Can't move files out of folders in iCloud Drive

[boston04and07]

I just started using iCloud Drive, mostly due to the addition of the native app on iOS 9. I realized that I was already paying for space I wasn't entirely using (for the Photos app), and that it was kind of pointless to pay for Dropbox on top of that when I could just be using the space I already had on iCloud.

Anyway, I was messing around with it last night, and realized that on iOS, you can't move files out of app-specific folders, apparently. I created a document in Pages, went to the iCloud app, and wasn't able to move the document out of the Pages-specific folder to any of my user-created folders. Files that were already in my own user-created folders could be moved around without a problem.

Is this how iCloud Drive normally works, or is this just beta weirdness? It seems so strange that I can't move a file to the folder I want it to be in, just because it happened to be created in Pages...

 

[username:]

Yeah that's how it is on os x too

 

[gsmornot]

I just started using iCloud Drive, mostly due to the addition of the native app on iOS 9. I realized that I was already paying for space I wasn't entirely using (for the Photos app), and that it was kind of pointless to pay for Dropbox on top of that when I could just be using the space I already had on iCloud.

Anyway, I was messing around with it last night, and realized that on iOS, you can't move files out of app-specific folders, apparently. I created a document in Pages, went to the iCloud app, and wasn't able to move the document out of the Pages-specific folder to any of my user-created folders. Files that were already in my own user-created folders could be moved around without a problem.

Is this how iCloud Drive normally works, or is this just beta weirdness? It seems so strange that I can't move a file to the folder I want it to be in, just because it happened to be created in Pages...

It seems to be this way with Pages, Numbers and Keynote. All other file types have been movable for me. I like these apps but moved to the Microsoft apps a while back because it's easier with my business files that use Microsoft.

 

[boston04and07]

Thanks for your response guys. That's so annoying! I could have sworn I was able to move a file out of the Pages folder on my Mac last night, but I'll double check that later. Really though, they're my files...its ridiculous that I can't organize them the way I need to.

 

[hojx]

I can move my file out of the app-specific folder in OS X.

 

[boston04and07]

I can move my file out of the app-specific folder in OS X.

Yeah, I just figured out how to do it on iCloud.com too - just drag and drop the file onto the pathway at the bottom. You can drop it in the main iCloud Drive that way, and then move it wherever you like. Apple definitely needs to work on this. I guess for now, as long as I can move them somehow, I can live with it. I don't really create too many files on my iPad anyway.

This is what I see when I try to move a file out of the Pages folder in the iOS iCloud Drive app - the only option is to move it into the folder where it's already currently located.

 

[afsnyder]

Yeah, I just figured out how to do it on iCloud.com too - just drag and drop the file onto the pathway at the bottom. You can drop it in the main iCloud Drive that way, and then move it wherever you like. Apple definitely needs to work on this. I guess for now, as long as I can move them somehow, I can live with it. I don't really create too many files on my iPad anyway.

This is what I see when I try to move a file out of the Pages folder in the iOS iCloud Drive app - the only option is to move it into the folder where it's already currently located.

Perhaps that's not the intended behavior? Report it to Apple, maybe it's an oversight.

 

[boston04and07]

Perhaps that's not the intended behavior? Report it to Apple, maybe it's an oversight.

Done!

 

[lagwagon]

Silly question but why does it matter if for example a pages document is in the pages folder and not a user created one? Wouldn't all devices see and have access to it in the pages folder? (Never used iCloud Drive even though I've had it enabled so forgive any cluelessness.)

 

[boston04and07]

Silly question but why does it matter if for example a pages document is in the pages folder and not a user created one? Wouldn't all devices see and have access to it in the pages folder? (Never used iCloud Drive even though I've had it enabled so forgive any cluelessness.)

Well for me, I organize my documents by project, not by whichever app created the document in question. Everything I do at school is in my School folder and then further broken down into folders by class, stuff for home is in its own folder, etc. So you're right, I can view my files everywhere, but they're not organized as I need them to be this way. Plus there's the fact that I don't like being locked into a certain way of organizing basic files like this. But as another poster said, it could just be a bug.

 

[lagwagon]

Well for me, I organize my documents by project, not by whichever app created the document in question. Everything I do at school is in my School folder and then further broken down into folders by class, stuff for home is in its own folder, etc. So you're right, I can view my files everywhere, but they're not organized as I need them to be this way. Plus there's the fact that I don't like being locked into a certain way of organizing basic files like this. But as another poster said, it could just be a bug.

Fair enough! Thanks, that makes perfect sense.

 

[boston04and07]

Fair enough! Thanks, that makes perfect sense.

Yeah, I'm kind of picky about these things! Hopefully it'll be fixed soon.

 

[lagwagon]

Yeah, I'm kind of picky about these things! Hopefully it'll be fixed soon.

Not picky at all. I agree with you that it should allow organization that suits your workflow. Everyone's workflow is different, some are ok with just a general folder for each program while others prefer a more detailed folder/sub folder set up. I hope it is something that will change as well.

 

[Trahearne]

Not picky at all. I agree with you that it should allow organization that suits your workflow. Everyone's workflow is different, some are ok with just a general folder for each program while others prefer a more detailed folder/sub folder set up. I hope it is something that will change as well.

iOS 9's Open In Place would do. (Note that the old Open In has been renamed to Copy To) I also found that iOS 9 and El Capitan finally allows app libraries to be "deleted" (hidden) from the iCloud Drive, unless it is filled with any single file again. New app libraries behaves similarly.

With these features, it seems it would be possible in iOS 9 to have a clean drive without app libraries, and create whatever organisations one wants.

That's said probably iWork suite would keep on creating aliases as a list of recent documents. Moreover, opening files in place from the iCloud Drive app requires some extra taps, since apparently you have to open a file, hit the share button and finally select an app to do so. But of course, they might introduce shortcuts in later betas.

 

[AlexJJ010811]

I just started using iCloud Drive, mostly due to the addition of the native app on iOS 9. I realized that I was already paying for space I wasn't entirely using (for the Photos app), and that it was kind of pointless to pay for Dropbox on top of that when I could just be using the space I already had on iCloud.

Anyway, I was messing around with it last night, and realized that on iOS, you can't move files out of app-specific folders, apparently. I created a document in Pages, went to the iCloud app, and wasn't able to move the document out of the Pages-specific folder to any of my user-created folders. Files that were already in my own user-created folders could be moved around without a problem.

Is this how iCloud Drive normally works, or is this just beta weirdness? It seems so strange that I can't move a file to the folder I want it to be in, just because it happened to be created in Pages...

Right click on the file and select, "Show Original." Usually an immovable file from iCloud Drive means that you've created a shortcut for the file, almost like an alias, but the shortcut can't be moved. Once you find the original you can move it where you'd like and then go back and delete the shortcut (if you don't want it).