Zyzzyva: The Last Word in Word Study

How to Sync Your Quiz Data Between Desktop and iPhone

This tutorial will teach you how to sync your quiz data, including cardbox data, between the desktop and iPhone versions of Zyzzyva. This is done through a free file-syncing service called Dropbox. The tutorial will walk you through creating a Dropbox account and importing your quiz data so that the iPhone app and desktop program can both use it. This setup only needs to be done once.

Important Note 1: This tutorial assumes that you probably already have quiz data in the desktop version, but not in the iPhone version. If you already have quiz data in both versions, only one of them can be used and the other must be discarded. In future versions, Zyzzyva will be able to merge divergent quiz data intelligently, but for now, it can only sync a single block of quiz data.

Important Note 2: The desktop and iPhone versions do not share saved quizzes. The saved quizzes you create on the iPhone cannot be used on the desktop, and vice versa. In a future Zyzzyva version, saved quizzes will be shared between the iPhone and desktop versions, but currently they are not.

If you encounter any problems, please join the Zyzzyva Users group and send an email to the mailing list. There are many experienced users on this list, and you will probably receive help from someone fairly quickly.

STEP 1 - Update to the latest desktop version of Zyzzyva

Make sure you have installed Zyzzyva 2.1.7 or later. This will ensure that your version of Zyzzyva contains the latest updated lexicons.

STEP 2 - Create a Dropbox account

If you don't already have a Dropbox account, create one here:

http://zyzzyva.net/dropbox/signup.shtml

Also, follow the instructions on the Dropbox site for installing the Dropbox client program on your computer and setting up a Dropbox folder. Write down the location of the Dropbox folder on your computer. You will need it later in the tutorial.

STEP 3 - Link the Zyzzyva iPhone app to your Dropbox account

In the Zyzzyva iPhone app, go to the Settings tab and press the Link to Dropbox item. Alternatively, you can go to the Quiz tab and press the Sync button.
If you have the Dropbox app installed on your device, the Dropbox app will open. Otherwise, Safari will open. You will be presented with a page that says, "Zyzzyva is requesting access to your Dropbox account. Allow?" Press the Allow button.
You will be asked for your Dropbox username (your email address) and password. Enter this information in the correct input areas.
If all is successful, the Zyzzyva iPhone app will now be linked with your Dropbox account. If you are not returned to the Zyzzyva app automatically, you should press the Home button on your device and return to the Zyzzyva app.

STEP 4 - Sync the Zyzzyva iPhone app to Dropbox

In the Zyzzyva iPhone app, return to the Settings tab and press the Sync Now item. Alternatively, you can go to the Quiz tab and press the Sync button.
There will be indicators that a sync is taking place. If all is successful, the indicators will disappear after a short while and the Zyzzyva iPhone app will now be synced.

STEP 5 - Move your Zyzzyva data directory into your Dropbox folder

Start Zyzzyva on your computer.
Open the Preferences window by clicking the button that has an image of a wrench and screwdriver.
Write down the directory listed under the Data Directory preference.
Shut down Zyzzyva.
Open a file browser window and navigate to the Dropbox folder that you wrote down in STEP 2. Go to the Apps/Zyzzyva subdirectory under the Dropbox folder.

(If you don't see this subdirectory, make sure the Dropbox client program is running and that your computer is connected to the Internet. The Apps/Zyzzyva subdirectory should be created automatically as soon as the Dropbox client program connects to the Dropbox server.)

Open a second file browser window and navigate to the Data Directory that you wrote down earlier in STEP 5. You should see a few subdirectories such as lexicons, quiz, search, etc.
Navigate up one directory, and make a backup copy of the Data Directory. We will be moving files around, and data could be lost, so be sure to make a backup.
Navigate back into the Data Directory. Drag everything from the Data Directory (in the second file browser window) into the Apps/Zyzzyva directory (in the first file browser window).
The contents of the Data Directory may be large, so a file copy window may appear for a while. Wait for it to finish completely. The Apps/Zyzzyva directory will then contain subdirectories called lexicons, quiz, search, etc.
If the Dropbox client program is running and the computer is connected to the Internet, the Dropbox icon in the system tray should display a small, spinning blue arrow. This indicates that Dropbox is syncing the contents of the Dropbox folder. Wait for it to finish completely. If you have a lot of data, this may take several minutes. When the Dropbox icon in the tray stops spinning and shows a green check mark, your data is synced.

STEP 6 - Change Zyzzyva's data directory setting

Start Zyzzyva on your computer.
Since you moved the contents of Zyzzyva's data directory, it may prompt you to create lexicon databases. If this happens, click No.
Open the Preferences window by clicking the button with a wrench and screwdriver.
Click the Browse button next to the Data Directory setting.
In the file browser that appears, navigate to the Dropbox folder, then continue and select the Apps/Zyzzyva directory. This will be the new location of Zyzzyva's data directory.
The Data Directory setting should now display the Dropbox folder subdirectory ending in Apps/Zyzzyva. If it doesn't, click the Browse button again and make sure to select the Apps/Zyzzyva subdirectory.
Click OK on the Preferences window.
Restart Zyzzyva.
Zyzzyva should now function as normally. If it asks you to create lexicon databases, something has gone wrong. You should repeat STEP 6 and try to determine what happened.

Congratulations!

Your data is now synced between your desktop and your device. Feel free to do quizzes on one machine or the other, or both. However, if you take quizzes on multiple devices simultaneously without syncing, you will probably end up with a file conflict. If this happens, the app will prompt you to choose whether you would like to keep the changes you made on the iPhone, or the changes you made on the desktop.

Some helpful tips for avoiding data conflicts

In the Zyzzyva iPhone app...

Always press the Sync button on the Quiz tab before beginning a study session. This will ensure that you have the latest version of the quiz data before you begin.
Always press the Sync button on the Quiz tab after ending a study session. This will ensure that your changes are available to your other devices.
During a sync, you can press the Home button to access other apps, or press the Sleep/Wake button to put the device to sleep. The sync will continue in the background until it is complete.
During a sync, you will be unable to take a quiz or modify data on the Manage tab, but you can still access the Search, Judge, and Settings tabs as normally.
If a sync is taking too long, you can go to the Settings tab and press the Cancel Sync button. The sync will be cancelled immediately.

In the Zyzzyva desktop program...

Always make sure the Dropbox client program is running and displays a green check mark before beginning a study session. This will ensure you have the latest version of the quiz data before you begin.
Always close the Quiz tab after ending a study session. This will unlock the quiz database and allow it to be synced with Dropbox. This will ensure that your changes are available to your other devices.

Buy Zyzzyva Stuff!

You can buy Zyzzyva T-shirts, sweatshirts, mugs and more at the Zyzzyva Online Store. For every item you buy, a percentage goes to me to help continue Zyzzyva development. It's a great way to get some classy Zyzzyva gear while helping out the project at the same time!

* SALE! *

I have some items left over from the Zyzzyva fundraiser, and I'm selling them here. While supplies last, you can buy T-shirts directly from me cheaper than you can buy them at the CafePress store linked above. You can buy tile sets and lapel pins cheaply, too.

If you find Zyzzyva useful, I would be very happy to receive a donation via PayPal, which you can do by clicking the button below. Thank you for your support!