I am only an occasional iPad user, mostly as an in-field viewer and on the go model checker, so so double there is an answer I am un aware of. In the models list on my iPad each file has three dots, implying there are menu options or actions associated with each file. Do these work? What do they do? It appears my iPad is recently defaulting to saving things in TC. I thought perhaps this was a way to download the file to be local. Is there a quick way to do this and perhaps an option to globally never save anything to TC by default.
What shows in the menu depends on whether the file is local or not. For something saved only in Trimble Connect, the menu looks like this:
For something local it looks like this:
The save options were changed in the recent 7.3 update.
I couldn’t get anything to pop up there until I realized the whole program was frozen. I had to force quit and relaunch the app to get functionality back.
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Thanks so much for the answer. Huh, that’s something like what I expected. I can’t get any menu to open on my iPad. As soon as I touch any part of the file image including the three dots the file immediately opens. Hence my confusion, wonder if I’m holding my tongue the wrong way.
@endlessfix So many great observations in this post. 
I’ll add some context to a few.
The touch area of the overflow menu (3 dots) is isolated to just over that button, touching anywhere else will end up opening the file. The touch area covers the entire button area, but I do find myself accidentally opening up files sometimes.
As Colin noted, we did recently update the overflow menus for both local and Trimble Connect Files. Descriptions below
Trimble Connect Files
- Make available offline: This will actively store and synchronize your Trimble Connect file onto your ipad. Turn this on for files you want to always have access to, even without an internet connection.
- Remove offline version: This new option lets you clear the locally stored version of your file, as a way to let users clear up device storage. This option only shows up if you’ve opened a file (which automatically caches a file locally on your device). This option goes away if you choose “make available offline”
- Rename: Renames file
- Remove from recent list: lets you remove a Trimble Connect file from your recent list (can always find again in the Trimble Connect Tab)
- Download model copy: downloads a copy of the file to your local device
- Share model copy: downloads and shares a copy of the file via the iOS share dialog
- Export: export the file as anothe file format
- View in browser: opens the location of your file in Trimble Connect (in a web browser)
Finally, there is no global way to save a file, either locally or to Trimble connect, with the new file saving workflow introduced in 7.3.0. If this is a feature you’d like to see, please let us know. Also, if you had the option to save by default to either location (in Trimble Connect or locally) which would be your preference?
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Thank you @rene_fresquez for the explanation. I’m am having trouble consistently opening the three dots menu on my 11” iPad Pro. No finger placement seems open the menu, either a short press anywhere opens the file, or a long press right on the button does nothing.
As for the the default saving preference, I personally would choose to always save locally. My use of SketchUp on iPad is often disconnected without available Internet and to attempt to call up a file only to find it had inadvertently been saved to TC instead of to my iPad making it inaccessible in the moment is a showstopper. I would like the option to save to TC if and when I choose, which i’m sure is available, I just need to better understand the system.
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If I can tag into this, I hate the Trimble preference for saving. I keep getting locked out of my own files up in the Northwoods with no Internet or cell service and I am not enjoying seeing three copies of each file on the homepage.
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this makes me not use trimble connect on my mac. I store locally, and if I start saving there too, I get duplicates of everything. and when I use my PC in class, all my files are visible (no way to toggle off either local or cloud storage)
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Agreed with both. Oddly one of the only things I regularly use TC for is transferring large SketchUp files to my iPad. Easy to access them from both devices, but then I immediately save locally on the iPad.
In TC I have multiple folders for organization, @ateliernab does that workflow help you mask your other work during class? I guess you would still need to navigate to that folder. Oh, I see but the multiple copies may be visible, hmmmm
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I couldn’t say. haven’t tried playing nesting dolls with folders. besides, I model alone, 99% of the time on my mac, and I have a daily backup on a swiss server, I don’t do anything very secure and most of the jobs I’ve done can be re-made from a previous version in a matter of hours / days (yes, I also use versions of files).
Like you, I use TC as a transfer between both machines or temp storage when I travel.
Really, I still use the methods I laid out 15+ y ago when I was studying abroad, with limited / unstable connexion. Not a massive cloud guy 
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@Danimaupin Thank you and others here for the feedback. Trimble Connect trust needs to be earned, I hear it. The ability to set a preference for file saves is something that seems like it would allow folks who want the choice per file to have it. It would also let the software get out of your way for folks who want to set a file save location and not have to think about it each time.
Regarding the duplicate copies on the recent list, that is a bug that arose on the last release, and will be fixed with our next update.
Just sayin, if you save your files only to Trimble Connect, then you wouldn’t have any duplicates AND access to your files on any laptop/desktop/ipad with an internet connection
I’m like the others, I rarely use my ipad when it has a connection, if I have a connection I also usually have a pc to work on.
