3 ms·

> a method to share files across apps that’s already available like a filesystem ?

reaperducer 1y ago
like a filesystem ? https://apps.apple.com/us/app/files/id1232058109 https://apps.apple.com/us/app/files/id1232058109
raw_anon_1111 1y ago
You didn’t answer the question, what feature can’t you do with the Files App and the ability to save and load files across applications?
- monkmartinez 1y ago
  How do you know you have the right application to open the file? I have tried at least a dozen apps to open *.stl files... some work, most don't. Some have features I need and don't work opening files. Some are sensitive to stl's that require repair and stop working... and I could go on and on for different file types. The point is; sharing isn't "guaranteed" to work across apps and is generally far, far from "it just works". You have almost zero control over the actual files because there might not be a way to save different formats from the app you are using, or the files app doesn't recognize the extension, or you can't find the folder for the other app, or it doesn't have a user accessible folder, or it will not load files from the "files app"... or <insert 50000 more "what if's here>. The whole things just sucks so, so bad.
  - raw_anon_1111 1y ago
    And how do you know a Word file will work seamlessly across other word processors on a computer that are suppose to read Word files or export to Word? What modern productivity software doesn’t support using the Files app? It has been around for well over a decade.
- mbgerring 1y ago
  - Rename, organize, and delete files that span across a number of different applications - Convert one file type to another - Choose which application to use to open a file - Inspect the details of files in a consistent manner
  - raw_anon_1111 1y ago
    On your computer, do you inspect the details of a file using Explorer? On the Mac do you do that with the Finder. Or do you actually open the file with an application? Do you expect to use Windows explorer or the Finder to “convert file types”? Using iOS 26 on my phone, I held down a file and there is an “Open With” option that gave me a choice of how to open the file. Across applications? Applications these days save files using the File dialog, they may by default store them in a folder accesible by Files. Yes I know some apps still store their data in their own sandbox. But that’s not the case generally for standard productivity apps.
    - mbgerring 1y ago
      If I need to know the details of a file (eg file extension, size, location, etc) I generally use the Finder for that, yes. I do frequently convert file types through the Finder. Bulk converting a bunch of photos, for example, is easier to do through a file browser. Even if I were opening a different app to do that, a standard file browser would be the interface I would want for that. It’s great if more iOS applications are storing files as regular files on the filesystem now. Apple should have encouraged that in the first place. There was some goofy notion they were going to get rid of the idea of “files” with iOS, but that’s not actually a good idea.
      - raw_anon_1111 1y ago
        > If I need to know the details of a file (eg file extension, size, location, etc) I generally use the Finder for that, yes. As you would with the Files app… > Even if I were opening a different app to do that, a standard file browser would be the interface I would want for that Which iPad apps that allow you to work with files don’t use the standard files app interface when you open and save a file? How else would they work? > It’s great if more iOS applications are storing files as regular files on the filesystem now. Apple should have encouraged that in the first place. The Files app and the APIs were introduced in 2017.

like a filesystem ? https://apps.apple.com/us/app/files/id1232058109 https://apps.apple.com/us/app/files/id1232058109

You didn’t answer the question, what feature can’t you do with the Files App and the ability to save and load files across applications?

monkmartinez 1y ago
How do you know you have the right application to open the file? I have tried at least a dozen apps to open *.stl files... some work, most don't. Some have features I need and don't work opening files. Some are sensitive to stl's that require repair and stop working... and I could go on and on for different file types. The point is; sharing isn't "guaranteed" to work across apps and is generally far, far from "it just works". You have almost zero control over the actual files because there might not be a way to save different formats from the app you are using, or the files app doesn't recognize the extension, or you can't find the folder for the other app, or it doesn't have a user accessible folder, or it will not load files from the "files app"... or <insert 50000 more "what if's here>. The whole things just sucks so, so bad.
- raw_anon_1111 1y ago
  And how do you know a Word file will work seamlessly across other word processors on a computer that are suppose to read Word files or export to Word? What modern productivity software doesn’t support using the Files app? It has been around for well over a decade.
mbgerring 1y ago
- Rename, organize, and delete files that span across a number of different applications - Convert one file type to another - Choose which application to use to open a file - Inspect the details of files in a consistent manner
- raw_anon_1111 1y ago
  On your computer, do you inspect the details of a file using Explorer? On the Mac do you do that with the Finder. Or do you actually open the file with an application? Do you expect to use Windows explorer or the Finder to “convert file types”? Using iOS 26 on my phone, I held down a file and there is an “Open With” option that gave me a choice of how to open the file. Across applications? Applications these days save files using the File dialog, they may by default store them in a folder accesible by Files. Yes I know some apps still store their data in their own sandbox. But that’s not the case generally for standard productivity apps.
  - mbgerring 1y ago
    If I need to know the details of a file (eg file extension, size, location, etc) I generally use the Finder for that, yes. I do frequently convert file types through the Finder. Bulk converting a bunch of photos, for example, is easier to do through a file browser. Even if I were opening a different app to do that, a standard file browser would be the interface I would want for that. It’s great if more iOS applications are storing files as regular files on the filesystem now. Apple should have encouraged that in the first place. There was some goofy notion they were going to get rid of the idea of “files” with iOS, but that’s not actually a good idea.
    - raw_anon_1111 1y ago
      > If I need to know the details of a file (eg file extension, size, location, etc) I generally use the Finder for that, yes. As you would with the Files app… > Even if I were opening a different app to do that, a standard file browser would be the interface I would want for that Which iPad apps that allow you to work with files don’t use the standard files app interface when you open and save a file? How else would they work? > It’s great if more iOS applications are storing files as regular files on the filesystem now. Apple should have encouraged that in the first place. The Files app and the APIs were introduced in 2017.