Deleting Safari bookmarks from iCloud

[MacInWin]

The catch is that wth "Optimize" checked, the system does stuff in the background, without any further import. It "evicts" (Apple's word) files from your internal drive in the Documents and Desktop folders to the cloud, leaving behind what are called "data-less" files. Basically, just names with no data stored at all. When you open one of these data-less files, it gets downloaded. The system decides what and when to evict files to the cloud. It's all hidden to you. So, when you turn it off, it has to return all of the data to the data-less files, but it doesn't do that directly, it downloads them into new, different folders so that you can, and have to, decide where to put them on the internal again.

I don't know Apex Pro, I don't know what it does, and the only thing I found with a quick search was a keyboard of some type, but it seems to me that you should be able to point it to any drive as the destination for backups. What do owners who don't have iCloud Drive do? The fact that it may default to iCloud Drive, or that you have set it up that way doesn't mean it cannot be changed. Nevertheless, iCloud Drive and "Optimize" are two individual things, so you can have one and not the other.

 

[rbpeirce]

The catch is that wth "Optimize" checked, the system does stuff in the background, without any further import. It "evicts" (Apple's word) files from your internal drive in the Documents and Desktop folders to the cloud, leaving behind what are called "data-less" files. Basically, just names with no data stored at all. When you open one of these data-less files, it gets downloaded. The system decides what and when to evict files to the cloud. It's all hidden to you. So, when you turn it off, it has to return all of the data to the data-less files, but it doesn't do that directly, it downloads them into new, different folders so that you can, and have to, decide where to put them on the internal again.

I'm not seeing that. All my directories had files in them and still do. For whatever reason they was never removed! It is possible I never had iCould set up properly.

 

[MacInWin]

I'm not seeing that. All my directories had files in them and still do. For whatever reason they was never removed! It is possible I never had iCould set up properly.

You can't tell. The dataless files have extents, they show dates/sizes, etc. Look exactly the same in Finder as if they are really there. Just no data until you try to open. If you had Optimize checked and if more than a few hours had gone by with the Mac on the Internet, files were evicted. Guaranteed. Even folders are dataless. It's an amazing process to read about. But it assumes internet connectivity, full time, high speed, to be really useful and useable.

 

[rbpeirce]

You can't tell. The dataless files have extents, they show dates/sizes, etc. Look exactly the same in Finder as if they are really there. Just no data until you try to open. If you had Optimize checked and if more than a few hours had gone by with the Mac on the Internet, files were evicted. Guaranteed. Even folders are dataless. It's an amazing process to read about. But it assumes internet connectivity, full time, high speed, to be really useful and useable.

How fast does this happen? If I go to a directory in documents and click on a file, any file, it opens immediately. I even turned off WiFi and the files were still there. As I said, I may never have had iCloud set up properly or else I'm really missing something.

 

[MacInWin]

Not all files are evicted. The system prioritizes evictions based on most recent, or most frequent use, apparently. Apple is very closed mouth on this whole thing. If you really want to know more, read this:

APFS: Special file types

Overview of clone files, dataless files, sparse files, symbolic links, and firmlinks, and how used and free space is accounted for in APFS.

eclecticlight.co

and

macOS Sonoma has changed iCloud Drive radically

The small stub files used as placeholders for files evicted to iCloud Drive have vanished. Could that be why some Macs had to download the whole contents of their iCloud Drive?

eclecticlight.co

and

Last Week on My Mac: Dependent on a bug

At one time, trying to manage iCloud Drive storage was like getting into a lift with only an Up button. What happens then when Apple fixes that bug? Anguish and anger.

eclecticlight.co

Sonoma made some significant changes to how this all worked. Basically, they fixed an unacknowledged bug and didn't mention it, creating a lot of stir about the change.

 

[rbpeirce]

Not all files are evicted. The system prioritizes evictions based on most recent, or most frequent use, apparently. Apple is very closed mouth on this whole thing. If you really want to know more, read this:

APFS: Special file types

Overview of clone files, dataless files, sparse files, symbolic links, and firmlinks, and how used and free space is accounted for in APFS.

eclecticlight.co

and

macOS Sonoma has changed iCloud Drive radically

The small stub files used as placeholders for files evicted to iCloud Drive have vanished. Could that be why some Macs had to download the whole contents of their iCloud Drive?

eclecticlight.co

and

Last Week on My Mac: Dependent on a bug

At one time, trying to manage iCloud Drive storage was like getting into a lift with only an Up button. What happens then when Apple fixes that bug? Anguish and anger.

eclecticlight.co

Sonoma made some significant changes to how this all worked. Basically, they fixed an unacknowledged bug and didn't mention it, creating a lot of stir about the change.

If I read these correctly the files needed to stored on the drive for anything to happen. I never did that. Maybe that's why I'm so confused about what ought to happen.

As for what iCloud might be doing, I'm clueless, but it appears my old Safari bookmarks will be cleaned out in another 28 days and I can start over. We'll see.

 

[MacInWin]

If I read these correctly the files needed to stored on the drive for anything to happen. I never did that. Maybe that's why I'm so confused about what ought to happen.

