Screen States NOT PRESERVED in Backup!
Posted: Sat Aug 09, 2014 11:49 pm
On several occasions, I have had to restore an iPhone's firmware, then restore from a backup. I'm somewhat meticulous about backing up my devices, and whenever I do one of these firmware restores, I ALWAYS backup the device before starting the restore process.
I've noticed something when using the Gospel Library app for the first time following the restore.
The app appears as if it were fresh. None of the content, nor are any of my Screens present in the app. Now, I had several Screens in the app before performing the backup, and none are there now.
I consider this to be a LOSS OF DATA and is therefore a SERIOUS problem that needs to be fixed. What if a user uses the state of the app, including which screens are open, to keep track of where they are in their daily reading? If something happens to the device, and it needs to be restored, that data is LOST. What if someone replaces an old device with a new one, and restores from a backup of the older device? Again, that data is LOST.
I think I know a way to fix it.
I examined the backup. Apparently, only the following files are included in the backup:
I poked around the filesystem, and there's a folder called Private Documents in Gospel Library's Library folder. In that folder, there's a file called ScreenStates.plist, which, as the name implies, keeps track of the screen states in the app. Not just where the screen is currently, but also where it's been. If we can get that folder to be included in the backup to iTunes, problem solved.
That is, of course, until we get the ability to sync screens across devices using our LDS Account. But that's a topic for another thread.
I've noticed something when using the Gospel Library app for the first time following the restore.
The app appears as if it were fresh. None of the content, nor are any of my Screens present in the app. Now, I had several Screens in the app before performing the backup, and none are there now.
I consider this to be a LOSS OF DATA and is therefore a SERIOUS problem that needs to be fixed. What if a user uses the state of the app, including which screens are open, to keep track of where they are in their daily reading? If something happens to the device, and it needs to be restored, that data is LOST. What if someone replaces an old device with a new one, and restores from a backup of the older device? Again, that data is LOST.
I think I know a way to fix it.
I examined the backup. Apparently, only the following files are included in the backup:
Code: Select all
/Documents/annotations.sqlite
/Library/Preferences/org.lds.gospelstudy.plistThat is, of course, until we get the ability to sync screens across devices using our LDS Account. But that's a topic for another thread.