I can hardly believe this has happened! Email attachments

[Markzeb]

It seems so un-Apple. Along with few other things that have been happening recently, it's making me lose my previously unshakeable faith in Apple as the obvious choice for devices…

I used to be able to email multiple PDF's in the same email. I know it was possible in iOS 6 or 7 because I've got sent emails that I'd done with multiple PDFS attached. This is important to me because I'm often sending client communications and invoices from my iPad or iPhone. And I clearly cannot, professionally seeking, send ten separate emails with separate attachments. Because they will most likely get lost for one thing.

How has this really basic utility has been removed fro IOS? Why on earth would Apple do such a thing?

Indeed in trying to find a solution to this problem in various ways I've realised another thing - that the handing of PDF documents seems to be a closed system within IOS now. So it's impossible to upload them to any other system. There's no way to upload them to Google drive or in any other way from an iOS device. They are basically read only. I've tried emailing the. Separately to myself, uploading gmail software, and other software.

Why has Apple taken this apparently self-centred and customer unhelpful approach?

 

[canesalato]

I don't know why. But it will be pretty much solved (finally!!) with iOS9, where iCloud drive is better integrated with the system. In the meanwhile you can use a third party PDF program, like Documents by Readdle (free), which has a lot of options to get your PDFs out of your device. Why iBooks supports only mail and not iCloud drive, messages and/or Airplay is beyond my understanding of this company, as many things lately

 

[I7guy]

It seems so un-Apple. Along with few other things that have been happening recently, it's making me lose my previously unshakeable faith in Apple as the obvious choice for devices…

I used to be able to email multiple PDF's in the same email. I know it was possible in iOS 6 or 7 because I've got sent emails that I'd done with multiple PDFS attached. This is important to me because I'm often sending client communications and invoices from my iPad or iPhone. And I clearly cannot, professionally seeking, send ten separate emails with separate attachments. Because they will most likely get lost for one thing.

How has this really basic utility has been removed fro IOS? Why on earth would Apple do such a thing?

Indeed in trying to find a solution to this problem in various ways I've realised another thing - that the handing of PDF documents seems to be a closed system within IOS now. So it's impossible to upload them to any other system. There's no way to upload them to Google drive or in any other way from an iOS device. They are basically read only. I've tried emailing the. Separately to myself, uploading gmail software, and other software.

Why has Apple taken this apparently self-centred and customer unhelpful approach?

I just emailed multiple PDFs originating in iBooks. I actually never tried that before and it's a pita but it's possible. Start in iBooks and then click the icon to start an email. Save the draft. Go back into iBooks and click the next off and create a new message. Copy the pdf and delete the draft. Open the old off and paste.

I can't remember if I tried to do this on iOS 7.

 

[pacorob]

I wasn't aware that this feature was included in iOS6 and 7. So you are saying that PDF files from e.g. iBooks can be send via the Apple Mail client to someone else? As far as i knew there is/was no explorer feature untill iOS8 which can check local PDF files (on your iDevice) and send them to other with the Apple Mail app (only local Photos and Videos). You can do this with e.g. FileBrowser (5,99 dollar).

I do have the options since iOS8 to use other e-mail clients (e.g. Mailbox by Dropbox with Dropbox) to attach files from the cloud or save attachments from received e-mails to the cloud.

As someone else also said as of iOS9 there is more possible with iCloud and attaching files other then photos/videos with the standard Mail app.

 

[canesalato]

I wasn't aware that this feature was included in iOS6 and 7. So you are saying that PDF files from e.g. iBooks can be send via the Apple Mail client to someone else? As far as i knew there is/was no explorer feature untill iOS8 which can check local PDF files (on your iDevice) and send them to other with the Apple Mail app (only local Photos and Videos). You can do this with e.g. FileBrowser (5,99 dollar).

Uhm...it's not like that. It's the ancient iOS share dialog. Yes, you can send PDFs but not every PDF on the device, which would require iCloud Drive integration. You can just share a PDF when it is located inside the iBooks app itself. No luck with ePUB files: if you put a file in the ePUB format inside ibooks it's gonna be locked there forever, unless you delete it. This makes iBooks the latest "black hole" of the iOS stock apps (now that I think about it music is even worse: you cannot share files at all from there, but I guess that is for silly "piracy prevention" reasons).

