How to use iCloud to store and sync app files

Question

I already have an iPhone App that stores data in a file in the local documents folder. Now I learnt about iCloud technologies and my first question was: is there a way to use iCloud as a directory when sometimes I check for new versions?

I mean: can I avoid using UIDocument, file coordinators and file presenters? I want just to know if could treat iCloud like a special folder and only use NSFileManager to push and retrieve files.

Last note: I don't use Core Data or any database, I only have a data file.

Edit:

I already read the official Apple iCloud documentation so don't link me to them. I only need some code examples.

Answer 1

What "works" for me is just simple:

NSFileManager *fm = [NSFileManager defaultManager];

NSURL *ubiq = [[NSFileManager defaultManager] URLForUbiquityContainerIdentifier:nil];

if (ubiq == nil) {
    return NO;
}

NSError *theError = nil;

[fm setUbiquitous:true itemAtURL:backupUrl destinationURL:[[ubiq URLByAppendingPathComponent:@"Documents" isDirectory:true] URLByAppendingPathComponent:backupName] error:&theError];

Apple says to call on the non-UI thread. Having the files "moved". You can query for them via NSMetaDataQuerylike this:

self.query = [[NSMetadataQuery alloc] init];
[self.query setSearchScopes:[NSArray arrayWithObject:NSMetadataQueryUbiquitousDocumentsScope]];
NSPredicate *pred = [NSPredicate predicateWithFormat: @"%K like '*.db'", NSMetadataItemFSNameKey];
[self.query setPredicate:pred];
[[NSNotificationCenter defaultCenter] addObserver:self 
                                         selector:@selector(queryDidFinishGathering:) 
                                             name:NSMetadataQueryDidFinishGatheringNotification 
                                           object:self.query];

[self.query startQuery];

- (void)queryDidFinishGathering:(NSNotification *)notification {
    NSMetadataQuery *query = [notification object];
    [query disableUpdates];
    [query stopQuery];

    [self loadData:query];

    [[NSNotificationCenter defaultCenter] removeObserver:self name:NSMetadataQueryDidFinishGatheringNotification object:query];

    self.query = nil; 
}

Sample of enumeration through the query results:

- (void)loadData:(NSMetadataQuery *)query {
    [self.backups removeAllObjects];

    for (NSMetadataItem *item in [query results]) {
        NSURL *url = [item valueForAttribute:NSMetadataItemURLKey];
        [self.backups addObject:url.lastPathComponent];
    }

    [_table reloadData];

    [self.loadingBackupIndicator stopAnimating];
    self.loadingIndicatorLabel.text = [NSString stringWithFormat: @"%d backups found", [self.backups count]];
}

And to start "download" of the concrete file:

NSFileManager *fm = [NSFileManager defaultManager];

NSURL *ubiq = [[NSFileManager defaultManager] URLForUbiquityContainerIdentifier:nil];

if (ubiq == nil) {
    return NO;
}

NSError *theError = nil;

bool started = [fm startDownloadingUbiquitousItemAtURL:[[ubiq URLByAppendingPathComponent:@"Documents" isDirectory:true] URLByAppendingPathComponent:backupName] error:&theError];

NSLog(@"started download for %@ %d", backupName, started);

if (theError != nil) {
    NSLog(@"iCloud error: %@", [theError localizedDescription]);
}

With checks for file "being downloaded":

- (BOOL)downloadFileIfNotAvailable {
    NSNumber *isIniCloud = nil;

    NSURL *ubiq = [[NSFileManager defaultManager] URLForUbiquityContainerIdentifier:nil];

    NSURL *file = [[ubiq URLByAppendingPathComponent:@"Documents" isDirectory:true] URLByAppendingPathComponent:self.backupName];

    if ([file getResourceValue:&isIniCloud forKey:NSURLIsUbiquitousItemKey error:nil]) {
        // If the item is in iCloud, see if it is downloaded.
        if ([isIniCloud boolValue]) {
            NSNumber*  isDownloaded = nil;
            if ([file getResourceValue:&isDownloaded forKey:NSURLUbiquitousItemIsDownloadedKey error:nil]) {
                if ([isDownloaded boolValue]) {
                    [self.loadingBackupIndicator stopAnimating];
                    self.loadingIndicatorLabel.text = @"Downloaded";

                    ....

                    [[NSFileManager defaultManager] copyItemAtPath:[file path] toPath:restorePath error:&theError ];

                    ....

                    return YES;
                }

                self.loadingCheckTimer = [NSTimer timerWithTimeInterval:3.0f target:self selector:@selector(downloadFileIfNotAvailable) userInfo:nil repeats:NO];
                [[NSRunLoop currentRunLoop] addTimer:self.loadingCheckTimer forMode:NSDefaultRunLoopMode];

                return NO;
            }
        }
    }

    return YES;
}

I didn't expect the code to be that long and sorry for providing very raw snippets here. No intent to say the above can be a production quality of code, just sharing the concept.

I have not yet submitted that inside my app to Apple, so can't tell that would be "approved" to the app store (if they find or care...)