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folder sync software that can just plain do a mirror function

DeusfauxDeusfaux Registered User regular
edited September 2010 in Moe's Stupid Technology Tavern
I use synctoy for several things, but for some dumb reason it doesn't have a "mirror" action

that is,

make Folder B identical Folder A. right now.


all of it's actions depend on history, and thus only factors in changes to files after the relationship between 2 directories has been established.


Why don't I just copy and paste? Well I don't want to re-write redundant data that's already in the destination folder. Also anything in Folder B that's not in A should get auto deleted.


Suggestions?

edit: it's infuriating this isn't built into XP as is, but moreso that it's not fixed by getting Synctoy.

Copy over what isn't on backup already.
Delete on backup what isn't on original.

so bloody simple and I'd imagine a common task.

Deusfaux on

Posts

  • electricitylikesmeelectricitylikesme Registered User regular
    edited June 2010
    Get Unison.

    Grab one of the beta versions which have Unicode support compiled in - it makes them handle long file names well. This one is the latest Windows binary. Use the GUI executeable. You'll need GTK. See this page for details.

    EDIT: Also, read the instructions. It's powerful software - set it up right and it can do all sorts of crazy synchronization tricks.

    electricitylikesme on
  • SniperGuySniperGuy SniperGuyGaming Registered User regular
    edited June 2010
    www.dropbox.com what you want? Holds identical folders on multiple computers.

    SniperGuy on
  • Michael HMichael H Registered User regular
    edited June 2010
    SniperGuy wrote: »
    www.dropbox.com what you want? Holds identical folders on multiple computers.

    +1, Dropbox is one of the easiest to use syncing applications I've ever seen. Your data is stored locally in a convenient folder they place in "My Documents" (called "My Dropbox") and seamlessly synced across every computer you have it installed on. You even get web access to all the files in the folder.

    Michael H on
  • WeretacoWeretaco Cubicle Gangster Registered User regular
    edited June 2010
    There is also the Microsoft option for this.

    Live Mesh was the current on that has now been replaced with Live sync.

    Just go to sync.live.com
    It has better options than Dropbox in that you don't need to only have 1 folder that syncs. You can add different folders and choose how they sync (pc/pc/.../cloud)

    Weretaco on
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  • DeusfauxDeusfaux Registered User regular
    edited June 2010
    i know of the cloud storage stuff, but I'm talking strictly about doing this on one computer, MAYBE on a local network.

    so I'll check out unison, but that's only one suggestion....

    Deusfaux on
  • RBachRBach Registered User regular
    edited June 2010
    SyncToy works pretty well IMO.

    RBach on
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  • Roland_tHTGRoland_tHTG Registered User regular
    edited June 2010
    robocopy

    Roland_tHTG on
  • gilraingilrain Registered User regular
    edited June 2010
    Get Unison.

    Grab one of the beta versions which have Unicode support compiled in - it makes them handle long file names well. This one is the latest Windows binary. Use the GUI executeable. You'll need GTK. See this page for details.

    EDIT: Also, read the instructions. It's powerful software - set it up right and it can do all sorts of crazy synchronization tricks.
    Hey, thanks for this... I've been looking for something similar for some time. It looks like all the efficiency and power of rsync, but with more automation, flexibility, and true two-way syncing. And it's multiplatform. And open source. This is like a dream come true. :D

    gilrain on
  • Michael HMichael H Registered User regular
    edited June 2010
    RBach wrote: »
    SyncToy works pretty well IMO.

    lol that's the one he said he's using in his original post

    Michael H on
  • RBachRBach Registered User regular
    edited June 2010
    That'll teach me to skim the OP. :)

    RBach on
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  • MugsleyMugsley DelawareRegistered User regular
    edited June 2010
    We use SmartSync here at work. Very intuitive UI.

    http://www.smartsync.com/downloads/

    I do not know if they have a free version, but the program is only $45. Depending on how much you value your backups, that could be worth the price.


    E: Dropbox is still your best option. Even if you don't use it across computers, you have redundant storage that updates regularly.

    Mugsley on
  • DeusfauxDeusfaux Registered User regular
    edited July 2010
    dropbox only has 2GB of storage. I have over 250GB worth of needing mirroring/backup. No more cloud suggestions

    and I'd prefer to find something free

    so, unison and robocopy, those are only 2 applicable and I'll check em out.

