Files integration

In late August I released a version of SwiftoDo that added sync support for any cloud data provider, via integration with the Files app. I think that this integration can be improved in the future. For example, right now, you cannot create a todo.txt file in the Files app using SwiftoDo, and you cannot open an existing todo.txt from the Files app.

If I add those features, I may as well rewrite the app’s UI, so that you have to create or open a file upon SwiftoDo’s launch. I would also have to rewrite how preferences are stored, so users could define different preferences for different files they open.

Those changes would, I think, necessitate dropping the offline support features that currently exist—namely manual sync mode, and the failsafes in place for when automatic sync fails (typically due to network unavailability). I am actually not sure how other document-based apps on iOS handle things when network connectivity is lost or unavailable. I would assume they simply cannot work without a constant network connection, because they cannot access their file, but I am not sure.

I do know that a task list is not a typical document-based app, like a text editor. Users typically want it to be always available, rather than dependent on a constantly-available network connection. Because I would rather not remove offline features from my app, and because I currently have very little time for app development, I do not plan any big changes to the app related to Files integration in the near future. When they do happen, I would expect that the UI of the app would be changed pretty significantly.

iOS 12 Support for SwiftoDo

The current version of SwiftoDo runs on iOS 12 without incident. I have, however, compiled a new version of SwiftoDo on the iOS 12 SDK. It has no new features, but the SDK is newer, so it inherits upstream bug fixes from Apple, and I updated my codebase to Swift 4.2. I am dropping support for iOS 10.x, too, because iOS 12 will be released imminently, and it honestly makes no sense for anyone with an iOS device from the past four years or so not to upgrade to it (iOS 12 performance is that good). Because of the under-the-hood changes, and the dropped compatibility with iOS 10, I am bumping the version number to 3.0.0. (Don’t get too excited!)

macOS Mojave Support for SwiftoDo Desktop

I am running the MacOS Mojave beta, and have been testing out its new dark mode. I love dark mode, and it took me about two seconds to realize that dark mode support is not a nice-to-have—it is an absolute necessity. Therefore, have coded support for it in a new build of SwiftoDo Desktop. I will submit it to the App Store soon.

The next version of SwiftoDo Desktop will be compiled on the macOS 10.4 SDK, and will no longer support macOS versions lower than that. (If you are not going to upgrade to Mojave, you can continue to use the version of SwiftDo Desktop you are currently using, of course.)

Other than dark mode support, there are no new features. (Sorry!) Because of the under-the-hood changes, and the change in minimum system requirements, I am bumping the version number to 3.0.0, though. (Again, don’t get too excited, but be happy your app is being supported.)

The future of SwiftoDo Desktop

It is a weird coincidence that SwiftoDo and SwiftoDo Desktop will be on the same version number for a while, but it is only a coincidence. At present, they do not share any underlying code.

My long term plan is for SwiftoDo to resemble, and share tons of code with, the iPad version of SwiftoDo. The approach I would prefer to take would be to use the joint iOS/macOS framework that Apple said is coming next year. I will probably continue work on improving the iOS version’s codebase in preparation for eventual macOS support as well.

I am not sure if every user will want the iOS version on the desktop, but I know that I would. I have considered releasing the next-generation version, whenever it is ready, under a new name (SwiftoDo Desktop 2, maybe) and SKU, so owners of the current SwiftoDo Desktop could continue to use it until it no longer functions on macOS. I have not decided exactly what I will do just yet.

I do not expect that anyone outside Apple will learn anything about Apple’s new framework until WWDC 2019, which will be held in June. What I learn at that time will have significant impact on the direction in which I take SwiftoDo Desktop.