I use the ipad out and about, no wifi available, have to use my phone as a hotspot and often that doesn’t work due to crappy network coverage in this 3rd world backwater.
I never ever want to save other than locally, even when I’m connected. I will transfer the file as necessary via TC if and when I need to.
Isn’t that kinda the point of a mobile device.
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The concern, I’m reading across answers here, is that cloud files are a pain because opening them in the field requires planning ahead or using a hotspot. So what if those files always worked locally, but also sync’d your changes to Trimble Connect when you are back online? (that last part is actually how TC files work since 7.0.0). The working locally part is why we have “make available offline” option, but what if that was a global switch that applied to all recent files?
There are tradeoffs to consider, battery and cpu resources etc, as well as what happens if someone else happens to have access to your TC file and changes it while you’re offline. But if files just took care of themselves and sync’d up to TC after you’re done working and get back to your home/office network, would that kind of behavior be appealing?
That kind of behavior might be far-fetched for someone’s entire Trimble Connect account, but for either the recent list, or specific projects, folders, or files in Trimble Connect, it could be acheivable (until your device runs out of space that is). The question behind my question is, are SketchUp users interested in that kind of file management?
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@endlessfix to your original issue, can you DM me a video of the faulty 3 dot presses in action and info on what iPad OS you’re on? I’ve not been able to reproduce a your issue on my own.
That’s the kind of behavior I would like if I want to use cloud storage in any way.
I haven’t been able to reproduce it either on an 11" M4 iPad Pro and 18.6.2
I would like it if the files sync but only the ones you asked it to. I wouldn’t like it to be recent ones and not older ones you may have worked on.
We’re all pretty good at policing our storage, so again I’d rather have the option to manage my local storage and not have trimble decide, ‘Oh he needs local space so I will delete something to fit this in.’
yes but like I say, I don’t want to have all my files, private or not, visible as recent files on my PC.
I raised this issue back then when it was introduced ( DIS-0352 on centercode).
showing, on the welcome window, both local and cloud files is a good way to make mistakes. we need a button or menu to show only one or the other as needed.
besides, I’m not a full cloud aficionado.
over the last 2 month, there has been a massive problem at AWS and Microsoft, making trimble connect un-accessible for a workday (even just connecting to use SU was down). yesterday, cloudfare. Due to construction, I’ve had my fiber connection cut twice for about a day (replacing stuff, and installing stuff).
Plus, when I go to a client, sometimes they don’t have a wifi for me. or it’s so secure I’d need to apply a week prior. or it’s so slow, driving to an internet cafe would actually be faster. then I’ll use my phone, but there are plenty of areas where a good 4g connexion is not granted.
exactly.
I’m not part of a team. therefore cloud storage is on demand, not mandatory. same goes with my googledoc in fact.
sure.
15y ago I tried time machine. and since I was a lot more nomad than now, it wasn’t practical. and as stated before, I don’t want solution like microsoft onedrive that basically make you work on a real-time synchronised machine, until it breaks.
I ended up using Swiss Backup by acronis. Every weekday, at around 7pm, my backup is updated on a server. only the new / modified files. and I can restore or download copies whenever I want. I have save points of the last 7 backups, plus the first of the month and 6 month ago. that’s all I need.
I used to do the same with photos, I would take photos on my iphone, then as I came home and turned on my mac, it would transfer automatically. Apple removed that tool in favour of 100% Icloud, therefore I’m back to using a cable.
the failure of Trimble connect with SU, imo, is that it’s a tool that was created for big projects, big teams and multi software interdependency.
and on that note, it’s great.
then it was adapted to SU, and it works well. But many (most?) of us are not big teams making big projects on multiple trimble software.
outside this forum, most users I know view TC as sketchup’s google drive. and since they already use onegoogledropdriveboxcloud, they don’t bother.
except now the share and comment tools require us to upload on TC. and that creates friction due to the UI.
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Something that i think might be missing for the development team. Im guessing here, they work in something of a corporate environment where they always have wifi and think of ipads as simply part of the network, much like the node PCs that never store anything locally.
Whereas real world they are something you use in the wild, they are pen and paper in a digital world. Something we can use without the internet tentacles.
In an unrelated but perfect example, i was looking at a car on the internet, while at my mechanic for an unrelated issue i wanted to show him the link on my phone to get his opinion.
It wouldnt load due to poor network coverage. QED
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Where I am up north north north north, we don’t even have cell phone coverage until we drive about 50 minutes south. The area readily shares their Wi-Fi connections around so that we can use our cellphones from building to building, and you will often see locals stopped in the parking lots of known Wi-Fi just to make phone calls.
Also, Those of us who only have “Go” accounts, don’t have a need for switching regularly between versions (I assume) and would probably like to actually be able to “Go” without getting tethered when we’re not paying attention.
I realize that not remembering to download all my files each time I wander is my own fault, but I’m stupid and it keeps happening.
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