Hi. I synced my desktop project with Dropbox (/Dropbox/Apps/Scrivener). I downloaded the iOS version and chose the first option, the recommended Apps/Scrivener folder. My project is fairly small, only a few chapters long. The iPhone announced that it downloaded all the files.
When I looked at the first Scrivener iOS screen on my iPhone, I saw nothing in DROPBOX, and nothing in ON MY PHONE.
Can anyone tell me what I’m doing wrong?
Thanks.
I’m in exactly the same boat!! Did as all instructed but no files it can read properly!! Can anyone help please?
Have you looked at Projects?
Can you please post a screenshot of the Dropbox folder on your Mac, your iPhone/iPad projects screen, and the Dropbox settings on the device (by tapping “Edit” in the projects list, then the gear at the bottom of the projects list, then “Dropbox Settings”)?
I’d be happy to look at Projects if I knew where they were.
The only thing that I can do from this first screen is tap to create new projects. I just want to open the project that was synced previously using the desktop version.
I have the same problem.
I have a bunch of projects in Scrivener which I keep on Dropbox. I moved the folders with these in to Apps/Scrivener and on my desktop I see they are moved,
Scrivener iOS sees nothing.
Dropbox on the iPad sees one of the moved folders but thinks there is nothing in it.
I assumed some updating/syncing delay, but it seems strange.
Frustrated at this point!
You might need to sync again. I noticed that when I dragged a project out of Dropbox on desktop and synced, the change didn’t reflect on the iPad, so I had to re-sync to get the changes reflected.
I really don’t know what more can I do.
Dropbox works. I just created a test chapter, as you can see.
It’s either something that I don’t do well on the iOS version, or the thing just won’t sync.
I have to complain that I too am very, very much frustrated in the way Scrivener for iOS syncs. As I expected Keith, this WILL be your number one issue. Beware, the ides of march, of synching…
It constantly creates conflict files when there are no conflicts. Very messy. When I save from Scrivener desktop, it makes the changes to the file in the dropbox folder. (dropbox/apps/scrivener). But when I open the same file in Scrivener for iOS, it says that there are conflicts (even when there are none), and that it’s going to create a conflict folder. I now have three conflict folders even when there are no conflicts. The same is true when I edit the file in Scrivener iOS. I edit the file, save it to dropbox, but then when I open the same file on my desktop, it says that there are conflicts and that it will again create conflict files. All these conflict files are adding up and it’s making the whole process very, very messy.
I believe this should be your number one priority, Keith, as if people can’t reliably save properly their work, they simply will not use your app and demand a refund (something that I’m debating about right now).
Looks like you should have this in the Dropbox:
/Apps/Scrivener/Cantacuzinii.scriv
Right. I thought so myself. I don’t have that.
I don’t think you should be using the “sync to external folder” feature. That’s the tool that was created to sync with other iOS text editors.
Just go to Dropbox in the finder, locate the actual .scriv file for your project and drag it into the apps/scrivener folder.
Jonathan
Sweet Jesus, I only had to save the project in Dropbox.
I thought it did that automatically when it synced. Now everything’s fine.
Thanks a bunch.
Given the possibly huge number of downloads already, seems a limited number with synch problems, not that each person’s problem isn’t important.
My synch has worked apart from very early glitch in beta and still works fine.
Bit early to be talking about refunds as Keith is clearly addressing everyone’s concerns. Give the guy a break!
Glad you’re up and running. Happy writing 
Okay . . . here’s the screenshot of what I have in Dropbox. What I did:
Note: The New World file I created on iPad, then moved into Dropbox.
Double-check your Dropbox drive and make sure that the file REALLY is there.
Indeed, do not use the “Sync with External Folder” feature - that is something else completely.
All you need to do is put your Scrivener projects in /Dropbox/Apps/Scrivener and sync. That’s it.
Also, be sure that Dropbox on the desktop fully syncs on your Mac/Windows machine before syncing on iOS, otherwise not all the files may be available to be opened on iOS.
Please note that there are full instructions for syncing in the iOS Tutorial.
Yosimiti - if you are running into conflicts, it’s because you are not waiting for all files to sync before trying to open the project, or because you are editing the project in two places at the same time. You would have those problems no matter what sync solution was used.
So, in short:
Place any Scrivener projects you want to sync with Scrivener in /Dropbox/Apps/Scrivener (or whichever Dropbox sub folder you want to use).
Make sure Dropbox on your desktop has time to sync all the files (check the icon in the menu bar on the Mac to make sure it has finished syncing.
Sync on iOS (with Dropbox set up to link to the same folder in (1).
That’s it. When you’ve made changes on iOS and are ready to go back to your Mac/Windows machine, hit sync. Again, make sure all the files have been synced by Dropbox on your desktop (again check the Dropbox app icon) before continuing to use the project on the Mac. Before to hit File > Mobile > Sync with Mobile Devices if necessary, although normally you will be prompted if there are changes.
I’ve just spent some time actively trying to create conflicts. The only way I can do so is if I make changes to iOS and Mac versions without syncing in between. When you say that you “save it to Dropbox” on iOS, what exactly do you mean? Do you mean that you tap the sync button in Scrivener? You need to make sure you work on one platform at a time and sync before moving to the other platform. I’ve turned on the “sync projects on close” option to help make this step smoother.
I think it is the word “sync” that creates the problems. People think they need to do something special on their Macs and PCs, which they don’t.
To set it up You SAVE your Scrivener project in the correct folder on Dropbox. Then you OPEN the same project automatically if you point the iOS Scrivener to the correct Dropbox folder.
“Syncing” is a later process, when you have made changes to the stuff.
