Adds iCloud client

[davidmerfield]

• Determine how best to share a given folder in iCloud drive with a given email address programatically I have a draft applescript in app/clients/icloud/server/applescript.scpt
  • we could also use browser automation? could this even be done completely on Blot's server, with no rented mac?
• Finish the UI stuff to make the client work on Blot's dashboard
• Create iCloud account for Blot
• Write script to init git client for iCloud clients

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• Determine the manner of communication from Blot's server to the Mac
• It seems like montaigne.io are doing something similar with Apple notes. Is it worth contacting them for tips? We have corresponded in the past
• There is an unofficial API: https://github.com/MauriceConrad/iCloud-API
• Determine the best company to rent a Mac server, options include:
  • https://www.rentyourmac.com/cloud/product/mac-mini-late-2014/
  • https://www.scaleway.com/en/pricing/?tags=available,baremetal-macminim1-macminim1
  • https://www.greenmini.nl/
  • https://www.macstadium.com/
  • https://www.oakhost.net/
  • https://www.hetzner.com/
  • https://www.hostmyapple.com/

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• Release a beta
  • Nat and Roberto have volunteered for testing

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[rmateu]

+1 for testing!

[davidmerfield]

@rmateu Great, I've added you to the list

[aewhite77]

Also love to assist in testing

[davidmerfield]

@aewhite77 Excellent, please send us an email and I'll add you to the list to be notified

[aewhite77]

I would love to test the icloud sync and will move my blog from Dropbox over to test for you.

…

On Oct 12, 2022, at 11:47 AM, David Merfield ***@***.***> wrote: @aewhite77 <https://github.com/aewhite77> Excellent, please send us an email <https://blot.im/contact> and I'll add you to the list to be notified — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#550 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/ABW5WPHDD66FUPD4XIHKX33WC3MQ3ANCNFSM5ZCXSGUQ>. You are receiving this because you were mentioned.

[podviaznikov]

It seems like montaigne.io are doing something similar with Apple notes. Is it worth contacting them for tips? We have corresponded in the past

@davidmerfield happy to help. iCloud for Blot should be very doable. I think the only small problem is the flow to Share folders in iCloud. It's not as straightforward as Dropbox that creates App folder for the user. But it's also doable.

[jasonshew]

I would love to test iCloud sync. I've been an iCloud (2TB) user for years and it doesn't make sense to spend another $15 on DropBox or Google Drive. Plus I have come across some Google Drive sync issues, like failing to delete an automatically generated image post. Would love to see iCloud in the lineup!

[ltgreer]

Looking forward to iCloud sync!

[logorrhoea]

If this still needs testing, happy to be a tester. Holding off installing Dropbox on my Mac if iCloud sync is near to being released.

[ltgreer]

If this still needs testing, happy to be a tester. Holding off installing Dropbox on my Mac if iCloud sync is near to being released.

Ditto!

[juter]

Hey, long time Blot user and have been waiting for this for a while - would be happy to test if you're still in need of testers.

[davidmerfield]

I've decided that I will wait for Apple to release an iCloud Drive API (as Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, etc. already do).

Since there is no iCloud Drive API, the workaround I had planned was to run a Mac server, connected to the internet and powered 24/7, signed into Blot's iCloud account. I'd use Apple Script to automate the creation of blog folders folders within iCloud Drive on the Mac server and then automate the sharing of those folders with your iCloud email addresses. The Mac server would then watch the blog folders for changes and then in turn, sync them with Blot's server.

After thorough experimentation, I have concluded the workaround I was planning to use is unreliable – perhaps this seems obvious based on the description of the proposed system in the previous paragraph – but I was hoping I could get this to work.

If you want to help, please apply pressure on Apple to release an API for iCloud Drive.