(Archived) Shared notes in iOS totally, completely broken

[spamtarget 0]

I have about the simplest use case imaginable for a shared note:  a grocery list shared between me and my wife, both using the iOS client.  Why does it never work?  Content that is added on one account consistently fails to show up on the other account; changes to the note on one account sometimes completely wipes out content from the other account; and it just seems to never work consistently.  Is there some trick to making this work, or is it time to look for another app?

[Metrodon 2,188]

Always sync when you open the app and sync before you close it. That way your updated data will always be on the server and your devices should be up to date.

[BurgersNFries 2,407]

I have about the simplest use case imaginable for a shared note:  a grocery list shared between me and my wife, both using the iOS client.  Why does it never work?  Content that is added on one account consistently fails to show up on the other account; changes to the note on one account sometimes completely wipes out content from the other account; and it just seems to never work consistently.  Is there some trick to making this work, or is it time to look for another app?

 

In addition to what Metrodon said, http://discussion.evernote.com/topic/28159-iphone-sync-with-web/

[spamtarget 0]

Thanks for your responses.  Simultaneous changes are not the issue -- I would love it if Evernote simply gave me conflicting changes.  I'm talking about the iOS client's seeming inability to sync.  I've tried syncing manually, but I'll try to be more deliberate about doing it every time we open and close the app.  Still, that shouldn't be necessary, should it?

[BurgersNFries 2,407]

Thanks for your responses.  Simultaneous changes are not the issue -- I would love it if Evernote simply gave me conflicting changes.  I'm talking about the iOS client's seeming inability to sync.  I've tried syncing manually, but I'll try to be more deliberate about doing it every time we open and close the app.  Still, that shouldn't be necessary, should it?

 

Of course it's necessary.  If you make changes on your iDevice & don't sync them to the EN servers (aka "cloud"), how would your wife's iDevice be able to obtain the changes?

[cwb 225]

Perhaps lets be specific.

Yes it's necessary to functionally sync changed content up to the cloud servers for them to be available on other clients.

The question is should be necessary to _manually_ sync.

The design says no.

My experience says, usually no.

Others mileage seems to vary.

 

In general it should just work.

As soon as you close a note after editing, it syncs the change (assuming network connectivity).

Any time to return focus to the app after doing something else, it syncs.  Even if that's just swiping into the notification panel, or the control panel.

 

Hazardous areas are perhaps leaving a note open for long periods while it's updated in the background (such as say working through a grocery list).  I see some dragons still lurking in those waters.

I tend to use a Groceries Category in Reminders for that though, shared with my wife.

Not just for the easy speech entry, but the geofenced reminders as I drive near an appropriate store for a particular item on the list.

Omni focus takes that to extreme, whereby you can be non-specific with the destination.  Say "pharmacy" and it map searches (in the background) if you're near a pharmacy, rather than just a specific location.

[spamtarget 0]

 

Thanks for your responses.  Simultaneous changes are not the issue -- I would love it if Evernote simply gave me conflicting changes.  I'm talking about the iOS client's seeming inability to sync.  I've tried syncing manually, but I'll try to be more deliberate about doing it every time we open and close the app.  Still, that shouldn't be necessary, should it?

 

Of course it's necessary.  If you make changes on your iDevice & don't sync them to the EN servers (aka "cloud"), how would your wife's iDevice be able to obtain the changes?

 

 

We're talking about manual syncing as opposed to automatically syncing.  The manual sync is kind of hidden in the app - it's not designed as if you should ever have to manually sync.  So this seems like a bug in the automatic sync process to me.  In fact, at times I can see the changes from the other user in the note preview on the front screen of the app, but then when I open the note they are not there.  Surely that is a bug of some kind.

 

Thanks for your responses!

[BurgersNFries 2,407]

We're talking about manual syncing as opposed to automatically syncing.  The manual sync is kind of hidden in the app - it's not designed as if you should ever have to manually sync.  So this seems like a bug in the automatic sync process to me.  In fact, at times I can see the changes from the other user in the note preview on the front screen of the app, but then when I open the note they are not there.  Surely that is a bug of some kind.

 

Thanks for your responses!

IME, the current EN app on the iPad normally syncs right away. But the bottom line is that if you're encountering the problems described in your OP, you should make it a point to sync DOWN before changing anything & sync UP before exiting the program. This really is the way any cloud based app works. IE, when using Toodledo (my list app), if I make any changes on my iPad & do not sync them to the cloud, then when I go to the grocery, the grocery list on my iPhone will not be complete. Additionally, when multiple people are modifying the same note, if they happen to be modifying at the same time, you're still apt to run into problems. IE, you & your wife both sync & both change the same note at the same time & sync. Chances are slim this will happen, but it's still possible. EN isn't really designed for collaboration.