Data Jar

It is extremely helpful but sometimes crashes and doesn’t work at all not even opening.

Data Jar transforms what is possible with Shortcuts. I have been able to create complex and powerful automations because Data Jar creates ways to share state and information across them. Must have app!

I’ve been using this as a way to have a data store for shortcuts, and while it is great for so much of it, I think the weird inconsistencies in how well it works that I run into are a big stopper to my wanting to use it long term. I built so much into it, and I think it’s worth every penny, but if you have a large amount of data you want to store in it… you start running into odd issues that I don’t even think the dev can control easily. This is not a bug report, but when throwing multiple base64 encoded images into a value, it ends up crashing, and losing everything you threw at it, and stopping the shortcut. Is it weird to use it this way? Yes. Does that matter to my use? Eh, I mean, that’s kinda the point of this review, isn’t it? I’ve switched now to just using files storage for my stuff, and that makes me sad because the more I do it, the more I appreciate the ease of use of this app… but stability is more important in the long run, and more I’ve gotta go back, and redo so much of what I was doing before. Again, this is great if you don’t have too much to store all at once/the data you throw in is not _super_ important. Before starting the endeavor I’m on now a few months ago, I used it everyday without issue, or losing data basically ever. 💖

Data Jar is unique. It allows me to store tons of useful pieces of information in a pseudo-database style. And it is necessary as it allows me to grab that information and use it in ways that has just changed my work flow completely. I love to just “have a play” with it as Rosemarie Orchard might have said, but I also just forget that what I am doing day to day is reliant on the shortcuts which it supports. Also, it is solid in its ability to work between the Apple platforms. Can you tell I need this app? I do. Thank you Simon for making and continuing to watch over Data Jar.

Works great on iOS and iPadOS, but on Mac OS I’m not seeing it show up in Shortcuts to even use.

It’s quite impressive how someone could think of a simple solution like this! Data Jar is like that helpful page that you have hidden away in your spreadsheet, where you store all your complex formulas, booleans, and references. This way, you can keep your main spreadsheet (or the Shortcuts app, in this case) neat and organized.

I love you

Set value will only let me select a file. Thinking this app could be super powerful if it worked fully

Just works for my simple purpose. Thank you Simon!

Data Jar is an absolute must-have if you use the Shortcuts app. It makes storing and managing data very easy. It honestly feels like a missing piece of Shortcuts that Apple never gave us.