No. What are stored on iCloud Drive are synced to iCloud, and may also be evicted when they meet whatever criteria is set up by Apple. But if Optimize is turned on, then everythiing in your Documents and Desktop folders are candidates for eviction. From Apple's user guide online:

Optimize storage space on your Mac

If your Mac is running low on storage space, macOS can help make more room by moving the files that you use less frequently to iCloud.

support.apple.com

and from the System Settings help menu:

]iCloud Drive

Turn on Sync this Mac to store your files in iCloud Drive and access them on any device where you’re signed in with your Apple ID. You can choose:

• Whether to store your Desktop and Documents folders in iCloud Drive
• Which apps store data in iCloud Drive
• Which apps let other people look you up by your Apple ID

Buried in all that is the fact that when iCloud Drive is active, it is possible to have all Desktop and Documents folders stored in iCloud Drive by the system, and when they are, for them to be evicted to be in the cloud, and not locally stored. And whether or not it will happen is left to the system to decide, not the user. Now, maybe you have so much storage on your drive that it never met any criteria to evict any files. It can happen.

 

[rbpeirce]

No. What are stored on iCloud Drive are synced to iCloud, and may also be evicted when they meet whatever criteria is set up by Apple. But if Optimize is turned on, then everythiing in your Documents and Desktop folders are candidates for eviction. From Apple's user guide online:

Optimize storage space on your Mac

If your Mac is running low on storage space, macOS can help make more room by moving the files that you use less frequently to iCloud.

support.apple.com

and from the System Settings help menu:


Buried in all that is the fact that when iCloud Drive is active, it is possible to have all Desktop and Documents folders stored in iCloud Drive by the system, and when they are, for them to be evicted to be in the cloud, and not locally stored. And whether or not it will happen is left to the system to decide, not the user. Now, maybe you have so much storage on your drive that it never met any criteria to evict any files. It can happen.

I read your latest link and it looks like I needed to turn on "Store in iCloud" in the General/Storage System Setting. I never did that! Maybe that's why I'm so confused.

 

[ferrarr]

As for the app that demands iCloud Drive,

I don't think it demands iCloud Drive, it just asks to backup using iCloud. At least that's how other apps I have, work.

 

[rbpeirce]

I don't think it demands iCloud Drive, it just asks to backup using iCloud. At least that's how other apps I have, work.

There is an iPhone and an Android version. I don't know what the Android version does but the iPhone ONLY backs up to the iCloud Drive. The only choice is to backup or not to backup. However, it is possible to offload the data and save it on a hard disk. I've done both just to be sure I have it no matter what.

 

[MacInWin]

There is an iPhone and an Android version. I don't know what the Android version does but the iPhone ONLY backs up to the iCloud Drive. The only choice is to backup or not to backup. However, it is possible to offload the data and save it on a hard disk. I've done both just to be sure I have it no matter what.

Can you provide more information about this app? I ask because there is a significant difference between an app that USES iCloud drive and one that BACKS UP to it. None that I am aware of force backups to iCloud Drive, and the ones that USE it have to be given permission to do so.

And, this is the first mention of iPhone and iCloud Drive. I thought we were talking about the use on a Mac.

 

[rbpeirce]

Can you provide more information about this app? I ask because there is a significant difference between an app that USES iCloud drive and one that BACKS UP to it. None that I am aware of force backups to iCloud Drive, and the ones that USE it have to be given permission to do so.

And, this is the first mention of iPhone and iCloud Drive. I thought we were talking about the use on a Mac.

I can access iCloud from my Mac, phone or pad.

The Apex Pro is a device you put in your car for track use. The lights indicate how much of the car's capabilities you are using in a corner. A couple of years after the device came out an app became available to capture the data from the device for graphic review. The company recommends backing up the data and the only option it provides for the iPhone is iCloud Drive. You can also export the data to store on your computer. This can be in the built-in format or as a csv file for import to a spreadsheet. I backup to the drive and to my computer so I don't actually have to have the drive. It is just convenient.

The app originally just supported the iPhone. Android was added later.

 

[MacInWin]

I downloaded the new version of the software from the App Store on my iPhone. I set up an account, but I could see nowhere that it requires iCloud Drive. In fact, I couldn't even see a way to backup data at all. It did offer to sync data through their cloud service, but I don't have data to send, so I didn't test it. But nothing referred to iCloud Drive at all. Maybe you should try just turning off iCloud Drive and see what the app does.

 

[rbpeirce]

I'm still using the old version. The new still lacks some capabilities. However, when the app says it is uploading data to "the cloud" it means the iCloud Drive. That's where my data is. If I go to iCloud.com and log in, the Apex data shows up in the drive. I also see it in iCloud Drive in Finder under Apex\ Pro/Sessions. To the best of my knowledge there is no other option. However, that is the only thing I use iCloud Drive for so I'm probably ok in that regard.

Under Recovery I still see 2,692 bookmarks, but it now says 27 days remaining, I presume before they are deleted.

 

[MacInWin]

However, when the app says it is uploading data to "the cloud" it means the iCloud Drive.

Must be in the old version. The new says "our cloud" for sync. Oh, well, good luck with it.