How to Sync with Dropbox

Note: This how-to refers to Storyist 2 for iOS. If you're using Storyist 3, please see this link instead.

Dropbox is a popular, free online file storage service that:

• Makes it easy to keep your files up-to-date on multiple devices.
• Provides a convenient and easy off-site backup mechanism.
• Keeps old revisions of your files in case you want to get back to an earlier version of your file.

Many people consider it an essential part of the Mac.

Storyist for iOS (which runs on iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch) supports two methods of working with Dropbox.

Manual Transfer

The first (default) option is to use Dropbox to transfer individual files on and off your iOS device in the same way you would sync with iTunes.

To import a file:

1. Drag a file on your computer into your Dropbox folder.
2. Open Storyist on your iOS device.
3. Tap the Import button, and then tap “Copy from Dropbox.” A list of files and folders matching those in your Dropbox folder appears.
4. Tap the document you want to import.

To export a file:

1. Navigate to the document you want to export.
2. Tap the Edit button in the toolbar.
3. Tap the document you want to export.
4. Tap the Export button in the toolbar.
5. Tap “Copy to Dropbox.” A window appears with your formatting choices.
6. Tap the desired format for the exported document. Storyist can export documents as rich text (.rtf) files, plain text (.txt) files, and, for screenplays, Final Draft (.fdx) files.
7. Navigate to the location in your Dropbox folder where you want the document to appear.
8. Tap Copy.

This method is great if you know what you've changed want to control exactly which files are transferred.

One-tap Sync

The second method is to use the one-tap sync feature. If you plan to bounce between your iOS device and your computer frequently, you’ll probably want to use this feature.

To enable one-tap syncing:

1. Open the Settings app on your iOS device and tap Storyist in the Apps list.
2. Set the One-Tap Sync switch to On.
3. Open Storyist and navigate to the My Projects view. You’ll see the new Sync button in the toolbar.
4. Tap the Sync button.

Note: If you haven't previously logged in to Drobox, you'll be asked to do so when you tap the Sync button.

After that, Storyist for iOS will:

• Transfer any files that you've added or updated in the Dropbox folder on your computer to your iOS device.
• Transfer any files that you'e added or updated on your iOS device to your Dropbox folder.
• A status window will show you exactly what files are being transferred.

If you've changed a file on both your computer and your iOS device, Storyist will

• Rename the file on your iOS device to indicate that there is a conflict.
• Download the updated file from your Dropbox folder.

You can then examine both files and decide which you want to keep.

• If you want to keep the version in your Dropbox, simply delete the renamed file.
• If you want to keep the version from your iOS device, delete the downloaded version from the server and rename the iOS version.

You can, of course, choose to keep both. Tapping the sync button will transfer the renamed file to your Dropbox and you can decide later.