Switch from manual to sync and back without losing everything?

[nortonl]

Hi there,

New to the forum, new to the iPhone; not new to computers or mp3 players.

Not knowing how to use the iPhone when I first got it, I decided to treat it like my old mp3 player, which is a Creative Labs Zen Jukebox. That isn't really relevant. What is relevant is, that I like the ability to add a file to iTunes, and then simply drag it down to my iPhone. I also like clicking on my iPhone and seeing a song I no longer want on my iPhone and then simply deleting it from there. Point being, I like being the guy who does the stuff, rather than iTunes automatically doing things for me.

Then I noticed I couldn't drag a podcast to my iPhone, so I had to set the phone to "sync" so it would add the podcast. Once I've done that, now I can drag a podcast back and forth. It's fine. I don't mind losing my music library on the phone and putting it back again because, other than the time it takes, I haven't lost anything.

However, I started purchasing apps on the iPhone, and then I decided I wanted to transfer the apps I bought on my phone to my computer for safe keeping. There were no apps on my computer, so when I clicked on "sync applications," a big notice came up telling me I was going to DELETE ALL THE APPS ON MY IPHONE. Huh? What gives?

This same notice comes up when I ask to sync my music. THIS WILL DELETE ALL THE MUSIC ON YOUR IPHONE. Really? Is this really the only way to do it every time? What am I missing here?

This is what I would like to do: I would like to be able to transfer the apps I've downloaded on my iPhone to my computer. If I can't do that, I would like to be able to KEEP the apps I have on my iPhone and yet still be able to purchase or download an app from my computer using iTunes and transfer that to my phone. Surely this is possible. Isn't it? With this wondrous thing?

And while I'm at it, I recorded a voice memo on my iphone and then wanted to transfer it to my computer. Once again I had to choose the "sync music" which once again deleted ALL the songs on my iPhone. No problem, I just put them back on again, but seriously? This is how it works? Every time I learn something new and make a change it wipes the whole contents away? This can't be the case. Can it?

If it is with the music, I can live with it. But the apps bug me. Any help can be greatly appreciated, especially if it's just some easy stupid thing I've not figured out yet.

You're my favorite, thanks -

Norton

 

[sting7k]

Items you purchase on your iPhone can and will sync back to your computer when you perform a sync.

Looks like you are having some issues. So here is how it works, the iPhone syncs with one iTunes library and one only. Once you setup your sync options they will stay that way. If you downloaded apps on the iPhone but hadn't ever performed a sync with iTunes (for apps) it will think you are now connecting to a new library and so will wipe everything. You can download free and paid apps again as many times as you want so you won't lose them.

For drag and drop music - Create a playlist; call it iPhone Music or what ever. Connect your iPhone to the computer and go to the music tab in iTunes while you have selected the iPhone. Set it so it only syncs that playlist. Now load up the playlist and sync. You can easily manage space as well at the bottom of viewing the playlist, when ever you make a change to the playlist just connect the iPhone and hit sync and the changes will happen. You can drag/drop/delete/etc. from that one playlist and it won't mess with anything else.

It's best to go through each tab on the iPhone summary page and setup all the sync options you want for everything. Then perform a sync and you should be good from there to make changes. Also disable auto-sync on connect.

 

[nortonl]

Thanks man. I get how syncing works - it just feels like an extra step to me. For a practical example, I offer this. There's a radio show I like, but it starts at 5 in the morning. I'd rather download the mp3 of the 5am hour of the show before I leave for work in the morning and listen to that in the car than what is on the radio at 8am, because often I will drive to work and hear nothing but commercials. Once I am done listening to the show, though, I no longer need it or want it on my iPod.

So what I like to do is come home, plug the iPod in to the computer. I then go directly to the Music icon on the iPod itself. I then search for the name of the radio show, and delete it. There, it's gone. Next morning I download the new 5 am hour. I open iTunes, click on "add music to library," find the file, and it adds it instantly. I then drag the file down to the music folder on my iPod. It's quick and easy.

What syncing seems to do is add an extra step that is unnecessary. Once I get home, I have to delete the file on my iTunes library, and then press the sync button and wait for the sync. I know it sounds nitpicky, and it really doesn't sound like an extra step when I type it out, but I'd like to be able to access the files directly on my iPod and handle them manually. And I can do that, when I have the "manage music manually" button checked. But if I make one single change on the iPod itself - for example, if I record a voice memo - then to get the voice memo onto my computer, I HAVE to choose the Sync option, which then wipes out my entire iPod library, even though it's the exact same computer and the exact same iPod and the exact same library. Are you telling me this is the only way it can be done?

Additionally, while it also is not that big of a deal, I've got some high scores saved on games on the apps on my iPhone. Once I click on "sync" and it removes them all from the phone, there goes all my high scores, right? Why is it only a one way street between computer and iPhone? It seems I can only go from computer to iPhone, not vice versa. Is that true?

Thanks again.
Norton

 

[flyingember]

an extra step? It's one step. Everything else takes more steps.

your problem is you're doing it the hard way. these devices are built to use the automatic sync. they're not hard drives

to keep your music on the phone in sync with your computer you have to sync it with the computer. think about it this way. if you setup some playlists to sync and your phone needs to be setup from new you just have to choose to sync the playlists to the "new" phone setup and your music is back. the way you're doing it now you have to drag and drop every single song again.

to get everything off the phone right click on the iphone in itunes and choose "transfer purchases". confirm everything you purchased transfered. then setup the syncing in itunes and let it overwrite everything

syncing your apps is REQUIRED to get them back if you have to restore your iphone from your backup. syncing creates a backup of all your phone settings as well. it's also extremely important when updating the phone. some updates wipe everything and restore from backup/your computer

this might be useful
Apple - iPhone - Learn how to use all the features of iPhone.

 

[nortonl]

You're right, you're right, I'm treating it like a hard drive. The "Transfer Purchases" tip was what I was looking for, that did the job. Thanks man.

 

[sting7k]

I think it is more a difference in the way a traditional iPod is handled (where you can manage it as a HDD) and the iPhone.

 

[flyingember]

I think it is more a difference in the way a traditional iPod is handled (where you can manage it as a HDD) and the iPhone.

ipods have video recording, voice recording and other functions. they're in the same situation now