the new FAQ item is here.

[Gregg]

Re: Preventing ReunionTouch from changing Reunion?

...where the kids buy ReunionTouch and download the family file from Dad's Dropbox account...

Alternatively, if you're not using ReunionTouch or do not want to use Dropbox -- you can email your family file to someone, they can copy it to their Dropbox folder and then to ReunionTouch.

Again, as Frank said, once the family file has been downloaded to ReunionTouch, the original family file can be removed from Dropbox. Once you do this, ReunionTouch will give you a warning that your family file is "unlinked" but that's fine because, in this situation, ReunionTouch is only being used to view the family file and Dropbox was only being used as a means to get the family file onto your mobile device.

[canderson2008]

Re: Preventing ReunionTouch from changing Reunion?

Just to clarify...

Once a family file is downloaded to a device and appearing in ReunionTouch, the family file can be removed from Dropbox on the Mac and it'll still appear and work properly on the device -- except, as Gregg pointed out, changes made on the device won't appear on the Mac, and vice versa.

We've already had Reunion 11 users sharing their family file with their kids via Dropbox (where the kids buy ReunionTouch and download the family file from Dad's Dropbox account). And even after Dad removes the family file from Dropbox, the kids can still view and enjoy the family file in ReunionTouch.

I am preparing a new FAQ web page on this very topic.

Could a possible way to achieve a read only situation between 2 users with separate Dropboxes by using the DropBox share link capability?

[Frank]

Re: Preventing ReunionTouch from changing Reunion?

Could a possible way to achieve a read only situation between 2 users with separate Dropboxes by using the DropBox share link capability?

The "share link" feature in Dropbox provides a way for somebody to give you a copy of their family file. But then you'd need to put the family file into your Dropbox in order to download it to ReunionTouch.

[Frank]

Re: Preventing ReunionTouch from changing Reunion?

The FAQ item mentioned previously is here.

It should help to clarify.