It's not really necessary to use iCloud for this. In fact, Dropbox is already doing that job (keeping the bib files on different computers in sync). What is needed is for BibDesk to notice when the bib file on disk has changed and update to the version on the disk automatically. This does introduce the possible complication of what to do when there are unsaved changes when the disk version changes. The solution I would suggest would be for BibDesk to ask whether the user wants to update to the disk version (losing changes in the BibDesk version) or save the BibDesk version (losing changes in the disk version). Of course, you don't really have to lose any changes since the non-chosen version could be written to a new file with an alternative name.
Personally, I would find this extremely helpful since I also keep my bib file in Dropbox allowing me to write papers, etc at work, home, or laptop. Currently, though, I can only add to my bib file at work, causing various inconvenient work arounds when I do lit searches from home (or somewhere else). Anyway, I'm sure there are other various technical reasons (or non-technical reasons) to not want to make this sort of change, and I'm prepared for the "no" answer. I just want to point out that I think the iCloud thing is a red herring distracting from what (I think) is a simpler and more direct solution. Mark A On Sat, Oct 22, 2011 at 3:37 AM, Simon Spiegel <si...@simifilm.ch> wrote: > Hi, > > a similar topic has already been discussed on the OSX TeX Mailing list, but > I'm interested how the BibDesk developers see this issue: I've been using > DropBox already for quite some time. The documents I'm working on and my > private texmf tree are in the Dropbox, and, of course, my main .bib file. > This setup works very well, there's only one slight annoyance. I work > regularly on two computers and whenever I forget to close the .bib file on > one machine and make changes on the other one, I end up with two different > versions of the .bib file. No big deal, but I wonder if iCloud integration > would allow automatic synching between two runnings instance of BibDesk. I > don't know what parts of iCloud are already accessible to third party > developers (there seems to be some documentation on developer.apple.com) but > at least in theory this is what apple already does with apps like Address > Book or iCal (I'm actually quite surprised that the iOS version of the iWork > suite already allow synching to iCloud while OSX applications haven't been > updated yet). > > Any insights? > > Simon > > > -- > Simon Spiegel > Steinhaldenstr. 50 > 8002 Zürich > > Telephon: ++41 44 451 5334 > Mobophon: ++41 76 459 6039 > > > http://www.simifilm.ch > > „Selbst in der Sphäre der Makkaroni, Zwetschgen und Kaffeebohnen gibt es > umwälzende Ideen und siegreichen Durchbruch des Jungen.“ Gottlieb Duttweiler > > > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ > The demand for IT networking professionals continues to grow, and the > demand for specialized networking skills is growing even more rapidly. > Take a complimentary Learning@Cisco Self-Assessment and learn > about Cisco certifications, training, and career opportunities. > http://p.sf.net/sfu/cisco-dev2dev > _______________________________________________ > Bibdesk-users mailing list > Bibdesk-users@lists.sourceforge.net > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/bibdesk-users > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ RSA(R) Conference 2012 Save $700 by Nov 18 Register now http://p.sf.net/sfu/rsa-sfdev2dev1 _______________________________________________ Bibdesk-users mailing list Bibdesk-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/bibdesk-users
