Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Can iPad Pro replace laptop?
- Thread starter oldcelt
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
you're not either looking above your own nose or you're wording it wrong. as the previous poster says, different strokes for different folks.
yes, a an ipad can replace a laptop. who says we all want a general filing system? who says we all use an ipad/laptop the same way? i dont, and my ipad has replaced my laptop (if i had one to replace in the first place that is).
it might not satisfy the general populous, but you cant blanket a statement claiming it cant happen, because it can
you're not either looking above your own nose or you're wording it wrong. as the previous poster says, different strokes for different folks.
yes, a an ipad can replace a laptop. who says we all want a general filing system? who says we all use an ipad/laptop the same way? i dont, and my ipad has replaced my laptop (if i had one to replace in the first place that is).
it might not satisfy the general populous, but you cant blanket a statement claiming it cant happen, because it can
You need a file system to be able to transfer files between programs, which is crucial for productivity.
Really? i have no issues getting file between the apps i use and in someways it is faster.
The issue is you think there is only one way to do things, times have evolved there are pros and cons to every method.
But, you don't necessarily need a traditional filing system. Tagging/categorizing objects can be just as effective.
I'm with you on this but I do hate it when certain apps make life hard - aka Microsoft, I can only send files from their share sheet so had to make an open in workflow in Workflow to enable opening the files elsewhere. I'm wondering if they genuinely don't think people might want to open the file in another app (not just editing, but GoodReader for example), or want to prevent people sending their documents to Pages.
I have Workflow but I haven't had the chance to use it. Is it something you use often to bridge the gaps in capability when using iOS?
Absolutely. I save documents directly to iCloud (for example), but there's no way to do that on iOS - so I have a Workflow for it. It's also really useful for replacing certain single function apps (I have workflows for creating work calendar events with the address in it, for example - this replaced CalPaste).
You can download files directly to the iPad using iCab, which is a full featured browser. Also, Readdle's Documents app has a built-in browser that does the same. Both of these apps allow you to change the browser ID so that to websites will think you are on a desktop computer.
Another alternative: GoodReader. It has a browser component and a direct download from URL option.
I really must get iCab one of these days though, looks extremely useful!
The Documents app totally worked--did exactly what I needed it to do. Thanks so much for that suggestion!
Downloading files is simple and of limited usefulness. Accessing/updating files is the major function that is needed.
Documents is an admirable attempt but it is a kludge. Or maybe I don't understand how to use it properly.
I can use Documents to pull down a .pages doc from DropBox. From there I have to select "open in..." and send it to Pages. This document now appears in the local Pages sandbox storage area and can now edit it in Pages. I make my changes. These changes are saved in the sandbox. I then select "send to.." to send it to Document. It is now in Document's sandboxed storage. From here I select "Open in..." and select Dropbox. Then I navigate within Dropbox to the original location and save and replace.
This is the dictionary definition of kludge. And I have 3 copies of the file on my iPad, in different sandboxes.
I'm not convinced that iOS needs a conventional method for accessing the file system, but SOMETHING needs to be done more than it currently has.
It's definitely a clunky workaround, but at least it's a workaround that solves my issue. Most of my problems with iOS workflows happen when it comes time to move files around. This solution fills in a HUGE gap for me, though it's pretty inelegant. I'm convinced it will get better though.
It sounds like Workflow might alleviate some of that for you. I chose to keep all of my "still editing" documents in iCloud, and only move finished versions off to Dropbox and the like, not perfect - but it works for me.
I so wish I was better at Workflow (the app). I'm sure I could automate at least some of what I'm doing. I just don't understand how.
Isn't that more of an issue with the Pages app not being updated vice iOS? When I go to Dropbox and select a PDF, I have a dozen choices in what to open it with, except for pages.
Why involve Documents? You can download Dropbox app on your iPad. Then from
Dropbox, "open in" to Pages. Once you are done editing, from Pages, use "send to" to save back to Dropbox. You can navigate to the exact spot in Dropbox you want to save the file to. You do end up with an extra copy in Pages, but that's Dropbox's fault for not supporting direct editing from Pages.
EDIT: I just tried One Drive, which, funnily enough, supports direct editing from Pages. So if you store your Pages documents on One Drive, you'll have just the one copy on One Drive, and never have to worry about deleting the extra copy in Pages after you are done.
[doublepost=1460666391][/doublepost]
That's because Pages don't accept PDF import. But if you have .doc, .docx, .txt, .rtf, and of course .pages, they will open from Dropbox to Pages.
Last edited:
At some level it is. But in the broader sense this is the result of not having a universally standard and accessible approach to external files.
That's exactly what I do. For those documents that I need to edit with both OSX and iOS, I have standardized on Pages. THAT works very well. (although there are still functions in the OSX version of Pages that are missing in the iOS version)
The only reason why I tried Documents was because it comes up in nearly every conversation about file systems in iOS. I have no idea why it is praised as a file system alternative. As a document viewer it's fine.
If you are looking for a file system alternative, have you tried FileBrowser? It's a paid app, but there's a lite version to try.
FileBrowserLite by Stratospherix Ltd
https://appsto.re/us/EIZ_t.i
It's kind of funny that Microsoft is the only one who is doing this "right". Fortunately, I have an Office 365 account because dealing with all of the extra copies and importing and exporting in and out of apps and DropBox/iCloud is a disaster waiting to happen (i.e. losing track of a version of a file).
Most welcome!
[doublepost=1460693248][/doublepost]
Good going! iCab goes a long way towards bridging the gap between iOS and OS X.
There's a subreddit for workflow (http://reddit.com/r/workflow) which is really helpful - lots of examples, plus people post and say "I want to do X, by have no idea how", and then people (like myself), make the workflow for them
Get Pages Document - this only works on files that can be opened in Pages.
Upload Pages File - use the open in menu from pages to open in Workflow for this.
See the comment in the second one for further better automation. If you always do this with 5 documents you could have a menu with an entry for each file name, and use the file path