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Trying to understand synchronization.

Posted: 05.06.2008, 18:10
by cdysthe
Hi,

I am trying to understand how synchronization works, but I am having some problems. What I want is keeping a mirror of left on the right: If I add or change files on the left they should be changed and added to the right during sync. If files are deleted on the left, they should be deleted on the right. On the other hand, if I happen to do something on the right nothing should happen during sync, but next time I sync the mirrored situation should be restored. If someone could tell me what the settings should be for this (and maybe why) it would be very helpful.

Thank you in advance.

Posted: 06.06.2008, 11:36
by esnupe
Synch is one of the features I appreciate most and one I use frequently, from my desktop to an USB external HD and then from it to my portable and I really think it should be better explained. I think I understand most of it but I'm not sure I've been using it to its full potential. One thing I'm not sure is: if a file is changed on the left will it be overwritten on the right? Do I have to compare the checksum? Like you, I just want a mirror. Let's hope a more experienced user answers our question.
Cheers.

Posted: 06.06.2008, 13:21
by cdysthe
esnupe wrote:Synch is one of the features I appreciate most and one I use frequently, from my desktop to an USB external HD and then from it to my portable and I really think it should be better explained. I think I understand most of it but I'm not sure I've been using it to its full potential. One thing I'm not sure is: if a file is changed on the left will it be overwritten on the right? Do I have to compare the checksum? Like you, I just want a mirror. Let's hope a more experienced user answers our question.
Cheers.
I also have an external USB drive I used to back up on. Sync is perfect for that. I just want to know that when I sync I am creating a complete mirrored copy on the target. What I am most afraid of is not understanding the settings and make changes to the source side using older target files. Initially it would be helpful to understand what all those buttons under "Show" means. Does "Show" mean what we see in the two sync panes, or does it affect sync in itself? But again, some documentation would be great. I would write it myself if I only knew what was going on! :)

Posted: 06.06.2008, 13:36
by esnupe
That one I know :)
I generally only use two icons: the green arrow and the green arrow with the red dot, why? Because this way I'm sure that all new files will be copied and all existing files that have been modified will be replaced.
I don't use the equal, different or black arrows because I only sync from one HD to the other.
Hope that helps.

Posted: 06.06.2008, 13:58
by cdysthe
esnupe wrote:That one I know :)
I generally only use two icons: the green arrow and the green arrow with the red dot, why? Because this way I'm sure that all new files will be copied and all existing files that have been modified will be replaced.
I don't use the equal, different or black arrows because I only sync from one HD to the other.
Hope that helps.
Yes, but what I wonder is if those buttons are only visuals: Showing which files are equal, different, only on one side and such, or if they actually make a difference in what happens when you sync. When you hit the sync button there are options which I know affects the sync, but I am still not sure those buttons do. :)

Posted: 06.06.2008, 15:11
by esnupe
They are not only visual at all. They tell you what the sync is about to do, trust me. In any case you can quickly learn by creating two phantom directories and trying a few copies and moves and you will see.

Posted: 21.12.2008, 06:12
by homersimpson
Hi!

I'm just answering to your posts #3-#6, I'll answer #1 and #2 when I've a little more time.
cdysthe wrote:I also have an external USB drive I used to back up on. Sync is perfect for that. I just want to know that when I sync I am creating a complete mirrored copy on the target. What I am most afraid of is not understanding the settings and make changes to the source side using older target files. Initially it would be helpful to understand what all those buttons under "Show" means. Does "Show" mean what we see in the two sync panes, or does it affect sync in itself? But again, some documentation would be great. I would write it myself if I only knew what was going on! :)
The "Show" buttons selects WHICH files will be synced, and the small arrows beside the file names select WHAT to do with the files. These small arrows will be initialized with something useful, e.g. newer files will overwrite older ones (at least if you dont select the "ignore date" flag...)

So deselecting buttons in the Show panel will ignore those files in the syncing process. So if you want to make a backup of the left side to the right side, you will probably not select the blue arrows.
By using the Show buttons you can only say if some files should be synchronized, but you cannot say how to synchronize them. For this you have to use the small "action" arrows.

The small action arrows next to each file name can be modified so you can force newer files to be overwritten with older ones etc. You can toggle through various actions here (arrows mean copy / overwrite something, empty boxes, red unequal symbols and black equal symbols mean not touching the files). Or use the right mouse button and then the actions from the popup dialog.

In addition, you can do an "asymmetric backup" (see the "Synchronize..." dialog) that can be used to make a safe backup without overwriting the files in your working directory.


esnupe wrote:That one I know :)
I generally only use two icons: the green arrow and the green arrow with the red dot, why? Because this way I'm sure that all new files will be copied and all existing files that have been modified will be replaced.
I don't use the equal, different or black arrows because I only sync from one HD to the other.
Hope that helps.
Well this strongly depends on what "compare flags" you have selected. If you select "by content" and "ignore date" then your modified files will NOT have a green arrow but a red unequal symbol and will NOT show up in your files lists! And then they will NOT be synchronized! Only new files with be copied, but your modified files will stay out of sync forever!



cdysthe wrote:Yes, but what I wonder is if those buttons are only visuals: Showing which files are equal, different, only on one side and such,
Yes thats true (But the result of the comparing process will initialize the small action arrows, so you should watch them too!)
For example if you have two unequal files and then change the small unequal symbols to a blue or green arrow, then deselect the red symbol from the "show" panel, those files will be removed from the list and NOT be synced. The color of the files will show you the result of the comparing process even if you change the small arrows. So unequal files will always show up in red, even if you toggle to a green or blue arrow there.
cdysthe wrote: or if they actually make a difference in what happens when you sync. When you hit the sync button there are options which I know affects the sync, but I am still not sure those buttons do. :)
Well partly yes because you can add / remove files to / from the syncing process and because the actions will somehow be initialised (e.g. not existing files will be duplicated and newer files will overwrite older ones). You cannot change HOW the files will be synched by using the Show buttons. That can only be changed with the tiny arrows.

esnupe wrote:They are not only visual at all. They tell you what the sync is about to do, trust me.
Well ... partly ... but ... if you deselect them the corresponding files will not be touched. If you select them the actions depend on the small arrows beside the file names ... these are initialised with something but can be modified. If you deselect all the "Show" buttons, NOTHING will happen when synchronizing.

Above all, you can also select the "asymmetric backup" option in the syncing dialog, these can overrule the tiny action arrows! When selecting "backup of the left side", files will only be copied from left to right, not from right to left, even if you have some blue arrows in your list. Those will then be ignored because they contradict to the intended backup direction (and maybe you missed a small blue arrow in the long list of files ... ) so that flag will protect you from overwriting your files with stuff from the target directory.


esnupe wrote:In any case you can quickly learn by creating two phantom directories and trying a few copies and moves and you will see.
I can only agree to that :)


Markus

Posted: 21.12.2008, 09:57
by esnupe
One other feature I'm not entirely sure works is the ability to synch selected directories. I'll make it simple: I have as most people, many directories in "my documents" but I'm only interested in synching only a few of them but if I select them, the synch doesn't happen. I have to open the directory on both sides and synch the files within. What I mean is: is there a way to select only some directories and synch them?
Thank you.

Posted: 22.12.2008, 21:23
by wkrekik
What I mean is: is there a way to select only some directories and synch them?
An important issue for me too. Within FC synchronizing tool, the sole solution I have found is a lame one : excluding folder by multiple selection (shift - arrow) as in this image
Image
If there is a lot of folders to exclude, I switch to dedicated synchronizing softs :(