Dropbox Update (Dropbox for macOS)

[suem]

I put a zip file in iCloud and downloaded it and it open and went to tools in reunion touch and it has a cloud in blue colour Sharing Status (ICloud drive) I clicked on that it states ReunionTouch remote shearing /Fletcher Tutin 13

[Gregg]

Does it make sense to upload to iCloud Drive as well, simply as an extra level of backup...

I agree with Roger. Choose one or the other.

For an extra level of backup - I highly recommend using Apple's Time Machine with an external backup hard drive.

...there are several aspects of each service that are nicer than the other. Can you please elaborate?

iCloud Drive is cheaper and there's no device limitation like there is with the free Dropbox account. With iCloud Drive it's more difficult to share your files with other people (Family Sharing) than it is with Dropbox. Dropbox started doing the "online-only" thing with people's files a few years ago and it has caused a lot of pain for Reunion users and Dropbox users in general. Technically, it is simpler to sync family files with ReunionTouch over Dropbox than via iCloud Drive. There are other aspects that come into play here but it's more of a matter of personal preference.

Is it possible to set up Family Sharing using iCloud with the other person's Apple ID having only view privileges, without the ability to edit, so that if I sync the family file with my son, he will not be able to make changes?

Other than giving him a copy of your family file there is no good way to handle this.

[theKiwi]

The DropBox file, and the iCloud file are totally separate files, stored in different places on your computer. Making changes to one WILL NOT synch to the other.

You should choose a service and stick with that single file to avoid the chance of any problems.

Roger

[Robert Mandelbaum]

Hi! Two sets of questions: (1) I have been using Dropbox without incident. Does it make sense to upload to iCloud Drive as well, simply as an extra level of backup, or should I choose one or the other? In other words, if I upload to both, and make changes on, say the Dropbox file, will those changes automatically sync to the iCloud file, or will I end up with two different versions of my family file (which I do not want, and which would lead me to conclude that I should choose one cloud storage over the other, and stick with it). Gregg, you mentioned above that there are several aspects of each service that are nicer than the other. Can you please elaborate? (2) Is it possible to set up Family Sharing using iCloud with the other person's Apple ID having only view privileges, without the ability to edit, so that if I sync the family file with my son, he will not be able to make changes? Thanks!

[Gregg]

There are several aspects of Dropbox that are nicer than iCloud Drive and vice versa.

Syncing family files with other people is not as simple as it was with Dropbox due to some extra required steps.

In order to share files over iCloud Drive with other people. That is: people with a different Apple ID than yours. You must use Apple's iCloud "Family Sharing."

You must activate iCloud Family Sharing on your iCloud account . Or, your wife on hers - it is not required for both of you to activate it. This is done from your System Settings.

Once you have iCloud Family Sharing activated, you (the person with Family Sharing) can control-click on a file or folder in your iCloud Drive and select "Share" to invite the other person to share that file (or folder) with you. People are invited using their Apple ID.

You should be able to do this with any file or folder (not just a Reunion family file) just to get a feel for how it works - before you switch on "Remote Sharing" for your family file in Reunion.

[SGilbert]

It sounds like you and your wife may need to set up "Remote Sharing" for your family files. Information about how to do so can be found in Reunion's manual by searching for "remote sharing." To access the manual, open your family file and choose Help -> Contents.

(Also, be sure you are each running the latest build of Reunion 13. To check it, open your family file and choose Help -> Check for Updates.)

I hope you find this helpful

I consider myself quite Mac savvy; Not expert, by any means, but this has kicked my arse! Everything stated turned out bad.
Going back to the dark ages with Dropbox. (which has also been a nightmare!)

[Deb]

Confused as to how to share iCloud Drive like I do with Dropbox.
I switched to iCloud drive and so did the wife. I can now see my family file and she can see hers, but neither one of can see the other's.
(FWIW, we each have Macs and iPhones, but with Dropbox, her iPhone put us over the 3 device limit, hence iCloud Drive will be a Godsent!)

It sounds like you and your wife may need to set up "Remote Sharing" for your family files. Information about how to do so can be found in Reunion's manual by searching for "remote sharing." To access the manual, open your family file and choose Help -> Contents.

(Also, be sure you are each running the latest build of Reunion 13. To check it, open your family file and choose Help -> Check for Updates.)

I hope you find this helpful

[SGilbert]

Confused as to how to share iCloud Drive like I do with Dropbox.
I switched to iCloud drive and so did the wife. I can now see my family file and she can see hers, but neither one of can see the other's.
(FWIW, we each have Macs and iPhones, but with Dropbox, her iPhone put us over the 3 device limit, hence iCloud Drive will be a Godsent!)

[Gregg]

Thanks for the update lelseman, that is helpful to know.

We will certainly be updating our documentation as we learn what kinds of troubles arise.

[lelseman]

That worked! I also had to delete the family file from DropBox to get Reunion on the Mac to pull from iCloud. I did multiple tests to ensure it was working correctly, i.e. add data to Reunion for Mac and check that it came over to ReunionTouch and vice-versa. Thanks for your help Gregg! Might be a good idea to put that info into the support documentation (delete DropBox family file).

[Gregg]

The family file in iCloud Drive should not have the same name as the family file in Dropbox - if they are both going to be in ReunionTouch.

Try deleting the Dropbox family file from ReunionTouch, then download the family file from iCloud Drive.

[lelseman]

One more pic. I would expect the iCloud Drive file to be shown at the top of the screen along with the DropBox file, but it isn't.
t

[lelseman]

Thanks for the quick response. Okay, I made a copy of my family file on my Mac and then moved that copy to my iCloud Drive. I then selected my iCloud Reunion Folder in the Sharing Status and reset Sharing. That made the file selectable on ReunionTouch. Relaunching both the Mac Reunion and ReunionTouch still shows both devices connected to the DropBox file. Arrrgggh. See attached:

[Gregg]

Are you getting any kind of a message after you select your family file in iCloud Drive?

Also, make sure you update to the latest version of Reunion 13 and that you reset sharing on this family file once you have moved it to iCloud Drive.

[lelseman]

I just got the latest version of ReunionTouch that allows the use of iCloud Drive. I copied my family file (also updated the Mac version of Reunion today too) from DropBox to my iCloud Drive. Opening up ReunionTouch it has the option to choose the family file from DropBox or iCloud Drive. When I navigate to the family file on iCloud Drive it doesn't open. Any suggestions?