"Open In..." not working for large files in iOS 5

JTravers · Oct 23, 2011

I couldn't find this being discussed anywhere else (if it has been discussed, please point me to the thread).

When I try sending a large file (for example, a 500MB video I edited and uploaded to Dropbox) from one app to another using iOS's "Open In..." functionality, the file transfer starts and then aborts soon thereafter. When I 1st execute the "Open In...", I notice that space for the file is reserved (the free space on my iPad drops by 500MB), but after a minutes or so the space magically comes back and the file is never sent to the app I selected from the "Open In..." menu. I know this used to work with large files because in the past (as recently as 2 weeks ago) I've sent video files as large as 1.5GB from the Dropbox app to Goodreader and Goodplayer.

I found this same problem addressed in the 3rd question of the iCab FAQ.
http://www.icab-mobile.de/faq.html

After updating to iOS 5, I can't transfer large file to other Apps. Why?

This is a general issue of iOS 5 which affects all Apps, this is not a specific issue of iCab Mobile. When transferring files to other Apps using the "Open in" window, iOS 5 seems to abort all file transfers which need more time than one minute. And within one minute only about 300-350 MB of data can be transferred on most devices, longer files need more time and therefore can not be opened in other Apps anymore. You may need to ask Apple for a solution for this problem.

This new "feature" of iOS 5 makes the iPad much less useful for seamlessly moving my video files around.

Rubo Draco · Oct 23, 2011

I've used that feature to open 700MB files... I just have to be patient (takes like 3 to 5 min)

JTravers · Oct 23, 2011

Rubo Draco said:
I've used that feature to open 700MB files... I just have to be patient (takes like 3 to 5 min)

Have you used it since upgrading to iOS 5?
I've tried opening multiple files from 500MB to 1.5GB in size, and none opened (I waited 10-15 mins for each).

Would you mind trying again (assuming you've upgraded to iOS 5)?

Thanks!

Rubo Draco · Oct 23, 2011

JTravers said:
Have you used it since upgrading to iOS 5?
I've tried opening multiple files from 500MB to 1.5GB in size, and none opened (I waited 10-15 mins for each).

Would you mind trying again (assuming you've upgraded to iOS 5)?

Thanks!

I just did it last night to watch Edward Scissorhands movie... Which was a 475MB file, but I've done it with other bigger movies.
and yes, I am on iOS 5

saberahul · Oct 23, 2011

Just tried it with a 2.5GB zip file. Worked in about 1 minute.

JTravers · Oct 23, 2011

saberahul said:
Just tried it with a 2.5GB zip file. Worked in about 1 minute.

Interesting. What apps were you sending the file to and from?

Maybe it's because I'm down to only 2.5GB of free space? I'll clear some room and try again.

Thanks for the feedback!

----------

Rubo Draco said:
I just did it last night to watch Edward Scissorhands movie... Which was a 475MB file, but I've done it with other bigger movies.
and yes, I am on iOS 5

Thanks for verifying. What apps were you sending the file to and from?

It looks like I need to experiment a little more to see why it's not working for me.

JTravers · Oct 23, 2011

JTravers said:
Maybe it's because I'm down to only 2.5GB of free space? I'll clear some room and try again.

Okay, looks like I solved the problem. With only 2.5GB free, I couldn't "Open In..." any large files (I tried 500MB and 1.4GB files). After clearing some space and ending up with 7GB free, I could successfully "Open In..." the 500MB file. The 1.4GB file still won't work, though. Looks like I'll have to clear a little more space and try that file again.

Thanks to everyone for your input.

Rubo Draco · Oct 23, 2011

JTravers said:
Interesting. What apps were you sending the file to and from

From iDownloads to Flex

layer
good to know that you solved it!

JTravers · Oct 24, 2011

Rubo Draco said:
From iDownloads to Flexlayer
good to know that you solved it!

Actually, it's acting pretty flaky. One time it will work and another time it won't. Not exactly sure why. Maybe it isn't linked to free space after all (beyond the fact that you need enough space to make a copy of the file).

Havner · Oct 24, 2011

Finally, someone noticed this as well. I can confirm this 100%.

Happened since ios 5 and is not related to any specific app. I have this problem while transferring files ~1GB between two different sets of completely independent apps.

What struck me though is that it doesn't look like a deliberate action from apple because it does work sometimes. Once per ~30 tries.

I usually check how much space is left, open an app, choose a file, hit open in as many times as I have space left (~10). Then I get a msg that my free space is running out. I open usage in settings and observe how my free space is being restored when one after another operation fails. Sometimes one will succeed.

I really hope this is a simple bug and will be fixed at some point cause it made my pleasure from using iPad go away completely recently.

RoboCop001 · Oct 24, 2011

It seems that every time you do an "Open In..." it copies the file.

