New iOS 9 iCloud Drive app - Unable to view PDFs as they open in Pixelmator

[bob24]

When I click on a PDF file in the iCloud Drive app, what I would like is to simply view the content of that file within the app.

However what happens is that thr PDF gets imported to Pixelmator folder as an image file.

I assume Pixelmator somehow registered itself as the default app for PDFs and its default action when opening one is to concert to picture and add to its library.

This is a bit of a silly though - I don't see who would like this as a default behaviour, and it makes the iCloud Drive app a bit useless at browsing PDFs (might be the same with other file types, I haven't came across it yet.

Anyone knows if there is a way to changes this behaviour and tell iCloud Drive to just show me the content of the PDF when I click on it?

 

[Peepo]

Works fine for me. That is strange. I would suggest uninstalling pixelmstor and reinstalling.

 

[bob24]

Thanks a lot.

If I uninstall Pixelmator the iCloud Drive app does display previews of PDFs. But as soon as I reinstall it, the behaviour reverts to importing thr PDF as a picture in Pixelmator.

It must be registering itself as the default action to open a PDF, but if it is not possible to change that it is a bit of an issue :-/

 

[Peepo]

Thanks a lot.

If I uninstall Pixelmator the iCloud Drive app does display previews of PDFs. But as soon as I reinstall it, the behaviour reverts to importing thr PDF as a picture in Pixelmator.

It must be registering itself as the default action to open a PDF, but if it is not possible to change that it is a bit of an issue :-/

Haha I just broke mine now by experimenting. I used the share sheet and selected open in pixelmator and now mine always defaults to it. I notice that pixelmator is only 3rd party app which has open in. All others use copy to eg. Copy to GoodReader. So either pixelmator or iCloud has bug.

EDIT
Having just typed this mine is fixed. I remember last thing I did was copy to GoodReader which may have reset it - press the i to right of filename to get these options (noticed how it says open in pixelmator in top right btw) and open share sheet in lower left and select copy to GoodReader. Now it's fine and fixed.

Try copying to another app and see if fixes your issue. I don't feel like breaking mine again just in case I can't fix.

EDIT FIX 100%
Just tried on my old iPhone 6 which I didn't wipe yet. after upgrading the other day.

In iCloud app
1. Press i to right of pdf
2. Select arrow in lower left
3. Copy to iBooks (everyone should have this)

Fixed!!!

Go into iBooks and delete the pdf if you wish.

 

[bob24]

Thanks a lot for the time you spent on this.

I tried your suggestion both on my iPhone and iPad, and unfortunately getting no luck :-/ The PDF does copy into iBooks, but then when I try to click on it in the iCloud Drive app it stills exports it to Pixelmator rather than showing a preview.

But as you mentioned I also noticed it is my only app which says open in rather than copy to.

 

[Peepo]

Thanks a lot for the time you spent on this.

I tried your suggestion both on my iPhone and iPad, and unfortunately getting no luck :-/ The PDF does copy into iBooks, but then when I try to click on it in the iCloud Drive app it stills exports it to Pixelmator rather than showing a preview.

But as you mentioned I also noticed it is my only app which says open in rather than copy to.

Make sure the PDFs are deleted from pixelmator also. Maybe that enables it.

 

[bob24]

Unfortunately deleting them in Pixelmator (either before of after copying to iBooks) makes no difference :-/

When I click on the "i" button you mentioned, the default action still is "open in Pixelmator". What do you have?

I think the problems is that Pixelmator is registering itself as the default application to open PDFs (which is not really what it is doing as it is converting them to images and importing them), whereas other apps are merely registering themselves as a possible targets to copy PDFs .

 

[Peepo]

Unfortunately deleting them in Pixelmator (either before of after copying to iBooks) makes no difference :-/

When I click on the "i" button you mentioned, the default action still is "open in Pixelmator". What do you have?

I think the problems is that Pixelmator is registering itself as the default application to open PDFs (which is not really what it is doing as it is converting them to images and importing them), whereas other apps are merely registering themselves as a possible targets to copy PDFs .

Ha that's weird because I fixed both of my devices. But maybe the cause of mine was different and in your case pixelmator registered pdf in another way.

 

[bob24]

For reference, I just saw this has also been mentioned on the Pixelmator forums: http://support.pixelmator.com/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=12401

Fairly evasive answer and they don't seem interested in making any change unfortunately.