Open Tab

The Open tab lets you select a pattern to load from a number of different sources:

• The large collection of patterns supplied with the app.
• The most recently opened patterns (from newest to oldest).
• Patterns you have saved (stored in Documents/Saved/).
• Patterns you have downloaded (stored in Documents/Downloads/).

In the last two cases you have the option of deleting a file by tapping on the "DELETE" link.

Text files stored in Documents have an "EDIT" link which will display the file's contents and let you edit it. The resulting view has a Save button which lets you save any changes to the original file or to a new file. Text files supplied with the app have a "READ" link so you can view the file (editing is disabled and there is no Save button).

When you tap on a link to a pattern file, Golly will load the pattern and automatically switch to the Pattern tab. (However, if you tap on a link to a zip file, Golly will switch to the Help tab and display its contents there.)

File sharing using iTunes

Golly supports the transfer of pattern files and rule files from a desktop computer to your iPad (or vice versa) by using iTunes file sharing.

A minor annoyance is that iTunes only lets you put files into the Documents folder and not inside the various sub-folders that Golly uses. But it's not really a problem because when you switch to Golly's Open tab or tap the Pattern tab's Rule button, Golly will check for files in the Documents folder and automatically move them into the appropriate sub-folders. Any files with extensions of .rule, .tree or .table are moved into Documents/Rules/. Any .colors or .icons files are ignored. All other files are assumed to be pattern files and are moved into Documents/Saved/. Note that any existing files with the same names as the files being moved will be replaced.