I don't like that it works that way. Can't it just place the file in a "public" folder that all apps can access? And if you make edits to it, then it will save the new version.

Rubo Draco · Oct 24, 2011

RoboCop001 said:
... Can't it just place the file in a "public" folder that all apps can access?...

the bigger the folder, the slower the access (and that would be for all the apps)... altough, it would be nice if we could decide which apps can share their content

Rubo Draco · Oct 24, 2011

The only thing I can think of is that iOS 5 is aborting your request cause of the "long time task"... Try clearing your taskbar and just keep the two apps you need (the "From" and the "To")

Havner · Oct 24, 2011

Rubo Draco said:
The only thing I can think of is that iOS 5 is aborting your request cause of the "long time task"... Try clearing your taskbar and just keep the two apps you need (the "From" and the "To")

Tried it all. Rebooting, clearing all apps in the background.

The fact is nothing helps and none of this was required in iOS4.

----------

JTravers said:
Actually, it's acting pretty flaky. One time it will work and another time it won't. Not exactly sure why. Maybe it isn't linked to free space after all (beyond the fact that you need enough space to make a copy of the file).

It's not. I made above 15GB of free space. Didn't help either.

Donfisa · Nov 9, 2011

Finally

Man , this has been driving me crazy for a couple of weeks. I have been trying to transfer vids over 500 from DownloadsHD to AVPlayerHD...tried everything. Have had to resort to wifi transfers. Has completely ruined my use of the iPad. What can we do? Is someone from Apple listening?

Havner · Nov 9, 2011

Donfisa said:
Has completely ruined my use of the iPad. What can we do? Is someone from Apple listening?

What can I say?

Ditto...

dan44 · Nov 10, 2011

workaround

Ok, i had the same problem as written in many posts above (larger files won't open in other apps). In my case i want to open a movie (.avi) which is in "Downloads HD" in "Goodplayer" on my iPad. Here is how it worked for me on iOS 5.0.1:

1. I renamed the file "xy.avi" to "xy.zip" in Downloads HD.
2. Transfered the renamed file with the "open in" option to Goodplayer
3. In Goodplayer I renamed it back to "xy.avi" (to do that the file has to be in the main folder not in the inbox...)

IMPORTANT: in Goodplayer the file was not visible when i opened the inbox. But it was there when i navigated to the inbox via "folder options" (bottom left corner of the app).

This worked for me with a 1GB file so far.

Havner · Nov 11, 2011

iOS 5.0.1: not fixed for me.

Google12345789 · Nov 13, 2011

Solution

dan44 said:
Ok, i had the same problem as written in many posts above (larger files won't open in other apps). In my case i want to open a movie (.avi) which is in "Downloads HD" in "Goodplayer" on my iPad. Here is how it worked for me on iOS 5.0.1:

1. I renamed the file "xy.avi" to "xy.zip" in Downloads HD.
2. Transfered the renamed file with the "open in" option to Goodplayer
3. In Goodplayer I renamed it back to "xy.avi" (to do that the file has to be in the main folder not in the inbox...)

IMPORTANT: in Goodplayer the file was not visible when i opened the inbox. But it was there when i navigated to the inbox via "folder options" (bottom left corner of the app).

This worked for me with a 1GB file so far.

This is my solution. iPad 2 ios 5.0
when I'm in Downloads I push the button "open in" AvPlayer or OPlayer or GoodPlayer (it works with all of them) over and over again until the system tell me that there in no more space (2 buttons in the message box, 'end' and 'settings', I choose 'settings'). Then in settings I see "free space" that push up. After 1-2 minutes in the folder Inbox of Avplayer/oplayer/goodplayer I find the file .Avi

flapee · Nov 13, 2011

More or less the same problem as the poster,

except trying with 350MB files ( in application Filer ) (free space at ~5 GB )

with the iOS 5 i've noticed another issue ...
I used to be able to play more or less any AVI file in the FILER app ( or any other supporting the embed player for that matter), but does not work any more ... the player loads, shows the length of the file. but wont play the content

anyone some thoughts?

P.

romaha · Nov 17, 2011

post a remark @Apple !

Same problem here.

I suggest everybody to add a remark on the apple support page to get some attention and get this problem high on their bug-fixing list.

there is already a topic created here

"Open In..." not working for large files in iOS 5

macrumors 6502a

macrumors regular

macrumors 6502a

macrumors regular

macrumors 68040

macrumors 6502a

macrumors 6502a

macrumors regular

macrumors 6502a

macrumors newbie

macrumors 68000

macrumors regular

macrumors regular

macrumors newbie

macrumors newbie

macrumors newbie

macrumors newbie

macrumors newbie

macrumors newbie

macrumors newbie

macrumors newbie

Our Staff