Syncronization
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Any recommendations on a method or software for file syncronization. I have a laptop and a desktop. I want to keep certain folders between the two syncronized. I have tried working with Microsoft's "make available offline" but it does not quite work the way I would like. I just want to run the syncronization and it will compare the directories if one file is newer than the other than it will override, plain and simple. Also, the syncronization will be done over a network, not directly connecting the computers to each other. Mark Sanders sanderssolutions.com
Make a batch file that just does xcopy Assuming c:\docs is your desktop PC's docs folder and z:\docs is a shared folder on the laptop that's visable to the desktop, then what you'd need is:
xcopy z:\docs c:\docs /E /R /Y /K /D
xcopy c:\docs z:\docs /E /R /Y /K /D/E makes it handle subdirectories recursively /R ignores read only attributes and copies anyway /Y suppresses "file exists - do you want to overright?" prompts /K copies file attributes /D only copies a file when the source file is newer than the destination file So basically, the first line will copy all files that exist in the laptop's folder, but not on the desktop, then examine all the files that exist on both, and copy those that have changed on the laptop The second line then does the same in reverse, copying new files on the desktop onto the laptop Note that it has no intelligence whatsoever, so if you modify a file on both the desktop and the laptop, you'll just end up with which ever version was saved most recently copied to both computers (i.e. it won't merge) As long as you only plan to work on one machine at a time, or work on different files on the two machines, then this shouldn't be a problem I'd give this a good test, and keep backups yourself before you try this, as I may have made a stupid mistake, but I use a batch file that's similar for updating data files on a server (since I only want to copy the files that have actually changed each time) -- Help me! I'm turning into a grapefruit!
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Any recommendations on a method or software for file syncronization. I have a laptop and a desktop. I want to keep certain folders between the two syncronized. I have tried working with Microsoft's "make available offline" but it does not quite work the way I would like. I just want to run the syncronization and it will compare the directories if one file is newer than the other than it will override, plain and simple. Also, the syncronization will be done over a network, not directly connecting the computers to each other. Mark Sanders sanderssolutions.com
Mark, I tried a few such tools and found none works really well. Given that, you might just as well continue using "Offline folders", which are free and not worse than the rest. Personally, I settled on the perfect synchronization solution: no synchronisation. Eliminate the desktop. Modern laptops leave nothing to be desired unless you're only happy with the soldering iron out. Bernd
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Any recommendations on a method or software for file syncronization. I have a laptop and a desktop. I want to keep certain folders between the two syncronized. I have tried working with Microsoft's "make available offline" but it does not quite work the way I would like. I just want to run the syncronization and it will compare the directories if one file is newer than the other than it will override, plain and simple. Also, the syncronization will be done over a network, not directly connecting the computers to each other. Mark Sanders sanderssolutions.com
What you've described is the "My Briefcase" functionality in most versions of Windows. Alternatively, what I do when writing books is to just use Source Safe. I just keep all the related files in a project, check it out on whatever machine I'm using and check it back in when I'm done, just like code. To synchronize folders, I just do a "Get latest version". I not only keep folders in sync, I get versioning as well. For your needs, the Briefcase would probably be the most direct solution. Right click, select New and then Briefcase. Not much to it, and I've had good luck with it in the past. Chistopher Duncan Author - The Career Programmer: Guerilla Tactics for an Imperfect World (Apress)
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Any recommendations on a method or software for file syncronization. I have a laptop and a desktop. I want to keep certain folders between the two syncronized. I have tried working with Microsoft's "make available offline" but it does not quite work the way I would like. I just want to run the syncronization and it will compare the directories if one file is newer than the other than it will override, plain and simple. Also, the syncronization will be done over a network, not directly connecting the computers to each other. Mark Sanders sanderssolutions.com
The fastest solution is by using rsync. RSync transmits the changed files, but better than this, only the changed parts of the changed files. I synchronize enourmous CVS repositories over a VPN (for offsite backup) over a 256Kb ADSL link in less than a minute. You should be able to find a Win32 implementation of rsync easily on Google (the client can be found on cygwin, but I never tried a rsyncd - the server - on Windows). I see dumb people
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What you've described is the "My Briefcase" functionality in most versions of Windows. Alternatively, what I do when writing books is to just use Source Safe. I just keep all the related files in a project, check it out on whatever machine I'm using and check it back in when I'm done, just like code. To synchronize folders, I just do a "Get latest version". I not only keep folders in sync, I get versioning as well. For your needs, the Briefcase would probably be the most direct solution. Right click, select New and then Briefcase. Not much to it, and I've had good luck with it in the past. Chistopher Duncan Author - The Career Programmer: Guerilla Tactics for an Imperfect World (Apress)
I have not tried "My Briefcase" because when I read the Microsoft documentation for it it said that "My Briefcase" is designed for a couple of files and to be done over a direct connection between computers. Microsoft suggested "Offline Files" for large files done over the network. The problem was that when I used offline files I could not find a way to make a virtual directory in IIS accept the offline file. Mark Sanders sanderssolutions.com
