Folder sync; semantic problems

[Guest]

I'm having a difficult time understanding what "synchronization" means. I
know that it means that 2 folders are to be the same. But there are several
ways to make 2 folders identical. You can subtract from A until it's like
B, or add to B until it's like A--or a little of both. What I want to do is
make B look just like A in every respect, including any changes in
sub-folder titles.

The folders I want to synchronize are 70GB, have 200 sub-folders, and each
subfolder has many sub-sub-folders. They are, of course, my music files.
Most changes are additions of new files, but I also frequently change the
actual sound file without changing the name. I also change the name of
certain files or fix typos without changing the sound file.

What I need is some means of keeping track of every change I make in file A
and applying it to B before logging off. I NEVER want the program to change
file A, but just to make B exactly like A, even when it involves removing a
file from B.

Any good ideas?

Thanks muchly,

Norm Strong

 

[beenthere]

I'm having a difficult time understanding what "synchronization" means. I
know that it means that 2 folders are to be the same. But there are
several ways to make 2 folders identical. You can subtract from A until
it's like B, or add to B until it's like A--or a little of both. What I
want to do is make B look just like A in every respect, including any
changes in sub-folder titles.

The folders I want to synchronize are 70GB, have 200 sub-folders, and each
subfolder has many sub-sub-folders. They are, of course, my music files.
Most changes are additions of new files, but I also frequently change the
actual sound file without changing the name. I also change the name of
certain files or fix typos without changing the sound file.

What I need is some means of keeping track of every change I make in file
A and applying it to B before logging off. I NEVER want the program to
change file A, but just to make B exactly like A, even when it involves
removing a file from B.

Any good ideas?

have a look at Syncback NS:
http://www.dirfile.com/syncback.htm

Just click on download:

 

[dadiOH]

I'm having a difficult time understanding what "synchronization"
means. I know that it means that 2 folders are to be the same. But
there are several ways to make 2 folders identical. You can subtract
from A until it's like B, or add to B until it's like A--or a little
of both. What I want to do is make B look just like A in every
respect, including any changes in sub-folder titles.

Any good ideas?

Karen's Replicator. Quickly copies and you can have it delete from "B"
anything not in "A" (see "Settings" for the job you create).
http://www.karenware.com/powertools/ptreplicator.asp

--

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico

 

[Craig]

What I need is some means of keeping track of every change I make in file A
and applying it to B before logging off. I NEVER want the program to change
file A, but just to make B exactly like A, even when it involves removing a
file from B.

Norm;

Unison is a very good, lightweight synchronizer. It's interface is,
however, spartan. If that doesn't put you off, read about it here:

http://www.cis.upenn.edu/~bcpierce/unison/index.html

let us know what you decide!

-Craig

 

[Terry]

I'm having a difficult time understanding what "synchronization" means. I
know that it means that 2 folders are to be the same. But there are several
ways to make 2 folders identical. You can subtract from A until it's like
B, or add to B until it's like A--or a little of both. What I want to do is
make B look just like A in every respect, ...

All of the folder synchronization programs have configuration options
that let you do any of the above.

including any changes in sub-folder titles.

Except they can't recognize a change in sub-folder names or file names
and actually do a rename.

For example, if you configure to "make B look like A", and then change
the name of a file/folder in A, it will copy the "new" (actually
renamed) file/folder from A to B, and delete the old file/folder from
B. This has the desired result, it just results in more copying.

Terry

 

[Mark]

I'm having a difficult time understanding what "synchronization" means. I
know that it means that 2 folders are to be the same. But there are several
ways to make 2 folders identical. You can subtract from A until it's like
B, or add to B until it's like A--or a little of both. What I want to do is
make B look just like A in every respect, including any changes in
sub-folder titles.

Look for SyncToy, part of the MicroSoft PowerToys collection and yes, it
is free

 

[Al Klein]

Except they can't recognize a change in sub-folder names or file names
and actually do a rename.

For example, if you configure to "make B look like A", and then change
the name of a file/folder in A, it will copy the "new" (actually
renamed) file/folder from A to B, and delete the old file/folder from
B. This has the desired result, it just results in more copying.

Karen's Replicator will, if you tell it to delete folders that are no
longer there.

 

[Terry]

Karen's Replicator will, if you tell it to delete folders that are no
longer there.

Will what? Do a rename? I don't think so. I think it does a copy and
delete, which is what I described above.

Terry

 

[Al Klein]

Will what? Do a rename? I don't think so. I think it does a copy and
delete, which is what I described above.

Except that you don't do anything, even "configure to 'make B ...'" -
the program does it if you click once on one checkbox when you're
setting up the configuration to sync the folder. Since apps no longer
get direct access to the drive in ring3, apps can't tell if it's the
same folder with a different name or a different folder with (almost)
all the same files. And even that's (direct disk access) not a
sure-fire way to tell that it's a renamed folder.