What can I use to open / edit Bike files on iOS/iPad?

Bike Outliner
1

I’m keen to give Bike a try, but i’ll miss being able to view and edit outlines on iPhone and iPad. I understand it’s not likely there’ll be a Bike app for mobile in the near future, but wonder if others have found a good way to work with Bike files on iPhone and iPad?

3

Here is a list of Bike compatible outliners, some of which are available for iPhone and iPad.
I’m trying Zavala and Outliner (https://carbonfin.com/) with Bike, just now. :grinning:

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4

I use Zavala on iOS and find it sufficient when away from the desk.

5

On the “Bike Compatible Apps” page, I read the following claims re/ Omnioutliner compatibility with Bike. “OPML mode available. Work on the same file in Bike and OmniOutliner without import/export. Share an OPML document on iCloud Drive and edit on iOS with OmniOutliner and on macOS with Bike and/or OmniOutliner.”
This would be magnificent if true, and for me at least, would solve the sync problem with iOS (which for me is essential), as OmniOutliner for iOS is a decent app. However, I simply cannot find a way to get OmniOutliner to open Bike files, or vice versa. Any suggestions on how to do this would be greatly appreciated!

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6

File > Save As > File Format > opml

Or, to work with opml as the default format for new documents in Bike:

Preferences > Document > Default Type > OPML

(Bike will correctly open files which have an .opml extension)

Finally, when you copy an outline in Bike, the clipboard always includes an opml pasteboard item, which many OPML applications, including OmniOutliner, will recognise for pasting.

So, for example, even if you are editing a file with a .bike extension, you can:

  1. select and copy all or part of its its outline,
  2. click on a bullet (rather than entering an edit field selection) in macOS OmniOutliner, and
  3. paste.

(The Bike outline will be pasted into OmniOutliner in a pre-collapsed form, and you can use OO View > Expand All ^⌘9 to expand it)

2 Likes
7

Thank you very much for this detailed response. Your instructions are crystal clear and work perfectly, even in these tech-clumsy hands.

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8

I think Outlinely is no more developed… pity