Tag Archives: syncing

Syncing events with Dropbox – Breeze Booth for iPad

How to use Dropbox to transfer new and updated events from the Event Editor 1.2 (on a Windows PC) to your iPads. This post includes a trouble shooting section.

June 2020: This post has been replaced by a website tutorial here

June 2019: Post updated to clarify that events can be saved straight to Dropbox

May 2019: Some images and text in this post have been updated to reflect the latest releases of the Breeze Booth App and Event Editor 1.2

Introduction

When you download Breeze Booth from the App Store, you are prompted to sync (ie download) sample events from Breeze servers at https://bb4ipad/com/sync 

When you create your own events you also need to transfer them to your devices. The simplest way to do this is to use Dropbox. This post explains how to set up Dropbox on each iPad (or iPhone) and download events using Dropbox.

Note: Breeze Booth now supports both iPads and iPhones running iOS12. References to iPads in this post also refer to iPhones.

Setting up Dropbox on your iPad

  • Install the official Dropbox app on your iPad (this can be downloaded from the Apple App Store).
  • Select Sign in to Dropbox in Breeze Booth for iPad’s app settings and authorize the app. This will create a “Breeze Booth for iPad” folder in your Dropbox “Apps” folder.

Copy the events on your PC to your Dropbox folder

Once you have set up Dropbox for Breeze Booth you need to copy your folder of events into the correct Dropbox folder to transfer them to the iPad.

Copy the events folder from C:\Users\yourname\Documents\Breeze Booth for iPad

Copying the whole events folder

to C:\Users\yourname\Dropbox\Apps\Breeze Booth for iPad

Dropbox folder structure for events

Note: When you sync the events using Dropbox on your iPad, the program will look for this folder. You must name it correctly, or the App will not find your events.

Note to advanced users: You can use tokens including {eventName} in your Dropbox folder naming. This post does not cover this.

Saving events straight to Dropbox

Once the initial set of events have been copied to Dropbox, you can either save new and updated events directly into Dropbox, or continue using an intermediate folder and manually copy them. Saving events straight to Dropbox is simpler and faster.

 To direct the Event Editor to load and save events in Dropbox, select File then Open, navigate to C:\Users\…\Dropbox\Apps\Breeze Booth for iPad\events  and open events.xml

To point the Event Editor to your Dropbox events folder, click on File then Open, navigate to C:\Users\…\Dropbox\Apps\Breeze Booth for iPad\events  and open events.xml

When you return to the main Event Editor screen note that the folder name at the top has changed:

 

Event Editor 1.2 main screen with folder highlighted

You will be prompted to save your changes before closing the Event Editor

Breeze Booth EventEditor prompts you to save any changes before closing the program

Tell Breeze Booth for iPad to sync events using Dropbox

As there are several ways to sync events, you need to tell your iPad which to choose. In Breeze Booth for iPad go to Settings and select the Sync via Dropbox.

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Import the latest version of your events into Breeze Booth for iPad from Dropbox

You can choose whether to update (‘sync’) all your events at the same time, or update a single event. Updating all events is the best way to check everything on the iPad is up to date, but may be slower than updating a single event (especially if you have a poor Internet connection).

You can also update the event list before updating individual events.

Get an updated list of events

Update list of events button (Breeze Booth Events screen)

Get the latest version of all your events

Update all events button (Breeze Booth Events screen)

Get the latest version of a single event

Once the event(s) have been updated, you are ready to run them

Concerned about guests getting access to your Dropbox files from the iPad?

Advanced users: Signing into the Dropbox App on an iPad and signing Breeze Booth for iPad into your Dropbox account are not the same. Once your events are set up correctly, you can secure your Dropbox account by:

either signing out from the Dropbox App and keeping Breeze Booth for iPad signed into Dropbox

or Deleting the Dropbox App from the iPad

Only delete the Dropbox App from the iPad when Breeze Booth for iPad is signed in to DropBox. If you sign Breeze Booth for iPad out from Dropbox, you  will need to reinstall the official Dropbox app before signing back in again.

You can also set an exit password to keep guests from accessing the Breeze Booth for iPad settings page

 Using an exit password to keep sticky fingered guests from  the Breeze Booth for iPad settings page

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Keep life simple when syncing with Dropbox

  • Do name your folders correctly
  • Do not uninstall Breeze Booth for iPad from your iPads
  • Do not delete the Breeze Booth for iPad folder in Dropbox

Stuck? Getting out of trouble

 

iPad App can’t find my new/updated events

Path not found errors occur when the App cannot find the event files. Causes:

  • Dropbox has not finished syncing the files to the iPad
  • Dropbox folders or files are not named correctly
Path not found: Event cannot be synced because of a folder or file naming error

Motr

Error: not logged into Dropbox occurs if Breeze Booth for iPad is not signed into Dropbox

Unable to sync event because not logged into Dropbox

Check the iPad settings screen:

More places to find help

Breeze Booth for iPad has detailed help files online

If you can’t find an answer in the help files, feel free to email support@breezesys.com or post in the Breeze User group on Facebook

Summary

This post explained how to transfer new and updated events from a PC to Breeze Booth for iPad using Dropbox. You will need a Dropbox account and an Internet connection for this to work.

 

 

© Breeze Systems 2019