I've a weird one for you here... I'm using Skydrive as my main cloud based service and it's been sound so far but I've a weird problem that's come about since I've gone over to Windows 8.1.
When I take a photo with my Lumia 920 camera phone, it automatically uploads the images to my Skydrive account online and on my PC when it's turned on. Handy. Now the problem is I can see the file perfectly fine within Windows Explorer but not through Directory Opus. It worked totally fine on Windows 8 so I'm kinda stumped as to why they are not displaying. They are there, but just not showing.
Any ideas ??
Left show the two files within the path D:\Skydrive\Pictures\Camera Roll
Right shows no files yet it's the same path as above, D:\Skydrive\Pictures\Camera Roll
Is the left folder actually showing that directory or is it some virtualised view of your Skydrive including files that are in "the cloud" but not actually on your computer?
Mythril, you hit on an important SkyDrive development with Windows 8.1 - Smart Files.
Some more info here: thewindowsclub.com/skydrive- ... indows-8-1.
The basic idea is to allow devices with smaller storage (e.g. phones) to 'see' these files as a special metadata file stub, but not download the full file until it's required/requested.
As Jon says, what you see (in File Explorer) is the "SkyDrive cloud" and files have some new attributes one of which is called 'Availability' (available offline - stored copy on your PC, online only - in the cloud, only metadata stub on your PC). See attached pic of File Explorer.
Jon has mentioned in an email to me that they are looking at how to handle the Windows 8.1 SkyDrive cloud files.
I tend to fully sync my files between my PC and laptop, so both have offline (full) files. So DOpus sees them fine. I don't currently use my phone/tablet so much for working with files or editing.
Integrating SkyDrive into Windows 8.1 is neat, but Microsoft may get accused again of embedding services into the OS, just like with Internet Explorer. The other cloud providers will complain. Amazon, Google, Dropbox, Sugarsync all want to handle your cloud storage.
Is there any place on the forum/site that shows what main features the DOpus team is working on and what will (is likely to) make the next beta or release?
Also, is there a place to view issues or FAQs about DOpus handling of cloud services?
Grin at home I use all files offline so it's not an issue. But at work it is useful to have access to my home files without downloading them, so a boon for me.
..... and Jon you know me I'm a geek so for me I think I have too - it's a cosmic rule I think!
If there is anyone here contemplating a move to Windows 8.1 – be it from 8.0 or something older – check out in places where people chew over your hardware and software.
For example, Microsoft may have put out beta versions of 8.1 some time ago, but nearly a month after the official release Logitech has yet to acknowledge that there are problems, let alone dealt with the issues that cause daily complaints on the company's self-support forum. Then again, Logitech has form here. It did put out updates as soon as Windows 8 went official, only to withdraw them a day later, too many bugs and complaints.
I have seen other reports of problems with Windows 8.1 on different hardware and software sites. If anything, there are fewer here than I see in most places.
So, if your life would be ruined by the failure of a key bit of your hardware or software, investigate the likely impact before you make the leap to 8.1.
I'll leap as soon as I can and enjoy testing fixes until all is perfect. That sort of thing is my hobby (I'm in IT) and something I enjoy. So each to his or her own!
I have permanently made the switch to Windows 8.1 and find the new nomenclature amusing and intriguing (e.g. Smart Files, Hydrated [versus desiccated?]). Apparently, when a file is designated as "online-only" Microsoft is replacing the actual file with a metafile placeholder that includes a URL to the real file within the Microsoft cloud. Double-clicking on one of these placeholders temporarily downloads the real file (hydration) for use by the associated application. At least that's my guess. I have complete confidence in DPSoftware's ability to deal with this new curveball. In the meantime, I'll limp along with MS Windows Explorer knowing that DPSoftware will eventually provide a solution that exceeds, as always, Microsoft's. I will even go so far as to suggest that DPSoftware use this as an opportunity to charge an upgrade fee to the Windows 8.1 / Skydrive version.