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I have not tried "My Briefcase" because when I read the Microsoft documentation for it it said that "My Briefcase" is designed for a couple of files and to be done over a direct connection between computers. Microsoft suggested "Offline Files" for large files done over the network. The problem was that when I used offline files I could not find a way to make a virtual directory in IIS accept the offline file. Mark Sanders sanderssolutions.com
Geez, you read the manuals? Man, don't admit that in front of your peers - you make the rest of us look bad! :-) Being unencumbered by RTFM, I've been using the Briefcase stuff for keeping folders in sync over a network for years. I typically have 4 or 5 machines networked in the house at any given time, and it's served me well. It's also how I take stuff on the road via my laptop & then sync it back up when I get home. Give it a try & see if it does what you want. Chistopher Duncan Author - The Career Programmer: Guerilla Tactics for an Imperfect World (Apress)
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Geez, you read the manuals? Man, don't admit that in front of your peers - you make the rest of us look bad! :-) Being unencumbered by RTFM, I've been using the Briefcase stuff for keeping folders in sync over a network for years. I typically have 4 or 5 machines networked in the house at any given time, and it's served me well. It's also how I take stuff on the road via my laptop & then sync it back up when I get home. Give it a try & see if it does what you want. Chistopher Duncan Author - The Career Programmer: Guerilla Tactics for an Imperfect World (Apress)
But if I don't read, how can I ever get around to buying your book :laugh: Mark Sanders sanderssolutions.com
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But if I don't read, how can I ever get around to buying your book :laugh: Mark Sanders sanderssolutions.com
Mark Sanders wrote: But if I don't read, how can I ever get around to buying your book :omg: You mean you haven't bought a copy for everyone on your team yet? Here, wait, let me find an order form... And even if you don't read, it comes in really handy as a blunt instrument when Marketing waltzes in with yet another ill conceived scheme. Just remember, strike binder first - makes a bigger, er, impression. :-D Chistopher Duncan Author - The Career Programmer: Guerilla Tactics for an Imperfect World (Apress)
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Any recommendations on a method or software for file syncronization. I have a laptop and a desktop. I want to keep certain folders between the two syncronized. I have tried working with Microsoft's "make available offline" but it does not quite work the way I would like. I just want to run the syncronization and it will compare the directories if one file is newer than the other than it will override, plain and simple. Also, the syncronization will be done over a network, not directly connecting the computers to each other. Mark Sanders sanderssolutions.com
I had the exact same problem a few weeks ago when I bought a laptop. I tried using "briefcase" for a while, but it is not very good; there are numerous problems with it (I won't get into them unless you are interested in why you shouldn't use briefcase), so I eventually ditched it. I went and found a freeware file sychronization utility and it works quite well ( http://downloads-zdnet.com.com/3000-2248-7708520.html[^] ) It's not very fancy, and it's a little slow, but it does a good job making sure your directories are synchronized. ------------------------------------------ They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. - Benjamin Franklin In an encampment expecting daily attack from a powerful enemy, self-preservation is paramount to all law. - Thomas Jefferson
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Any recommendations on a method or software for file syncronization. I have a laptop and a desktop. I want to keep certain folders between the two syncronized. I have tried working with Microsoft's "make available offline" but it does not quite work the way I would like. I just want to run the syncronization and it will compare the directories if one file is newer than the other than it will override, plain and simple. Also, the syncronization will be done over a network, not directly connecting the computers to each other. Mark Sanders sanderssolutions.com
Don't go with the Briefcase solution. The 'offline folders' is its follow up and much better. I have been using the 'offline files' scenario for years now and it works for me: my laptop always carries several directories with files which actually live on my home server. When I change either, just connecting the laptop in my home network synchronizes either way. I even have files from different servers in different networks! Too bad 'offline files' disables multi user logons... On the other hand, I do have some projects on my laptop's drive which don't live in an offline folder, for performance reasons. The offline files system uses its own storing scheme and grows slower over time. To synchronize these files with server versions, I mainly use Araxis Merge, an excellent directory and file compare package. If you want to do it for free, google for "Robodoc". It was part of a Microsoft toolkit long ago, but you may be able to find it someware. Written by a Microsoft employee, this commandline utility synchronizes files and directories. VictorV
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Any recommendations on a method or software for file syncronization. I have a laptop and a desktop. I want to keep certain folders between the two syncronized. I have tried working with Microsoft's "make available offline" but it does not quite work the way I would like. I just want to run the syncronization and it will compare the directories if one file is newer than the other than it will override, plain and simple. Also, the syncronization will be done over a network, not directly connecting the computers to each other. Mark Sanders sanderssolutions.com
I like the Fileware FileSync utility: http://www.fileware.com/products.htm#Filesync[^] The only problem that I've run into is that we run NTFS on the server and FAT32 on the workstations... so twice a year the file date and times are off by 1 hour... Steven J. Ackerman, Consultant ACS, Sarasota, FL http://www.acscontrol.com steve@acscontrol.com sja@gte.net