sync 4 folders

[Torsten85]

Hi I would like to sync 4 folders, so it is always the same in them. if it changes in a folder, everyone must be updated. Is this solvable?

have tested as in the picture. But then something goes wrong. so anyone have any solution?

this is for my ARK servers that need to sync files in between

[xCSxXenon]

I sync a single folder to 6 different destinations without fail.
Attaching a picture of my folder pairs. They are all set as "mirror"

2021-04-14 11_22_19-C__Users_j.lewis_Documents_sync_Tools.ffs_batch.jpg (296.64 KiB) Viewed 2335 times

[Plerry]

> have tested as in the picture.
That's pretty vague.
On what machine(s) is FreeFileSync (FFS) running?
And what FFS configuration did you use?

> But then something goes wrong.
Even more vague. What goes wrong?
What does/do the FFS log-file(s) tell you?

FFS seems a perfect fit for your use case.
For more specific advice it is important to know where changes to the synced files/folders can originate (only on X?, only on A?, on any of the machines?). And on which machine(s) you want to (or can) run FFS.

[Torsten85]

I sync a single folder to 6 different destinations without fail.
Attaching a picture of my folder pairs. They are all set as "mirror"
2021-04-14 11_22_19-C__Users_j.lewis_Documents_sync_Tools.ffs_batch.jpg

looks interesting but it's just one way? need that if something changes in any folder, everyone should be updated

[Torsten85]

>> have tested as in the picture.
>That's pretty vague.
>On what machine(s) is FreeFileSync (FFS) running?
>And what FFS configuration did you use?

on one PC

was a while since I tested, but probably tried both Two way and Custom


>> But then something goes wrong.
>Even more vague. What goes wrong?
>What does/do the FFS log-file(s) tell you?

ffs log said nothing. what I remember

what happened was that the files were overwritten in the wrong order. so ARK could not read them


>FFS seems a perfect fit for your use case.
>For more specific advice it is important to know where changes to the synced files/folders can originate >(only on X?, only on A?, on any of the machines?). And on which machine(s) you want to (or can) run FFS.

What I want to do is have 4 folders that all should always have the same files.

if it changes in any of them, all must be updated.
and the change will only happen in one folder at a time.

Anyone have a solution to this?

folder x I had only as a buffer. but did not work

[xCSxXenon]

Oh I see! I took it as any change made in your middle folder would be synced to the others. The easy way is to make a sync that has three pairs:
A - B
A - C
A - D
Then have all three as a "two way" sync. That way if any changes are made in B/C/D, you will run the sync so that those changes get applied to A, then run it again to then apply those changes in A to the other two remaining folders. If changes are made in A, only one sync will be required of course.
The longer way is to have 6 pairs:
A - B
A - C
A - D
B - C
B - D
C - D
All pairs will still be two-way, but now any change in any folder will only require one sync to apply to the other three. I am not sure if FFS will throw an error, but I can't find any conflicts

[Torsten85]

Oh I see! I took it as any change made in your middle folder would be synced to the others. The easy way is to make a sync that has three pairs:
A - B
A - C
A - D
Then have all three as a "two way" sync. That way if any changes are made in B/C/D, you will run the sync so that those changes get applied to A, then run it again to then apply those changes in A to the other two remaining folders. If changes are made in A, only one sync will be required of course.
The longer way is to have 6 pairs:
A - B
A - C
A - D
B - C
B - D
C - D
All pairs will still be two-way, but now any change in any folder will only require one sync to apply to the other three. I am not sure if FFS will throw an error, but I can't find any conflicts

Okay interesting. forgot to say I do it with. batch job and RealTimeSync.
Will it work?

Because you need a solution that constantly monitors A B C D. and as soon as a change is made in one of the folders, everyone must be updated!

Will your solution work?

[xCSxXenon]

The second solution I proposed will not work. If a file gets deleted in "D", then it will delete it from "A", but since it exists in "B" and "C" still, it copies it back to "D".
The first solution is the only one I can see that works so far.

[xCSxXenon]

You could create two identical syncs, one that runs the other after completion. Then RTS will run the first pass, that calls the second, mirroring the data across all four folders

[Torsten85]

The second solution I proposed will not work. If a file gets deleted in "D", then it will delete it from "A", but since it exists in "B" and "C" still, it copies it back to "D".
The first solution is the only one I can see that works so far.

which was the first?

You could create two identical syncs, one that runs the other after completion. Then RTS will run the first pass, that calls the second, mirroring the data across all four folders

can this be done with RealTimeSync? for it must be completely automatic and monitor at all times. no manual work

[xCSxXenon]

Create two sync batch jobs, that are identical, with the following pairs:
A - B
A - C
A - D
Both syncs will be "two-way". Name them something like "first" and "second" or something that will help you know which one is which. In the synchronization settings for the first sync, set an "on completion" command that runs the second sync:
"C:\Program Files\FreeFileSync\FreeFileSync.exe" "C:\Path\To\Second\Sync"
Then have an RTS setup that monitors A/B/C/D and runs the first sync after detecting changes.

[Torsten85]

Create two sync batch jobs, that are identical, with the following pairs:
A - B
A - C
A - D
Both syncs will be "two-way". Name them something like "first" and "second" or something that will help you know which one is which. In the synchronization settings for the first sync, set an "on completion" command that runs the second sync:
"C:\Program Files\FreeFileSync\FreeFileSync.exe" "C:\Path\To\Second\Sync"
Then have an RTS setup that monitors A/B/C/D and runs the first sync after detecting changes.

interesting get to test it later.
But do not understand why you need the second sync ?!
but everything will go by itself then ?!

[Torsten85]

Create two sync batch jobs, that are identical, with the following pairs:
A - B
A - C
A - D
Both syncs will be "two-way". Name them something like "first" and "second" or something that will help you know which one is which. In the synchronization settings for the first sync, set an "on completion" command that runs the second sync:
"C:\Program Files\FreeFileSync\FreeFileSync.exe" "C:\Path\To\Second\Sync"
Then have an RTS setup that monitors A/B/C/D and runs the first sync after detecting changes.

Sorry if I'm a little sluggish.

Can you explain a little?
Should I have my first batch job as RST? What does second do for benefit / difference?
Will first RST continue working if second needs to be run?

Thank you very much in advance.

[xCSxXenon]

Try it with just one, see what happens

[Dave of Maine]

@xCSxXenon, Thank you for your detailed explanation of setting up sequential batch jobs in FFS. I now have FFS/RST running exactly how I want it!