FreeFileSync Forum

This is one of my main uses for synchronization as well. I'm currently shifting away from has the ability to define behaviors for both folders and files. Additionally, when a pair is first run, it prompts whether you want create empty folders. I hadn't thought of leveraging that to sync app data ...

FFS is not a good solution for a system backup/restore. It is best used for data/storage only.
Most programs can't just be backed up and restored as they also have lots of files in other directories and Registry entries. System backups are best handled with periodic system images


Oh I assure ...

Actually I think I'm realising this wouldn't work too well...

Basically I was hoping I could just press "Swap sides" on the interface, switch everything to "don't do anything if it's only on the left side" and (with some other minor adjustments - and saving separately) my backup script now becomes ...

Custom sync rules xCSxXenon, 28 Apr 2025, 16:43

Oh damn you're completely right.

I can just make "Item exists on left side only": "Do nothing".

Sometimes it's hard to visualise and think about this stuff XD

So when I sync it says: "The folders are created automatically when needed."

Is there any way I can make it so that folders are NOT created automatically when needed?

Basis is that I was wanting to use FreeFileSync to get back up and running again quickly from a fresh install by putting config ...

I always use the Time Stamp [File] variant of Versioning, not the Time Stamp [Folder] variant, as you apparently do.
But according to the FFS Manual page on Versioning both Versioning variants retain the folder structure of files relative to the left and right base locations .
From experience I ...

So at the moment I have 1 big folder for versioning, and all the files from the sync get thrown in there in 1 big mess.

I (think) I understand that the proper way to do versioning is to specify a versioning path for each entry.

I would like if there was a cleaner global way to do versioning, such ...

It's happened a few times now where I need to run just ONE pairing entry from my FFS file.

Would like if there was a button or something to the left or right of each line allowing you to run them individually.

Is there any chance this feature could ever be added? It would be really useful for me.

I'm making use of Task Scheduler with .ffs_batch scripts, but for drives that aren't always initialized; this "ignore directories that don't exist" feature would be so good for RealTimeSync! (at least for me ...

Implemented for FreeFileSync 12.3: Add custom notes to sync configurations Zenju, 15 May 2023, 18:00

I would also like to know how to comment / add notes. Can anyone please tell us?

My RealTimeSync script doesn't want to run. The error in the tray is "Waiting until directory is available: *(directory that doesn't exist)*"

This is basically my regular FreeFileSync script that I use to back stuff up with, and yes it includes a lot of directories on the left that don't exist.

It ...