How to Sync the Things App for Mac with MobileMe

I use and depend upon Cultured Code’s Things application to keep my tasks and to-dos organized. Things is a really cool for the iPhone/iTouch and for your Mac computer. Both apps sync and you can keep your to-dos with you all the time. You can either use the mobile or computer app to add and update your tasks.

My biggest problem was keeping the computer app updated at home and at work. I can keep my home Things app updated when I sync over the same network as my iTouch. However, my iTouch does not connect to the same network at work as my Mac Pro desktop because the iTouch uses the wireless connection and my desktop uses a wired connection.

Cultured Code says that you cannot use MobileMe to sync your Things tasks because they are stored in your user library, and MobileMe does not automatically sync all the contents of your library folder at:

/Library/Application Support/Cultured Code/

However, you can change the location of your Things files by holding down the option/alt key while opening Things from the Finder (does not work when opening from the Dock). A dialog will be displayed that lets you either create a new Things library or choose an existing one.

A MobileMe Account Saves the Day

The trick to making this work is to have a MobileMe account that you set up to always sync the most recent version of your files. You have to do this through the MobileMe setup in System Preferences.

You then have to move your Things library into your local copy of your iDisk (I created a new Library folder and Application Support folder in my iDisk Documents folder, and I copied the Cultured Code folder into this new iDisk folder). You find your Things library in “/Library/Application Support/Cultured Code/”. Then tell Things where your new library is located (in the local iDisk).

Sync with your Second Computer

When you are at your other computer, turn on iDisk Sync with always keeping the most receive version of a file. Then tell Things where your new library is located (in your local iDisk). Tada! Your Things tasks are now synchronized between computers!