 

[I7guy]

Uhm...it's not like that. It's the ancient iOS share dialog. Yes, you can send PDFs but not every PDF on the device, which would require iCloud Drive integration. You can just share a PDF when it is located inside the iBooks app itself. No luck with ePUB files: if you put a file in the ePUB format inside ibooks it's gonna be locked there forever, unless you delete it. This makes iBooks the latest "black hole" of the iOS stock apps (now that I think about it music is even worse: you cannot share files at all from there, but I guess that is for silly "piracy prevention" reasons).

Were you ever able to email music from iOS?

 

[canesalato]

Were you ever able to email music from iOS?

No, never. When iOS5 made iOS devices "PC free", the music app and the ibooks app (for ePub files) were the only ones excluded. I understand the copyright concern, but is it an honest behaviour to sell DRM free music in the iTunes store and then lock it to the device with no way to send it to an other device? (eg: from my iPhone to my iPad, or from my iPad to my android phone, or my linux notebook etc). This doesn't do anything against piracy (just use iTunes and you can pirate anything if you are that kind of person). It just makes things more inconvenient for iOS users. Especially since iOS5 was supposed to get a PC free experience. =)

 

[Rigby]

used to be able to email multiple PDF's in the same email. I know it was possible in iOS 6 or 7 because I've got sent emails that I'd done with multiple PDFS attached. This is important to me because I'm often sending client communications and invoices from my iPad or iPhone. And I clearly cannot, professionally seeking, send ten separate emails with separate attachments. Because they will most likely get lost for one thing.

Where have you stored the PDFs on the iOS device? You can easily do this with apps such as Goodreader or Readdle Documents. Just select the files you want to send and use the "mail to" action.

 

[Markzeb]

I just emailed multiple PDFs originating in iBooks. I actually never tried that before and it's a pita but it's possible. Start in iBooks and then click the icon to start an email. Save the draft. Go back into iBooks and click the next off and create a new message. Copy the pdf and delete the draft. Open the old off and paste.

I can't remember if I tried to do this on iOS 7.

No this actually doesn't work any longer- not in IOS version 8. I tried it. Copying and pasting the PDFs. If I try to send the email with three PDFs attached via copy and paste, they appear in the email, but disappear on sending. The received email is blank of any attachments.

 

[Markzeb]

I don't know why. But it will be pretty much solved (finally!!) with iOS9, where iCloud drive is better integrated with the system. In the meanwhile you can use a third party PDF program, like Documents by Readdle (free), which has a lot of options to get your PDFs out of your device. Why iBooks supports only mail and not iCloud drive, messages and/or Airplay is beyond my understanding of this company, as many things lately

Okay thanks fir the suggestion: I've downloaded "Douments" by Readdle. (In past I've tried other such apps too). Now these PDFs I need to send - at the moment they reside in the closed system that is iBooks. And there seems to be no way at all to get them into the "Documents" App. IOS allows apps to access pictures and videos, but nothing else. Still trying .. Please help ,

 

[canesalato]

Okay thanks fir the suggestion: I've downloaded "Douments" by Readdle. (In past I've tried other such apps too). Now these PDFs I need to send - at the moment they reside in the closed system that is iBooks. And there seems to be no way at all to get them into the "Documents" App. IOS allows apps to access pictures and videos, but nothing else. Still trying .. Please help ,

Via iCloud drive Apps are allowed to access every other document, not just pictures and video. Problem is: Apple has chosen to not support this in iBooks, which is absurd, but that's how it is. Safari and Mail support is missing as well, but it's coming with iOS9. iOS9 will also have a stock iCloud drive app! This means that once version 9 is out, iOS will finally be a much more open and convenient system, with the big exceptions of iBooks and the Music app.

I think you have 3 options:
1) send your PDFs via email to yourself and then open them with Documents. I know, it's ridiculous, but if you don't have access to a computer you are stuck with this. If you have many big PDF files (eg: textbooks) you'll need to look at 2) or 3).
2) if you use iTunes to sync, get your files from your computer and then move them to Documents via iTunes or Dropbox, or iCloud drive.
3) use a third party app to access to the iOS filesystem from your computer and get back your files from the iPad.

Again, ridiculous that a user is forced to do this.
If anybody has a better idea I'm curious to hear it! =)

 

[I7guy]

No this actually doesn't work any longer- not in IOS version 8. I tried it. Copying and pasting the PDFs. If I try to send the email with three PDFs attached via copy and paste, they appear in the email, but disappear on sending. The received email is blank of any attachments.

