Multiple identical synchronisation jobs with moved-files detection

[tmsg4]

The subject says it all:-)

I have various source directories one drive e: (say Music, Photos, Videos, Books) that are all mirrored to a certain number of external drives, IOW the external drives are basically complete backups for these directories. Sometimes I move/rename something in those directories in e: and I do not want to those moves to result in needless delete/copy operations for the next backup. So I looked for a solution with moved-file detection and duly discovered FFS...

I've tested this feature and it does indeed work. However, here's my problem: I have one left directory, say e:\Documents\Photos which is the source. I also have three external drives, connected one after the other as drive g:, all three with g:\Documents\Photos as the right directory. The moved file detection works correctly for the first backup drive but it doesn't for the second and third.

I think this has to do with the fact that the sync.ffs_db file is updated after the first backup. I see the point of doing that, of course -- but in this special case the update should be deferred until I'm done with all my backups. I am not proposing to add this a new feature though. I'd rather want to know whether it is safe to save the sync.ffs_db file before the sync and then afterwards copy it back (the source directory does not change in any way during these backups).

On a related note, it would be a great feature if FFS could actually create a real batch file (yeah, CMD.EXE stuff) with the commands required for the synchronisation.

[Zenju]

The moved file detection works correctly for the first backup drive but it doesn't for the second and third.

Did you run an initial mirror sync with move detection active for all these drives first? In this case everything should work as expected and the moves should be propagated to each of them.

[tmsg4]

Did you run an initial mirror sync with move detection active for all these drives first?

I did that for the first backup drive but not for the others. So I take it that sync.ffs_db files have to exist on both sides? If so, I can make sure they do but this adds another step to an already pretty convoluted backup process... I gotta think and experiment a little.

How the idea of generating a batch file? My backup drives have all identical content (after a full backup, that is!), so a batch file would make things very easy. (I could try to hack something via "Tools>Export file list..." and a simple Perl script but a first quick glance over an exported file list was not overly promising.)

THX anyway for the fast answer (and for FFS, of course)! I will investigate and report back.

[Zenju]

So I take it that sync.ffs_db files have to exist on both sides?

Yes. They are needed as a reference in order to detect changes based on that. Technically your first sync does not have any influence on the other mirror syncs, although everything is handled by a single ffs_db file on the source drive. Logically, pairs of ffs_db files form a single unit that is distributed over two locations.

How the idea of generating a batch file?

This should be easy already: https://freefilesync.org/manual.php?topic=command-line

[tmsg4]

Okay, I understand. We'll see next time round whether this will do the job. Thanks.

How the idea of generating a batch file?

This should be easy already: https://freefilesync.org/manual.php?topic=command-line

No, that would be too easy:-) I do not mean an ffs_batch file started with FFS. As stated in my OP I mean a real batch file (*.BAT) that can be run multiple times in CMD.EXE or whatever shell one uses.

[Zenju]

Just create a "real" batch file and enter something like

FreeFileSync.exe "D:\Backup Projects.ffs_batch"


[tmsg4]

Just create a "real" batch file and enter something like

FreeFileSync.exe "D:\Backup Projects.ffs_batch"


No, that is not at all what I mean. I mean a stand-alone batch file that can be run w/o FFS and that performs all required copy/delete/move operations completely on its own, w/o FFS.

But I can see that this is going nowhere... I will try to fix something with the "Tools>Export file list..." list of actions.

[Zenju]

No, that is not at all what I mean. I mean a stand-alone batch file that can be run w/o FFS and that performs all required copy/delete/move operations completely on its own, w/o FFS.

Why would you want to do this, when you have FreeFileSync?

[tmsg4]

Why would you want to do this, when you have FreeFileSync?

First, it gives more flexibility and flexibility is always good. Second, it would really help my backup chores but to explain this in detail would be overly tedious.

As I've already said:

But I can see that this is going nowhere... I will try to fix something with the "Tools>Export file list..." list of actions.