Can iPad access files from a Win 7 public shared folder?

Evander

Golden Member
Jun 18, 2001
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Have some files that are too big to send via email and there is private information so I don't want to upload them anywhere to the web. So I was thinking of having the iPad download from the home network public shared folder instead. But I don't use the iPad so I'm not sure if it's something it can do, and if it can - how.

Alternatively, if there is a direct iPad to PC connection via USB that will do the trick, that will also work. I've connected that iPad to PC before to backup its pictures, but I'm not sure if I can copy stuff over to it from the PC. If this HAS to be done via iTunes, how can I make sure this iPad does NOT interfere with MY iTunes account or try to access it? In other words, I don't want the iPad to think it's suddenly tied to my account nor do I want my Windows machine to suddenly think the existing iPad account (if there is one, I dunno) is now something that should be showing up on my iTunes for Windows
 

Aikouka

Lifer
Nov 27, 2001
30,383
912
126
Have some files that are too big to send via email and there is private information so I don't want to upload them anywhere to the web. So I was thinking of having the iPad download from the home network public shared folder instead. But I don't use the iPad so I'm not sure if it's something it can do, and if it can - how.

What sort of files are they? Ultimately, you'll need an app that can handle it. If they're documents or anything like that, your best bet might be to use GoodReader.

Alternatively, if there is a direct iPad to PC connection via USB that will do the trick, that will also work. I've connected that iPad to PC before to backup its pictures, but I'm not sure if I can copy stuff over to it from the PC. If this HAS to be done via iTunes, how can I make sure this iPad does NOT interfere with MY iTunes account or try to access it? In other words, I don't want the iPad to think it's suddenly tied to my account nor do I want my Windows machine to suddenly think the existing iPad account (if there is one, I dunno) is now something that should be showing up on my iTunes for Windows

I believe the iPad would need to be sync'd with that iTunes library for you to start copying files over to it via iTunes.
 

postmortemIA

Diamond Member
Jul 11, 2006
7,721
40
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You should have gotten an Android tablet if you intend to have more freedom with file system. Instead of walled garden. Apple protects iOS file system, so you can't get access to it, and you can't open file of arbitrary extension, unless they it is a picture or media recognizes by iTunes. So even downloading an arbitrary file and emailing it is out of picture..
Also you can't hook up iOS device just like USB drive, nothing without using the iTunes.
Looks like there are 2 options:
1. jailbreaking
2. use some app such as iExplorer http://www.macroplant.com/iexplorer/ that gives you some access,

On the Android side, there are apps that can navigate Windows shares, even admin shares such as \\<computer name>\C$. Your memory card or internal memory file system is accessible, and you can store extensions that you don't use natively on the device.
 

Tegeril

Platinum Member
Apr 2, 2003
2,906
5
81
You should have gotten an Android tablet if you intend to have more freedom with file system. Instead of walled garden. Apple protects iOS file system, so you can't get access to it, and you can't open file of arbitrary extension, unless they it is a picture or media recognizes by iTunes. So even downloading an arbitrary file and emailing it is out of picture..
Also you can't hook up iOS device just like USB drive, nothing without using the iTunes.
Looks like there are 2 options:
1. jailbreaking
2. use some app such as iExplorer http://www.macroplant.com/iexplorer/ that gives you some access,

On the Android side, there are apps that can navigate Windows shares, even admin shares such as \\<computer name>\C$. Your memory card or internal memory file system is accessible, and you can store extensions that you don't use natively on the device.

None of this is entirely accurate.

Different applications expose differing levels of functionality. For example, iCab Mobile can download files from the web, it can decompress zip files, and it can play media from its own 'walled' filesystem. If another application is installed on the device that is registered for a specific extension, many applications allow you to 'open in' another app (including Apple Mail - I wrote an application that handles XML and you can choose any application that handles XML to open that attachment).

In many cases Dropbox can also be extremely helpful as a means of 'accessing a filesystem' as many applications integrate the ability to push files to Dropbox (iCab included) and Dropbox can exist on any other system.

Yes, there is more freedom via Android, sure, but the iOS app store provides many avenues to gain access to external file systems (and there are apps in the store that will indeed let you browse the file system of a shared computer - 2 seconds of Googling got me: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/filebrowser-access-files-on/id364738545?mt=8 ).
 

Evander

Golden Member
Jun 18, 2001
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I just got the disc w/ the files on it. It's a single PDF file that's too large for email (43 meg) and like I said I don't want to upload it to the web for the iPad to d/l b/c it has private information.

I don't own an iPad so I don't know much about doing this sort of thing - I'm doing it for someone else