Working between Windows and iOS/Transferring files?

[awakenedbyowls]

I've only had this new iPad a day and already I hate Apple (again) dismayed to find this isn't turning out to be as straightforward as I expected.

No way to transfer files between the two OS via Bluetooth. 

No way to upload files from my Windows PC to the iCloud - what exactly is the flipping point of the iCloud for Windows app then!

Apple can suck my courgette.

Before I finally decide on whether this iPad is going straight back is there another way? The guy on the phone from Apple said Windows might have 3rd party apps for Bluetooth file transfer. Utterly ridiculous that I need to look into that option because this should be basic, standard functionality.

EDIT: This guy on the phone at Apple has given me the wrong information. I just found a way to upload files to the iCloud, via the website. So there is a way to do it via iCloud!

[NotMyFault]

1 hour ago, awakenedbyowls said:

No way to upload files from my Windows PC to the iCloud - what exactly is the flipping point of the iCloud for Windows app then!

ITunes / iCloud Drive / iCloud Photos support transferring between PC and iCloud in theory. In practice, it is utterly unreliable.

Dropbox is the most reliable transfer service in my personal experience (almost immediate visible on all connected devices).

Amazon Drive
falls behind in speed and reliability, but is the last unlimited photo storage if you have prime subscription.

There are several iOS Apps which provide FTP Server for IOS devices, allowing to directly transfer files when on same WLAN.

The iOS files app can access a bunch of Cloud storage services like iCloud, Amazon Drive, Google Drive, Dropbox, and many more.

Bluetooth is not well suited to transfer large data amounts. Most camera apps use Bluetooth for always connected / metadata / commands, and automatically switch to WLAN for larger transfer when required.

I did not test using NAS drives in combination with Photo, but at least VLC on iPad is able to access any data stored on NAS.

[awakenedbyowls]

I know Bluetooth isn't good for large amounts of data, but it would be handy for sending .afdesign files <100MB back and forth - especially if there's no internet.

Got to grips with iCloud anyway now, but I will be probably switching to Dropbox.

Thing is about Apple they have really weird ways of doing things, and I'm never 100% sure what I'm doing. I'm trying to get rid of 1GB of my mum's photos which ended up in my iCloud and I've downloaded them all to my PC now and selected Disable And Delete which is now telling me I have 30 Days to download before the all disappear. So what if I just want them gone now and turned Photo back on for myself - I have to wait 30 days? I can't just delete them all from within the iCloud.com page - this is the only way. Why do Apple design their software like this???

It's saying it's because the photos aren't downloaded to my iPad so I'm trying to figure out how to do and I can't see. So I can download and then have them instantly removed from the iCloud hopefully and then delete them from my iPad. It's telling me I need to have them on my iPad but not offering me any way to do that!

[awakenedbyowls]

How dumb is this software?

Worked out how to download all the photos I wanted rid of to my iPad, but I had to log into iCloud.com through Safari. Then when I downloaded the zipfile it started reuploading to iCloud! So I waited for that and then deleted the zipfile from iCloud. The photos I want rid are still showing in Photos but not taking up data. And when I turned back on Photos to continue uploading my photos it came up with a warning saying they would be deleted in 30 days unless I download them or something.

It's saying iCloud Photos is disabled on iCloud.com but on my iPad it's saying it's turned on?

So I have no idea. Utterly incoherent nonsense from the so-called software Gurus at Apple again.

I've just spent the past day so far concentrating on nothing other than getting this fixed, something that should be entirely straightforward.

EDIT - I found another way to select all and delete these photos and they're still there. WHAT DO I NEED TO ****ING DO TO GET RID OF THESE ****ING PHOTOS!!!!"

[awakenedbyowls]

Dropbox you say?

iCloud is a verifiable, incoherent mess! I can't rely on this ****?

I can upload files from my PC to the iCloud and down to my iPad - no problem! It doesn't want to back up any of my AD files the other way though. No use to me that is.

I'm really considering sending this tablet back to the store. Shockingly bad set up. I read Apple's software has really gone downhill recently? I'd say that's about right, in fact I don't really think it was ever all that. 

[DM1]

Have you tried Documents by Readdle. Among other things it does file management extremely well, connects to many different devices and clouds, accesses photo library to view, copy delete move photos etc, Free (I think) and easy to create nested folders. 
 

Deleted photos in photo library are placed in a recently deleted folder (so they can be easily recovered). This empties after 30days. You can open the folder and delete all the files. This means they are gone, not recoverable.
 

 

[awakenedbyowls]

Cheers DM1 I might look into that.

So far as some of the issues I had earlier today I have managed to resolve most of them. I got rid of all the unwanted iCloud photos, eventually - although I had to delete them (some way I eventually found) several times because they kept coming back, or at least most of them did. There was another folder somewhere where you could permanently delete the 30 day quarantined files as well. I got there with that in the end.

