Invisible >100GB Affinity Designer file(s) blocking iCloud Backup

[Michael A. Lowry]

On my iPad, iCloud backup has not been working for a long time. I opened a ticket with Apple Support several months ago. This past week, Apple developers finally narrowed the problem to a file or files created by Affinity Designer.

According to Apple, there’s at least one file over 100 GB on the iPad that belongs to Affinity Designer. And because iCloud Backup does not support backing up files larger than 100 GB, this large file is preventing backups from completing. (iCloud Backup misleading reports that there is “not enough storage available” even though there is plenty of space available in my storage plan.) If I disable backing up files from Affinity Designer, iCloud Backup works fine.

I was unable to find any such large files on my iPad by using the Files app or by browsing the iPad’s content from the Finder on my Mac. However, using a third-party file system browser, I was able to see some additional details, such as file creation/modification dates and folder sizes. Based on this information, it seems the Designer folder on the iPad is taking up more than 300 GB even though the files under the folder add up to just 228.81 MB.

Evidently Affinity Designer is using more than a thousand times more storage than can be explained by the listed files.

Apple developers were able to read some metadata about the >100 GB file that is preventing the iCloud Backup from working correctly. In these metadata, they found what looks like a date & time stamp: 20190516103049. (It might be part of a file name, but I’m not certain.)

I have read several older threads about similar problems. It seems a work-around might be to move all Affinity Designer files to other locations (e.g., iCloud Drive or a computer), and then remove & reinstall the app. I would prefer not to do this unless absolutely necessary. I would also like Serif to help investigate this problem so that a permanent fix can be found.

[NotMyFault]

Thank you for sharing this insights.

Unfortunately is is still unclear if Affinity or Apple is responsible for the issue.

1 hour ago, Michael A. Lowry said:

It seems one work-around would be to move all Affinity Designer files to other locations (e.g., iCloud Drive or a computer) and then to remove & reinstall the app. I would prefer not to do this unless absolutely necessary.

Well, in your case it is absolutely necessary. I do not understand why so many people hesitate about deleting / re-installing an app, or factory-reset an apple device and restore from backup. This is an absolute normal maintenance activity which is recommended by multiple software vendors and apple itself. 
 

I was forced to install an pre-flight checker app by BA airline which run into issues almost immediately. The only cure was to remove and re-install, this luckily solved the issue immediately. It had the side-effect of re-login again and entering my data again, but at least i was allowed and able to board my flight.

My best advice is please remove non-working or buggy apps, and re-install them immediately if other methods don‘t solve the issue. Of course, do everything required to backup you data (files, login credentials etc) before.

It might be inconvenient, but this is the state of the software industry. Nobody (no software vendor) will spend any resources on fixing a bug (that does not occur frequently, meaning affecting < % of users per year) if this can be resolved by re-installing. I don’t say i like this, but you are not honest to yourself if you do not execute the required and known steps.

 

[Paul Mudditt]

1 hour ago, Michael A. Lowry said:

On my iPad, iCloud backup has not been working for a long time. I opened a ticket with Apple Support several months ago. This past week, Apple developers finally narrowed the problem to a file or files created by Affinity Designer.

According to Apple, there’s at least one file over 100 GB on the iPad that belongs to Affinity Designer. And because iCloud Backup does not support backing up files larger than 100 GB, this large file is preventing backups from completing. (iCloud Backup misleading reports that there is “not enough storage available” even though there is plenty of space available in my storage plan.) If I disable backing up files from Affinity Designer, iCloud Backup works fine.

I was unable to find any such large files on my iPad by using the Files app or by browsing the iPad’s content from the Finder on my Mac. However, using a third-party file system browser, I was able to see some additional details, such as file creation/modification dates and folder sizes. Based on this information, it seems the Designer folder on the iPad is taking up more than 300 GB even though the files under the folder add up to just 228.81 MB.

Evidently Affinity Designer is using more than a thousand times more storage than can be explained by the listed files.

Apple developers were able to read some metadata about the >100 GB file that is preventing the iCloud Backup from working correctly. In these metadata, they found what looks like a date & time stamp: 20190516103049. (It might be part of a file name, but I’m not certain.)

I have read several older threads about similar problems. It seems a work-around might be to move all Affinity Designer files to other locations (e.g., iCloud Drive or a computer), and then remove & reinstall the app. I would prefer not to do this unless absolutely necessary. I would also like Serif to help investigate this problem so that a permanent fix can be found.

The problem you have is the bug may already have been fixed by an App update OR an iPadOS update, but the space taken may well remain until you take the nuclear option of saving everything you can to a private iCloud structure (to avoid it being deleted accidentally) and re-install the app.

[Affinity Rat]

I found the in the Ipad settings looking at storage for the Ipad under Affinity Designer it lists file names and sizes of files associated with the app.

[Affinity Rat]

2 minutes ago, Affinity Rat said:

I found the in the Ipad settings looking at storage for the Ipad under Affinity Designer it lists file names and sizes of files associated with the app.

Caveat emptor It also gives you the option to delete the individual files, but I dont know how that may affect the app. 

[Affinity Rat]

Painful update, 

I just discovered that the afdesigner files displayed in the Ipad storage for Affinity Designer are files stored in the “Affinity Designer” folder. Files edited outside of the Affinity Designer folder will not be displayed in Ipad storage for Affinity Designer.

Even files residing in the Affinity Designer folder that have been saved and closed, will still be displayed in the ipad storage, deleting them from here they will be lost and unrecoverable.

 

[NotMyFault]

2 hours ago, Affinity Rat said:

Painful update, 

I just discovered that the afdesigner files displayed in the Ipad storage for Affinity Designer are files stored in the “Affinity Designer” folder. Files edited outside of the Affinity Designer folder will not be displayed in Ipad storage for Affinity Designer.

Even files residing in the Affinity Designer folder that have been saved and closed, will still be displayed in the ipad storage, deleting them from here they will be lost and unrecoverable.

 

All said seems true, this is the way file handling on iPad works. Not only for Affinity, but for almost all apps.

The files app is your friend.

It has been explained in older posts that you should not store your files in the app folders itself. With help of file app or save UI, create dedicate folder either local on iPad or in iCloud, and store all files there. This de-couples their lifetime from that of the app itself, so you can safely remove/reinstall the app without loosing your files. It simplifies using Designer and Photo on the same files (sequentially).

Of course, closing a file (after save) does not delete the file, so it still uses storage. It can be re-opened any time later (open from cloud), or moved / deleted with help of file app.

Of course, deleting a file deletes it, no matter if you delete it from settings/storage or files app.

Files stored in dedicated folders (outside the app container) will not count in settings/storage.

Another option (for import/export only) is to store in Photos. Photos some special treatment wrt storage/sync/permissions, like permissions per application (and possibly per photo).

 

 

[Paul Mudditt]

12 hours ago, Affinity Rat said:

Painful update, 

I just discovered that the afdesigner files displayed in the Ipad storage for Affinity Designer are files stored in the “Affinity Designer” folder. Files edited outside of the Affinity Designer folder will not be displayed in Ipad storage for Affinity Designer.

Even files residing in the Affinity Designer folder that have been saved and closed, will still be displayed in the ipad storage, deleting them from here they will be lost and unrecoverable.

 

My apologies, I  should have highlighted what I said in bold,

" the nuclear option of saving everything you can to a private iCloud structure (to avoid it being deleted accidentally)"