File management icons

SketchUp for iPad
1

We have 4 icons that hint at what’s happening with our files:

  • Trimble Connect - Synced
  • Trimble Connect - Available Offline
  • Bookmarked - For models that exist in the Files App and are saved directly there
  • Blue Folder Icon - This is for models that exist in the Sketchup App, but do not exist on Trimble or Files app. It’s strange that the icon is the same as the Files App, but it doesn’t refer to files in the Files App.

I think I got this right… If so, I suggest:

  • Trimble Icon Models - Both icons should be kept;
  • Sketchup - Models existing in Sketchup should have a Sketchup icon
  • Files - Models existing in the Files App should have the Files Icon.
2

I know you’re not asking, but here is the information I got on which was which in another thread.

3

@JQL – you’re close…

For the 4 icons that hint at where the files are stored:

  • Trimble Connect - Lives in the cloud
  • Trimble Connect Offline - “Lives in the cloud” but there’s a local copy that’s cached so that you can work offline. The local copy is automatically synced when you are online. The sync is bidirectional, meaning that if a new version is published to Connect, the local copy will be updated automatically. If the local copy is updated (when offline, for example) it will be published to Connect automatically, once you’re back online.
  • Blue Folder Icon - This is for models that are stored locally in the Files App in the SketchUp application folder under On My iPad > SketchUp.
  • Bookmarked - For models that exist in the Files app, and that are either stored locally on the device, but not in the SketchUp application folder, or are stored in a 3rd party service or app. For example, if/when you open a SketchUp file, via the Files app, from Dropbox, or your Documents app. iOS does not give us enough information to know exactly where the file is stored, or enough info to keep track of it… so we treat its location as being “bookmarked” as living somewhere other than Connect or the SketchUp application folder.
1 Like
4

Right, but have you have noticed that the Files App has that exact blue folder icon?

and that if you open the files app to access the sketchup app’s folder the icon of that folder has a sketchup logo?

It would be more intuitive to me if th bookmarked had the blue folder icon and the nidels on my ipad > sketchup would feature a sketchup icon

5

I can see that, and appreciate where you’re coming from.

2 Likes
6
  • Trimble Connect Offline - “Lives in the cloud” but there’s a local copy that’s cached so that you can work offline. The local copy is automatically synced when you are online. The sync is bidirectional, meaning that if a new version is published to Connect, the local copy will be updated automatically. If the local copy is updated (when offline, for example) it will be published to Connect automatically, once you’re back online.

Is it possible to also have a local copy on my desktop that will sync when I’m online. I’m not interested in working on iPad and desktop at the same time but rather to have the option to work on either platform, updating one file that exists in one location, namely TC. I understand there couldn’t be any working offline on both platforms and expect to update the one file.

7

The Trimble Connect extension in the desktop version can work the same way, but involves two manual steps:
First, you need to have a file opened when starting (I usually just start one from the templates)
Secondly, you need to open the model via [menu]File > Trimble Connect > Open model and work on the file.
When done, you need to publish it back manually via the i on or the file menu.

(Of course presumed internet access)

These files also lives in a temp-cached folder but are not synced automatically!

In case of loosing internet connectivity and not being able to ‘Publish’ to the cloud, one has to save that file locally via File > Save. The temp-cached files might be lost after a restart of the computer.

It might be worth setting up a sync schedule via Trimble Connect Sync. There, you can set the root path locally to an (existing) folder path for your projects on the desktop/laptop and work locally (eg. opening and saving to that folder)
When done and having access to the internet, manually start the sync schedule to upload to the cloud.

With the different directions (eg. Bi-directional, up- or down-load only) you decide what location is meant to be the single source of truth.

2 Likes
8

That’s how I manage my sync, but I would rather work locally and use TC Sync, than having to think on web management, if I have a comnection or not, if the right file is in the web or local, and if I’ll be getting duplicates.

In my mind all this file fetching and issues is something I can’t bother with.

TC should use our windows local folders first, then our local networkto fetch info onoyher devices, and only then the web manager. Centring all in the web is not natural to me. It is slow, requires thinking, requires net access and it fails a lot.

Having cloud based support is very useful but not daily. Daily, even LAN is too slow. We need SSD drives and background syncing that happens when resources are free and spreads info to our LAN first and WEB later.

1 Like