Syncing problem - both ways?

[PedroFromAus]

I've been trying to use Dropbox to sync iCompta between my Mac and iPad. I can't find on the forums a single, simple guide as to how to set this up, so seeking some help, please!

I've saved my iCompta file in Dropbox from the Mac (using "save as") and have pointed the iPad app to the file. However, when I make changes to the transactions on the iPad and then go to the sync option on the iPad I get the message 'Synchronisation is not enabled' and can only 'replace' the file. Ok, so I choose this option and it seems to work ok. Then, when I look on the Mac (even after opening and closing iCompta) I see the transactions as they were before I changed them on the iPad.

However, if I make a change on the Mac version of iCompta, then choose 'replace file' on the iPad, I can see the changed transactions on the iPad.

So, a couple of questions:
1. Does the 'sync' option really not work on the iPad, or have I set it up wrong?
2. How can I get changes I make on the iPad to show up on the Mac?

Thanks in advance!

(I thought this would be better as a new thread - excuse me for posting already in an existing thread)

[Angeman]

Make sure you entered / at the beginning of the name of the Dropbox file on the iPad, for example /Accounts.compta and not Accounts.compta.
Then you can also enable automatic sync in Settings application > iCompta.

[PedroFromAus]

Many thanks for the response, Angeman.

I had the slash ok, but had not turned on automatic syncing in the Settings. That's helped me make some progress, thank you, but some problems remain, as follows:

1. If I make a change on the iPad and "save" on the iPad it seems to send the whole file to DropBox and creates a new copy of the .compta file in DropBox. If I open the new file, the change from the iPad is there, but it will not show up in the file that is already open in iCompta.
2. Changes made in iCompta on the Mac will not show up on the iPad.
3. On the iPad, on the 'Synchronization' page, the 'Send document' and 'Replace current documents' tabs seem to work but trying to use the 'Synchronize' tab produces the error message 'Synchronization mode is not enabled in DropBox".

I'd love to get these problems resolved, as iCompta meets all my needs!

[PedroFromAus]

Any more ideas, anyone?

[Angeman]

Can you post a screenshot of the contents of your Dropbox folder like this :

Capture d’écran 2011-04-17 à 22.42.15.png (72.81 KiB) Viewed 15061 times

[PedroFromAus]

Thanks, mate. Here you go:

Dropbox.jpg (75.46 KiB) Viewed 15059 times

iCompta.jpg (33.08 KiB) Viewed 15059 times

[Angeman]

Ok now can you try to move "My Money Stuff.compta" somewhere else just for the test and make a "replace mode" synchronization on your iPad to see if the file comes there or not ?

[PedroFromAus]

Sure.Thanks for the response, Angeman. Syncing from iPad to Mac seems to be working fine - it's the other way that has a problem. As follows:

I moved the My Money Stuff.compta file to a new folder in DropBox. I synchronised using "Replace current document" on the iPad and any iPad changes I make are now reflected in iCompta on the Mac. However, I do have to close and reopen the .compata file on the Mac to be able to see the changes. Is that the way it is supposed to work?

When I make a change on iCompta on the Mac, and save it, I cannot see the changes on the iPad. Selecting either "Send document" or "Replace current document" replaces the file in DropBox, so that changes on the Mac are lost. Selecting 'Synchronise' on the iPad on the 'Sycnhronization' page, and pressing the blue arrow gives me the error message that Synchronize is not allowed with DropBox. Selecting 'Synchronise' on the iPad on the 'Sycnhronization' page, and using the normal Save command on the iPad does not seem to make any changes to the file in DropBox.

Is something wrong with the way I have set up syncing, or is this a bug? It's driving me crazy!

Thanks for your assistance.

[Angeman]

However, I do have to close and reopen the .compata file on the Mac to be able to see the changes. Is that the way it is supposed to work?

Yes, this is how it works when using Dropbox.

When I make a change on iCompta on the Mac, and save it, I cannot see the changes on the iPad.

Then you need to make a replace mode synchronization on the iPad.
The easiest way is to enable automatic syncing in Settings application so that it will automatically get the latest file from Dropbox on launch and send the changes when you hit the save button.

[PedroFromAus]

Thanks for sticking with this, mate. I only have 6 more days left on my trial of iCompta so I hope we can sort this out soon.

If I understand you correctly, I am doing exactly as you suggested. This is the sequence:
1. Change a transaction in iCompta on the Mac. Save.
2. Launch iCompta on the iPad. (Automatic syncing is enabled in the iCompta iPad settings; On the Sync page on iCompta iPad the "Replace current document" is selected. (This is the option on the right and, by the way, it does not stay on that option - after relaunching a couple of times it is back on the "Send document" setting)
3. The change is not in the transaction on the iPad.
4. I press "save" on iCompta on iPad.
5. iPad iCompta syncs and I get a Growl message on the Mac saying that the iCompta file has been updated to the latest version.
6. The file name in iCompta on the Mac (as shown on the title bar on the screen) has changed to "My Money Stuff (deleted [long string of hex numbers]).icompta.
6. The change is still not in the transaction on the iPad.
7. Relaunch iCompta on the iPad.
8. The change is still not in the transaction on the iPad.

Something I'm missing?