It seems like something changed in a recent version of WebDAVNav. We don’t have a solution yet.
It still works fine with the latest version of WebDAVNav Server and OF 1 (using a direct IP address)
Well, since my upgrade to Yosemite 10.10, I can’t run OF1’s Bonjour sync anymore so the instructions I wrote (above) don’t work. That’s because OF1’s sync had localized server configs and trying to change them to work with the new libraries in Yosemite was a pain.
So I bit the bullet and bought OS X Server 4.0 for Yosemite and configured a WebDAV service for OmniFocus 2 and it works just fine as described here: https://support.omnigroup.com/omnifocus-sync-osx-server
Why Server vs the free WebDAVNavServer? Because I trust Apple’s security and their updates more than I trust Schimera Pty Ltd.
Hopefully future OmniFocus updates would support SMB3 with encryption.
OK GUYS:
Someone out there is Lost in the Maze of Confusion.
You want local sync without the cloud to connect your iphone with OF2 to your Mac with OF2.
Bonjour no longer works.
They said you have to use WebDav Instead.
Its simple.
It works.
I have OF2 on Yosemite on MacBook Pro mid 2014 plus OF2 on iOS7 on an iPhone 5. Should work with OF1 too.
But you need to get it right.
This is how I did it:
1/Get WebDavNav Server for Mac. Download it on the App Store for Free.
2/Install it. It should install to your menu bar as a little black folder. Or find it in LaunchPad for Mac.
3/Create a folder somewhere on your Mac and set it on WebDavNav as your sharing folder.
4/Not sure if this is necessary, but I also went to System Preferences>Sharing and made sure its a shared folder on there too.
5/WebDavNav settings…I did not use https. I only used http. Didnt use a password either. I am using it locally. I live in the bush. Who is going to fiddle locally? Its hackers on the web I am worried about not locals. Start with this simple configuration first to make it work. Once set up press STOP and START on your WebDavNav Server settings page.
6/Go to OF 2 for Mac (should work with OF1 also-but I havent proved it) and open Preferences> Synchronization> Advanced(WebDav)
7/Type in the local host version of the file location. Get this from your WebDavNav Server settings.
NOTE: DO NOT USE ANY CAPITALS! If you have capitals in your WebDav address.
Mine was http://marks-macbook-pro.local:8080
Once again CONVERT ANY CAPITALS IN THE ABOVE (your hostname must replace mine)…!
Include the port number.
Dont use the number version (mine was http://192.168.1.7:8080/)<-dont use this!
The above should work.
Then go to iphone>OF2>Settings>Sync Method>Custom (WebDav)>Address:
Type in same address you used for Mac.
Its likely that OF1 for iPhone will also work. Again I havent proved it.
Thats it! Your done!
You have now set up a WebDav Sync between Mac OF2 and iPhone OF2.
While ever you are on the same WIFI network it should sync.
Why didnt anybody else say it that simple?
Man I scanned the whole internet and wow what a pain in the neck to get such a simple outline.
I got bits and pieces here and there but nobody had it all together in one place.
If this works for you let me know.
LETS TELL OMNIFOCUS to make this a built in feature instead of making life a pain for those of us who live in the real world where internet is not always available 24 hours a day.
I work as a remote area doctor in Northern Vanuatu. How on earth am I going to use internet while flying into bush airstrips every day to see patients? I use OmniFocus for patient records. Get real Omni guys! Lets remember the world is bigger than the big cities where internet is available all the time. There are other places and other situations which require a more flexible way of synchronizing.
Besides this, who wants all your most private details about your own organizational posted to some internet cloud or accessible by some computer geek on the other side of the planet who may not have the discretion to keep that information totally private? What if your OmniFocus database contains some truly sensitive information you would like to keep to yourself? HIV records etc.
For these reason and many more, lets get the message across loud and clear to our friends who created OmniFocus to keep it universal. Dont strangle this powerhouse organizational tool by tying it to the cloud for everyone as some people simply cant work with that narrow requirement.
Mark T
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We absolutely agree that some people need the privacy or availability of a locally hosted web server.
However, due to Apple’s sandboxing constraints and some other technical considerations, it’s not really feasible for us to include this sort of feature inside OmniFocus itself anymore. We’d almost certainly have to supply it as a separate download, so the setup experience probably wouldn’t be much better than WebDAVNav. And honestly, this hypothetical server might not get updated for OS changes and security updates as promptly as WebDAVNav.
