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iCloud Drive - Desktop & Documents Folders

grahamperrin said:
I didn't have that problem with pre-release 10.12, I can't reproduce that problem with pre-release 10.12.1.
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So you're telling me if you create a new folder on your desktop, that that folder and all its contents sync across all macOS and iOS devices? Are you sure? Everyone here seems to say just the files on the desktop not the folders on the desktop sync.
 
grahamperrin said:
Ineligible items

~/Documents/Microsoft User Data/

This exclusion is no surprise. Data that's placed there – by applications such as Microsoft Lync 14.3.3 (160216) – is typically misplaced. …
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glhaynes said:
How did you determine that list of ineligible items? Through experience or is it documented?
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Experience – reading what was documented by Apple for Mac OS X 10.0, and so on.

chriscrowlee said:
So you're telling me if you create a new folder on your desktop, that that folder and all its contents sync across all macOS and iOS devices? Are you sure? Everyone here seems to say just the files on the desktop not the folders on the desktop sync.
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I do not use iOS.

Folders that were present on my desktop from early pre-release builds of Mac OS X 10.12 appeared – and were populated – following a clean installation of a later pre-release of 10.12.

I performed a test with release build 16A323 of 10.12. The test appeared, and was populated, at https://www.icloud.com/#iclouddrive

I performed a test with pre-release build 16B2327e of 10.12.1. The test appeared, and is populated, at https://www.icloud.com/#iclouddrive
 
chriscrowlee said:
So you're telling me if you create a new folder on your desktop, that that folder and all its contents sync across all macOS and iOS devices? Are you sure? Everyone here seems to say just the files on the desktop not the folders on the desktop sync.
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I can assure you that I can see ALL my desktop folders and the contents INSIDE them on my iPad, iPhone, MacBook Pro and iMac.
 
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I want to know how to turn it off. The moment sierra installed, it had that 'optimize storage' option on. I turned it off and my documents folder was empty.

So I had to turn on the desktop and documents folder option (but kept that iCloud storage thing off). Eventually I want both off, but the entire setup is intensely confusing.
 
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insomniac86 said:
I can assure you that I can see ALL my desktop folders and the contents INSIDE them on my iPad, iPhone, MacBook Pro and iMac.
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HERE is a helpful tip for everyone... if you have a FOLDER on your desktop named "Dropbox" change the name of it. I don't use dropbox, but I figured out my issue... since I named my folder DROPBOX Apple thinks it's ineligible for syncing, haha.

Nice glitch found (yeah it's a glitch!).... if I want to name a folder Dropbox, who is Apple to tell me I can't. Renamed it and it immediately sunk to iCloud.
 
dugbug said:
I want to know how to turn it off.
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Open the iCloud System Preferences window. Click on the question-mark button at lower left of window. That brings up relevant help.

I did not sign in when asked as part of the update process. All my documents, pix etc are still intact on my Mac.
Perhaps someday I'll turn on the cloud, but I don't like the idea of Apple pulling data off my Mac without giving me an option to say no first.
 
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insomniac86 said:
Don't make excuses for poor design choices.

I know i could make a Dump/Temp/Working directory, but it's the added convenience of have a full screen, always open folder, where i can just dump stuff on. These files wouldn't last longer than a day on the desktop. I'm a highly organised person who doesn't fill my desktop with crap.

In fact most users have cluttered desktops. So it will be funny to watch the performance hit when everyones upload bandwidth is saturated.

This will be something network administrators will throttle the crap out.

When people add a file to their Dropbox account, its because they want it to upload. People don't place stuff on their desktop to be shared. Again, a poor design choice, and one thats easily fixed by separating the option.
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I have a feeling that they chose both places because that's where 99% or people store all their documents. And most those people don't pay attention on how they organize or set up backups etc...

I wonder if you can create a separate desktop that would really be a folder and use it that way?
 
If I have iCloud Drive for Desktop and Documents enabled and erase the computer (to sell), will the documents continue to be stored in iCloud? I'm wondering if when I setup my new computer the files will still be stored in iCloud or if they are removed when I erase the computer. With my photos stored in iCloud, and now my Documents folder, I would like to setup the computer as "new" and not from a time machine backup - pulling in documents and photos from iCloud. Thoughts? Thanks.
 
sissified84 said:
If I have iCloud Drive for Desktop and Documents enabled and erase the computer (to sell), will the documents continue to be stored in iCloud? I'm wondering if when I setup my new computer the files will still be stored in iCloud or if they are removed when I erase the computer. With my photos stored in iCloud, and now my Documents folder, I would like to setup the computer as "new" and not from a time machine backup - pulling in documents and photos from iCloud. Thoughts? Thanks.
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Yes, anything you store in iCloud including Desktop and Documents using your Apple ID will remain there after you erase an Apple product whether you're performing a clean install and keeping the device or prepping it for resale.

Just make sure you follow these procedures from Apple before selling a device otherwise you'll create a problem in the future for its new owner:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201065
 
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I've been trying these features out on two macs for the last couple of days and I think the system is both set up logically and seems to work well. Of course, with cloud systems one error and things could go catastrophically wrong so the system must have had a lot of testing.