    Deusfaux on
  • Dark ShroudDark Shroud Registered User regular
    edited July 2010
    Live Sync should mirror the folders directly. While it does have a cloud storage option it should do what you were asking for.

    Dark Shroud on
  • DeusfauxDeusfaux Registered User regular
    edited July 2010
    I was told that has a 20 folder / 4GB limit

    Deusfaux on
  • ArcSynArcSyn Registered User regular
    edited July 2010
    Umm, SyncToy does this. Pick folder A, pick folder B, select ECHO for your action and bam, folder B is now an exact copy of folder A. I use this all the time with my external HDD to mirror my server as a backup and it works wonderfully.

    There's three actions:
    Synchronize - changes from either folder are reflected in the other
    Echo - changes in folder A are reflected in folder B (including renames/deletes - it will delete files not found in folder A though, so don't add files to folder B)
    Contribute - copies files from folder A to folder B, but does not rename/delete

    Unless I'm not quite understanding what you are trying to do, selecting the folders and hitting run now will compare them as they are, and make changes as necessary to make them the same.

    ArcSyn on
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  • DeusfauxDeusfaux Registered User regular
    edited July 2010
    It does not do what you describe.

    It echoes changes. It does not echo current state. It only works on differences made after installation/creation of folder pairing. Any existing differences before that point in time are not mirrored.

    Deusfaux on
  • ArcSynArcSyn Registered User regular
    edited July 2010
    I'm confused then.

    I just created a new pair. I selected a folder with a few subfolders and files in it. I created a new folder as the secondary folder. I selected Echo then hit preview. It tells me it's going to create those subfolders and copy the files into the secondary folders.

    Isn't that what you want?

    Or does your secondary folder already have most of the files in it, and now it's not copying the newer edited version of the files?

    ArcSyn on
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  • DeusfauxDeusfaux Registered User regular
    edited July 2010
    Specifically, deletes are not performed if they were done before the creation of the folder pairing.

    IE

    Folder A had stuff on it you deleted.

    Folder B still has that stuff.

    Creating a folder pairing and running synctoy at this point will not delete the stuff on Folder B. It'll only do deletes that were performed on A AFTER the pairing was created. As in, it'll mirror NEW deletes, not the old ones.

    I want software that'll delete anything on B that isn't on A. Synctoy only works going forward in time.


    Proper mirroring software would make any 2 directories identical, with the click of a button, in the most efficient way possible (by not copying over data already there).

    Deusfaux on
  • electricitylikesmeelectricitylikesme Registered User regular
    edited July 2010
    Ok seriously guys - use Unison. It does everything you're asking for.

    Unison will analyze two directories, and synchronize all non-conflicting changes and deletions between the two, or it can prioritize one over the other. Better, it has a function called "xferbycopying" - which uses it's internal store of file checksums to speed up file copying - if it has a local copy of a file (i.e. if you've moved or made a copy within a replica) it won't resend identical data, it will just copy it on the local machine.

    It also handles merges, can be set to store backups of changed files, has remote shell and daemon modes and can be configured to select different merge utilities based on file extensions, amongst other things.

    electricitylikesme on
  • ArcSynArcSyn Registered User regular
    edited July 2010
    Ah, I never noticed that because I was working with fresh directories where it was doing the initial sync as well.

    ArcSyn on
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  • bigwahbigwah Registered User regular
    edited July 2010
    robocopy

    Endorsed by old people.

    bigwah on
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  • DeusfauxDeusfaux Registered User regular
    edited September 2010
    i cant tell you how much i fucking hate software that requires me to download 5 different components and do different things with them to get it to run. fuck Unison

    I want a windows .exe and that's it. no self compiling, no downloading and finding runtime environments. none of it.

    trying robocopy now

    Deusfaux on
  • DeusfauxDeusfaux Registered User regular
    edited September 2010
    robocopy appears to be able to handle the mirror function well

    BUT

    still does a ton of unnecessary work with regards to moves done previously on the source drive (ie, moving a file from directory/location to another)

    It will handle these differences as separate [delete missing] and [copy new] file operations on the destination drive

    Instead of just renaming the path on the existing identical files, it'll delete them, and then copy them back over, just to the different directory.

    So every time I shuffle around something like an album of mp3's (from desktop to another folder), the next backup/mirror there is a lot of work to do than needed


    Anything smart enough to do path renames on moved files?

    Deusfaux on
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