syncing iphone apps?

wicky

wicky

play thing
I downloaded an iphone app and installed it at work the other, on my work computer.

I normally do all updates via my home computer, with which my iphone is synced. How do I now sync with my home computer and iphone without loosing the recently added app?

Sorry if this is a stoopid question, but I still find it hard to get my head 'round the whole restricted sync thing.

Thanks
 
Think of it this way: protected data (music, movies, apps) only goes one way... from the computer to the iPod/iPhone. It never goes the other way. That's why you can have your iPhone synced with one and only one computer at a time.

What you may want to do is copy the .ipa file for the app you downloaded on the work computer and copy it to your home computer.

Did you use the same MobileMe or Apple ID for the download that you use at home?
 
ElDiabloConCaca said:
Think of it this way: protected data (music, movies, apps) only goes one way... from the computer to the iPod/iPhone. It never goes the other way. That's why you can have your iPhone synced with one and only one computer at a time.

What you may want to do is copy the .ipa file for the app you downloaded on the work computer and copy it to your home computer.

Did you use the same MobileMe or Apple ID for the download that you use at home?
Click to expand...

Hey, thanks for the reply.

Yes, I used the same account that I always use. I thought that it would be clever an would sync via the account rather than the machine....clearly not.

Where would I find the .ipa file, and is there anything special to know about moving it to another machine?
 
On my Mac, they're located in /Users/username/Music/iTunes/Mobile Applications/.

I'm not too sure what the results of copying that .ipa file over to your home computer would be... iTunes may not recognize that file as a valid application, since it was downloaded using another computer. Having that .ipa around to re-sync from your work computer would be a good idea.

Since the app was downloaded and installed with the same account as you are using at home, you should be able to connect and sync your iPhone at home, and that app should be copied into your iTunes library... kind of like when you purchase an app on the iPhone/iPod touch itself, then sync -- the app gets copied from the phone into iTunes.

The point is I'm not really sure what will happen, but I suspect that the app will sync just fine to your home computer. I know I'm backtracking on what I said earlier, but in this situation, I'm just not sure. If you had an iPod and we were talking about purchased music instead of an app, I can say definitely that when you sync at home, the music would be gone from the iPod (there is no music sync from the iPod to the computer, only from the computer to the iPod). With apps, I'm just not sure how it works.
 
I'm not sure if this is mentioned, but I would download the app (again) via your home iTunes. It's on the phone, it's on the home computer, easy peasy. Right?

I'm wondering how you synced the iPhone to your work computer without erasing everything?
 
Yeah, actually thinking about it, my phone was connect to my work computer via the wire, but I actually downloaded the app via the phone.

Currently, when I go into Itunes on my home computer I see a grayed out list of apps and "sync applications" is unchecked. If I check this I get the warning that everything will be wiped from my phone.

hmmmm...

a. How do I download the app to my computer?
b. Given that it seems a bit screwed up (ie. should be syncing with home computer), how do I rectify this?

Thanks in advance
 
If the app was downloaded first to the phone, it will automatically download to your home computer when you sync. Provided your home computer is the one you normally sync to.

Your work set-up has me confused and I'm wondering if, in reality, you are synced to your work computer which is why you get the 'erase all' message when you try and sync at home. Or have I misunderstood you?

To download the app to your home computer, launch iTunes, go to the store, search for the app, then download. There are two ways to get apps on the iPhone, either directly on the phone or via your iTunes on your synced computer.
 
lbj said:
If the app was downloaded first to the phone, it will automatically download to your home computer when you sync. Provided your home computer is the one you normally sync to.

Your work set-up has me confused and I'm wondering if, in reality, you are synced to your work computer which is why you get the 'erase all' message when you try and sync at home. Or have I misunderstood you?

To download the app to your home computer, launch iTunes, go to the store, search for the app, then download. There are two ways to get apps on the iPhone, either directly on the phone or via your iTunes on your synced computer.
Click to expand...

I'm very confused too. Something does not seem right.

The computer at work is new (2 months ago). I don't see how it can be synced with my phone, as all the apps I've ever owned (over the the last 12 months) are still in place on my phone. If I had re-synced my iphone (even by mistake) to my new work computer, surely this would have wiped the previous applications?

So, it's definitely not synced with the work machine.

However, it doesn't appear to be synced with my home machine either, as per my previous description. The weird thing is that all of my current apps, except the newest one (the one downloaded at work) are all visible in iTunes, but grayed out as a result of the "sync applications" tick box not being checked.

Also, when I launch iTunes and go to the store, I can't simply download the app... all I see is a "buy" button. And, before you ask, yes, I am logged in.

OK, so, I think there is something not quite right here, so I have a different question. How does one go about re-installing the Mac OS (computer not phone) without loosing all iPhone apps?

Thanks.
 
You may not have to reinstall your Mac OS. Are you otherwise (save for this one app) satisfied with your home computer iPhone/iTunes set up?

If so, plug the iPhone in and let it sync. If it behaves like an iPod AND it was inadvertently sync'd to another machine, it will ask, before wiping everything out, if you would like to first download previously purchased content. You say "Yes", the app downloads, then everything is re-synced, and the problem is solved.

I think.
 
lbj said:
... Are you otherwise (save for this one app) satisfied with your home computer iPhone/iTunes set up? .../QUOTE]

There seems to be another issue too. Trying to connect to MobileMe via system pref's results in an error message...

"Unknown Validation Error
Your MobileMe member name or password may be invalid. Please enter a different name or password"

Hence why I'm thinking a fresh install might be the ticket. I haven't yet upgraded to Snow Leopard so might kill 2 birds with one stone.

That is, providing I can work out a way to sort all of this without loosing my iPhone apps.

The result of the Mobile Me error is nothing is syncing correctly at the mo: iCal, Address Book, etc. It's quite frustrating.

Thanks.
Click to expand...
 
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