But - providing you are aware that you need to setup the 'master' Mac first - then the system works well. My use of two systems is fairly regular: one at home, and one when away. Downloading the the Documents from the main to the secondary Mac seems to work well at keeping that single set of docs in sync. I had to delete my copies of the same doc from the second Mac, which caused a few hours of sync setup before things settled down, but what was going on was clear and I don't think a user should make a mistake unless they are being too hurried.

Because of my workflow I don't tend to have documents open on both computers at the same time, but I did a few tests to see what would happen if that was the case. And what happens is a "Modifications aren't in sync" window arrives, allowing you to choose which version of the doc you want to keep - which thankfully also allows you to keep both docs if you want, in case you have changes in both. It's rather similar to the way Evernote behaves if you have conflicting notes, and rather easier to deal with. You only have to deal with the issue when you open the doc, but I do think large numbers of conflicts would be a real problem, not that that should happen. While I certainly wouldn't recommend it as the best way of keeping projects in sync, even changes to a git repository seemed to transfer quickly and smoothly between the two systems.

I'm happy enough with the syncing and will use it for docs that I don't mind being in the cloud. I have created a second non-Cloud documents folder as well, for things I want to keep local only. As for Time Machine and other backups - I'm going to download the docs to both systems and make sure they feature in both sets of backups. I also rather like the way the existing but not downloaded files are represented in the Finder window - and the way this is achieved by using a hidden file with a .icloud extension. Best not to mess with those files too much, I think.
 
Sorrel said:
I'm happy enough with the syncing and will use it for docs that I don't mind being in the cloud. I have created a second non-Cloud documents folder as well, for things I want to keep local only.
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Same here. I moved documents that I did not want in the cloud to an alternate documents folder, and turned on iCloud Desktop and Documents on two Macs. Everything worked as expected.

A.
 
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A view of Setup Assistant:

iCloudDriveOptions.jpg

– How to Upgrade Install macOS Sierra Safely on Your Mac
– Use the Setup Assistant to Finish the macOS Sierra Installation (4 of 4)​
 
Another view of Setup Assistant.

I tested an upgrade from El Capitan, declined the invitation to use iCloud Keychain, allowed automatic upload of files from the Documents folder and Desktop:

IMG_20160928_011203.jpg

IMG_20160928_011254.jpg


No mention of photos or videos, probably because I made decisions long before Sierra.
 
Partron22 said:
Open the iCloud System Preferences window. Click on the question-mark button at lower left of window. That brings up relevant help.

I did not sign in when asked as part of the update process. All my documents, pix etc are still intact on my Mac.
Perhaps someday I'll turn on the cloud, but I don't like the idea of Apple pulling data off my Mac without giving me an option to say no first.
Click to expand...
I have both a 2014 11" MBA and a 2013 iMac and decided to first upgrade my MBA to Sierra. I was quite ticked off to see that the install moved all of my desktop and document files to iCloud without asking. Thankfully I don't keep many files in those locations on the MBA. I will NOT be upgrading the iMac (my primary system) until Apple provides an option to disable that behavior during install.
 
grahamperrin said:
See the photographs above, and the the screenshot above that. Setup Assistant, which asks.
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Welcome to the Internet Age, where people will believe any romantic fantasy (Night Shift, H2O requirements, people & dinosaurs, etc) despite a complete lack of scientific evidence, but will disbelieve things (evolution, global warming) for which there are mountains of documentation.

/rant

A.
 
TurboPGT! said:
Ecstatic about this feature. I went through great pains to try and automate this myself in the past and no solution was really great. This was all I ever wanted.
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I've noticed in the past that the features for which I'm most excited as an idea, I tend to be most disappointed in the execution. iCloud Photo Library and the revamped Music app both come to mind. How has your experience been with this one? Are you as ecstatic about the end product as you were about the idea?
 
mark-vdw said:
I've noticed in the past that the features for which I'm most excited as an idea, I tend to be most disappointed in the execution. iCloud Photo Library and the revamped Music app both come to mind. How has your experience been with this one? Are you as ecstatic about the end product as you were about the idea?
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Uh of course, what is there not to like? It stores your Desktop and Documents folders in iCloud. It doesn't interfere with normal use. Also couldn't be happier with iCloud Photo Library, it does exactly what its supposed to do: Stores all photo and video in the cloud, automatically. Every device can access. Devices with more storage can keep local copies. Devices with less storage can brilliantly optimize and still have access. Could not be better.

I find people typically have their own niche ideas that make very little real world sense, and would adversely affect the experience for 90% of users, are often the ones "unhappy" with perfectly executed features.
 
TurboPGT! said:
Uh of course, what is there not to like? It stores your Desktop and Documents folders in iCloud. It doesn't interfere with normal use. Also couldn't be happier with iCloud Photo Library, it does exactly what its supposed to do: Stores all photo and video in the cloud, automatically. Every device can access. Devices with more storage can keep local copies. Devices with less storage can brilliantly optimize and still have access. Could not be better.

I find people typically have their own niche ideas that make very little real world sense, and would adversely affect the experience for 90% of users, are often the ones "unhappy" with perfectly executed features.
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Translation: when an implementation fits perfectly with how I do things, it is a perfectly executed feature... and people who disagree do so because they possess very little real world sense. 🙄
 
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