I didn't hit send, I'm going to actually send it and see what happens.

 

[canesalato]

No this actually doesn't work any longer- not in IOS version 8. I tried it. Copying and pasting the PDFs. If I try to send the email with three PDFs attached via copy and paste, they appear in the email, but disappear on sending. The received email is blank of any attachments.

Uhm...this sounds like a bug

 

[I7guy]

Uhm...this sounds like a bug

I lasted two PDFs in. Only one arrived...I agree seems like a bug. Whether it will get fixed or not is anybody's guess.

 

[Markzeb]

1) send your PDFs via email email to yourself and then open them with Documents. I know, it's ridiculous, but if you don't have access to a computer you are stuck with this. If you have many big PDF files (eg: textbooks) you'll need to look at 2) or 3).

Thank you so much Canesalato! Thanks to your help I have finally managed to get all my (small size, type-only PDFs) into one email, and successfully sent them. Using your technique above. I had to email them all to myself separately but now I'll get my invoices paid and be able to survive ;-)

You are absolutely right in that it's completely ridiculous that it requires a piece of third-party software to do such a simple thing. There is a lot of very "flaky" things about the usability and implementation in iOS 8, which I'm not happy about either. For example, in this exercise, within the Mail app, even getting the "open in" dialogue to come up is very unreliable and difficult.

A slight diversion in topics, but I'm personally of the belief that Apple software, both iOS and OS X has really taken a massive nosedive in the last 3 to 4 years. Basic usability problems have appeared, slowdowns, sluggishness, and just poor design problems. If ever your on a Mac and have an opportunity to go back to Leopard or Snow Leopard, try it; it's like a breath of fresh air! Everything speeds up and is more reliable, fast intuitive and easy to use. OS X now performs almost as badly and feels as superficial as the Windows operating system. Things aren't looking too great for us Apple users since the Management teams changed at Apple, i'm very sorry to have to report.

 

[cynics]

Emailing multiple PDF's in one email in iOS has always been tricky and any solution has felt like a workaround. The reason I say that is our entire company went with Android due to that very reason. I'm curious what solutions iOS 9 brings to the table.

The only reason I even use Android anymore is because of its more powerful email client and in my opinion its so ridiculous that its embarrassing. Think about it, its 2015, email at this point is archaic every email client regardless of device should be nearly as powerful as a computer.

 

[I7guy]

Emailing multiple PDF's in one email in iOS has always been tricky and any solution has felt like a workaround. The reason I say that is our entire company went with Android due to that very reason. I'm curious what solutions iOS 9 brings to the table.

The only reason I even use Android anymore is because of its more powerful email client and in my opinion its so ridiculous that its embarrassing. Think about it, its 2015, email at this point is archaic every email client regardless of device should be nearly as powerful as a computer.

I agree, it's stupid. The insert function should at least easily allow any supported file type.

 

[canesalato]

Emailing multiple PDF's in one email in iOS has always been tricky and any solution has felt like a workaround. The reason I say that is our entire company went with Android due to that very reason. I'm curious what solutions iOS 9 brings to the table.

With iOS9 the problem is completely solved. You can send multiple PDF files and it's fast and convenient. Actually you can send multiple files, no matter their extension. When you add an attachment (via pop up on the iPhone, or via a more convenient icon over the keyboard on the iPad) in iOS9, the system will open an iCloud Drive window (similar to a small finder) where you can get your PDF. What if your file is not on iCloud but instead inside an other app? (like Dropbox, PDF Expert, Documents, Goodreader etc). No problem. Just tap on the top left section of the window and you'll get access to these apps. This system requires apps updates to add support (ibooks support lost in space) but it's a very convenient and powerful way to solve an ancient iOS problem. It has been there since iOS8 but was not integrated in Mail or Safari.
Will your company go back to iOS now? =)

 

[pacorob]

The iOS8 share sheet limitations of some apps are also absurd (e.g. attach a maximum of 5 or 10 images per e-mail). See also my remarks in the topic start post of share sheet wiki topic.
The Mail client in iOS8 (and adding attachments other then photo/video) and the share sheet support should much more improved. I hope this will be the case with iOS9 finally.