We’ve written our own guide on how to set up WebDAVNav. If you see any info that’s lacking or out of date, please let us know, so we can help others out?
Hi Lizard I appreciate the effort to explain the situation. But I cant congratulate too much.
I looked at your:
https://support.omnigroup.com/omnifocus-sync-webdavnav
Its a very unspecific guide for someone to set up webdavnav.
Bear in mind the average computer user is not going to know about setting up servers etc. Its got to be specific but simple for anyone to understand or you will lose many of your audience along the way.
Its going to be in OmniFocus’ best interest, judging by the scores of comments on the internet about this topic, to be a bit more specific than that.
Lets face it, user friendly service includes taking into consideration how to set this up for those who:
1/for whatever reason either cant use the internet 24 hours a day (but do have access to a router or network at home) or
2/may not be able to put a database of private information on a server/cloud rather than on their own computer-for work policy reasons etc.
Thats a big chunk of OmniFocus clients.
I would think that a person on the OmniFocus team should put a day or two into trying this out on different types of Macs/with different configurations and seeing what others may be going through in trying to follow this information. Its obviously working easily for some and not so for others.
For example, it took a lot of searching for me to figure out what would or would not work on my computer.
Even if its not your own software, how essential is syncing to your clients? Massively important, or mission critical, I would suggest.
I think you guys need to get this thing well under control and have a very clearcut solution or you will lose some of your devoted users.
I am hopelessly dependent on OmniFocus. Man what do I NOT use if for? So powerful. Its fantastic software, but its value without local syncing?.. If you hadnt put WebDav as a solution you would have already lost business with me.
OmniFocus, come back to the real world.
I’d be quite happy to have a separate download custom built mini WebDav Server for OmniFocus. Make it idiot proof. Make WebDav syncing a real breeze.
Instead of pouring cold water on this opportunity, just spread the word and sell the idea to one of the OF gurus out there to do it for you. Man you could make this yet another selling point. Someone has the expertise to put it together in a few minutes. Mr WebDavNav himself may even see it as a business opportunity. I’d pay for it. And I’ll stay with you guys into the future…
The OmniFocus team can do much better than this.
Mark
I give Omni a hard time on the UI, so to be fair, I need to side with them in this case. Now that WebDAVNav server is available, it really is an acceptable solution - it’s not that hard to configure (tougher if you change networks a lot), and is actually more secure than the old system (which was running all the time). I can’t get it working with HTTPS, but that’s less of an issue for me, as I only sync on secured networks.
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Hi,
A solution that appears to be working for me is “AirStash”, it s little square box USB drive thing that takes an SD card as storage, and it can also act as a WebDav server [you can see it on amazon]. I brought mine a couple of years ago when trying to keep my iPhone and iPad files sync’d while on the move.
You turn on the gadget, and then instruct your iPhone and MacBook to connect up to its wifi network [it supports encrypted WAP2 I think]. You then tell OmniFocus Sync on the iPhone/Mac to use the http address provided by the AirStash. The easiest way to see the address is in the AirStash iPhone App.
Note: I had a problem getting OmniFocus2 for Mac to connect since it insists on you typing “https:://” in front of the address rather than “http://”, the AirStash only supplies a http:// WebDav server, but that’s okay since you’re communicating over your own WPA2 secured AirStash network anyway. The solution was that you have to cut ‘n’ paste the http:// URL from somewhere else [like safari’s address base] into the OmniFocus Webdav address box [the iPhone version doesn’t have this issue].
Admittedly I have to drop off my normal wifi network to sync up my OmniFocus2 database via the AirStash network, but I’m okay with that… since I don’t really want to send my own data over the corporate network anyway.
Maybe this will help someone else, its been working for me for a few days now.
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If I may echo some of the earlier posts, a direct-connect (USB) manual sync is the only acceptable solution for some of us in corporate environments, where our task descriptions may contain proprietary information (or in the case of the medical community, legally-protected information). Many of us cannot expose our OmniFocus data to an external server (however well-intentioned or well-secured), or to WiFi sniffing. If we desire to sync, or to backup, it must be via a direct-connect manual sync.
Please tell me that direct-connect manual sync can make the cut for future support! Please!
In case you missed Dave’s comments on this above — Apple unfortunately does not allow third-party developers any access to cable-based methods of sync, so there’s no way for us to offer this as a sync option. If that limitation ever changes in the future, we’ll certainly look into it!
We posted a new support article recently on how to use the free app WebDAVNav Server for syncing. Hope it helps!