As for iCloud not auto-backing up files from my iPad - I found in the end that I can just copy and paste them from my iPad to the iCloud folder in Files.

So there is a way to do this, just no way to do this if I happen to have no internet! Still looking for a Windows app that can maybe facilitate this..

[DM1]

12 minutes ago, awakenedbyowls said:

just no way to do this if I happen to have no internet

Just use a portable storage device and copy / backup to that. You can plug straight in or some have their own wireless network.  iPad is USB3 standard so fast file transfers. I use a WD Wireless pro and or an iXpand drive with lightning connector (older model iPad, no usb). No different to any other device lacking access to internet. Lots of options available.

[awakenedbyowls]

6 minutes ago, DM1 said:

Just use a portable storage device and copy / backup to that. You can plug straight in or some have their own wireless network.  iPad is USB3 standard so fast file transfers. I use a WD Wireless pro and or an iXpand drive with lightning connector (older model iPad, no usb).

What are you talking about. iPads don't have USB slots?

You talking about one of these things - only £40

Buy APPLE Lightning to USB Adapter | Free Delivery | Currys

I never thought this was possible, because I've never owned an iPad or iPhone before. I hope this isn't my only option for file transfer if no internet available.

In any case, will that even work between iOS and Windows? Different format.

[DM1]

52 minutes ago, awakenedbyowls said:

What are you talking about. iPads don't have USB slots?

Someone should tell that to Apple then.

[DM1]

54 minutes ago, awakenedbyowls said:

In any case, will that even work between iOS and Windows? Different format.

Yes, it works.

[DM1]

For lightning adapter models.

[Alfred]

10 hours ago, DM1 said:

For lightning adapter models.

That looks like a rather pricey option! Isn’t it possible to use a USB to Lightning adapter with a standard USB flash drive?

[PaulEC]

13 minutes ago, Alfred said:

That looks like a rather pricey option!

I've been looking for the easiest way to transfer files between iPad and PC myself. I thought I'd check this out and, as often happens, (on Amazon at least) it is much cheaper to buy it in the US than in the UK! 😕

[awakenedbyowls]

21 minutes ago, Alfred said:

That looks like a rather pricey option! Isn’t it possible to use a USB to Lightning adapter with a standard USB flash drive?

Welcome to Apple World. You buy a device, then find out it doesn't perform basic operations that you would expect from such a device and you have to spend more money.

The fact Affinity software is only available on Apple tablet devices is the sole reason I went back to Apple, otherwise I'd have given them the wide berth.

[DM1]

42 minutes ago, Alfred said:

That looks like a rather pricey option! Isn’t it possible to use a USB to Lightning adapter with a standard USB flash drive?

I have the adapter as well, and yes it works. In recent years iOS has changed considerably. I believe it’s now possible to use 3rd party cheap adapters on devices with lightning connector or usb-c.  Even HDD via adapters if you have a charging lead attached to power the HDD. Earlier iOS only accessed photo library via connector but that limitation is long gone. I simply chose to show the iXpand device option to highlight that iPads ARE able to connect to usb devices to share data with non Apple devices.

The OP had stated this was not possible when clearly it is. There are many options, including cheap Chinese connectors that can be had for $30 or so. Newer iPads incorporate usb-c further simplifying connectivity. 

 

28 minutes ago, awakenedbyowls said:

You buy a device, then find out it doesn't perform basic operations that you would expect from such a device

You still haven’t clarified what basic operations it is you are unable to do. If you tell us then perhaps we can suggest a way to achieve them.🙂

If all you want to do is transfer files directly from a pc to the iPad (or vice versa) without internet or network access, then all you need is a cable to connect your iPad to your pc via usb, and a free program such as Easus Mobi running on the pc. (Link provided in your other thread).

Or simply use a flash drive to swap the files manually.

I use both systems and find it relatively easy to swap files between Windows devices  and Apple devices, particularly given the range of storage and connection options available, albeit Bluetooth is not one of them.🙂

[awakenedbyowls]

7 minutes ago, DM1 said:

There are many options, including cheap Chinese connectors that can be had for $30 or so. Newer iPads incorporate usb-c further simplifying connectivity. 

You still haven’t clarified what basic operations it is you are unable to do. If you tell us then perhaps we can suggest a way to achieve them.🙂

 

I steer clear of cheap Chinese technology these days.

I think I might have mentioned the basic operation I'm unable to do at the start of the OP? And you have suggest an alternative way?

If there's a Bluetooth app on Windows I can use that would be useful. The techie guy from Apple on the phone yesterday said I could look there, but the rest of the information he gave me wasn't very reliable so..