Hidden gotchas with iCloud sync?

Questions
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1

NOTE: Please use the search function above before posting to avoid creating duplicate topics.

  • Device model (e.g. 2020 iPad Air 4th Gen): MacBook Air 15, iPad A16
  • Version of operating system (e.g. macOS 14.4.1): Mac OSX 26.6.2; IOS 26.6.2
  • Version of djay (e.g. 5.1.2):
  • Hardware/controllers used (e.g. Reloop Mixon 8 Pro): Denon Mixer (1800), Turntables with control vinyl, Novation Dicers
  • Hardware firmware version (e.g. 1.0.1): Irrelevant to the question
  • Please consider sharing a short video or screenshots to help clarify your question

YOUR QUESTION:

  1. I’m happy with using my iPad for performance but would like to handle downloading and prepping tracks at my desk on the MacBook.

  2. None of the prepping (cue points/loops, moved downbeats, etc.) propagates in either direction through iCloud.

  3. Both iPad and Mac versions of djay report that syncing is active, and list “most recent” syncs happening within the last few seconds

  4. I have gone through the troubleshooting instructions here: How do I enable and troubleshoot iCloud syncing on iOS and macOS? | Algoriddim Support

  5. The troubleshooting was a gigantic hassle, which required me to go to a lot of trouble getting my iPad back to where it was (part of the troubleshoot is resetting all your iPad’s settings)

  6. And it still doesn’t work!

So I’m wondering whether there are some hidden gotchas that people have picked up on. Three that come to mind in my case, because they relate to matching things up over the Internet, are:

  1. I signed up for djay in the App Store using Sign in with Apple, so the registration is tied to an Apple private relay email. Should this be a problem?
  2. The actual music files are stored in a dropbox folder so that both devices can get to them
  3. I had asked djay not to track my activity with other sites, which I do for everything.

But, of course, I have no real idea whether either of these would make any difference.

Any ideas? I am fiercely resistant to going through the troubleshoot again unless somebody can tell me something that’s missing from that list of painstaking steps that require me to spend a half hour turning my settings back on.

3

Hi @MattTheHoopla, welcome to the Community! There are a couple of things the checklist doesn’t make obvious, and one of them probably explains part of what you’re seeing.

Moved downbeats won’t sync over iCloud. iCloud only carries cue points, loop regions, and Automix start and end points. BPM, beatgrids, and playlists don’t go through iCloud at all. To move those between devices, you’d use OneLibrary or manually copy the djayMediaLibrary database from one device to the other

For cue points and loops, these are the usual gotchas:

  1. The Mac copy of djay needs to be the Mac App Store version.
  2. The track has to be the exact same file on both devices. djay matches synced data to a specific track, so title, artist, and duration must match. If you edit tags on the Mac after the iPad has already seen the file, or one copy is a different encode, the cues won’t show up.
  3. Automatic date and time needs to be on for both devices, because a mismatched clock can block sync.

When you test, set a cue point and then load a different track before checking the other device. Loading another track is what lets djay finish saving the cue.

Could you please tell me which djay version you’re running on each device, and whether the Mac copy came from the official Apple App Store? Thanks!

4

hello @MattTheHoopla

Personally sync my devices to my Mac via iTunes/music app. I have no issues, it is very stable for me.

Hopefully, we can help you figure this out

My grids do not sync.

5

Thanks for sharing @LaidbackFred

6

I guess if I can’t sync up the occasional beat grid that requires shifting, it doesn’t make sense for me to sync anyway.

Thanks for the information.

7

You’re welcome @MattTheHoopla