FreeFileSync - Compare and Synchronize, possible in one click?

[RayJohnson]

Hi,

In FreeFileSync, apparantly I always need to click 'Compare', and then I can click 'Synchronize' to do the actual synching.
If I only click 'Synchronize', FFS does not do a Compare first.
Is there a way without having to click the 'Compare' button first?
In other words, is there a way to do a 'Compare' and then a 'Synchronize' with one button click?
( I am lazy ... ;-) )

Kind regards

[Zenju]

https://freefilesync.org/manual.php?topic=tips-and-tricks#start-sync-directly

[RayJohnson]

When I just click on 'Synchronize', it says that there are no files to copy. Even after I deliberately have added a new file to the source folder.
When I do a Compare, it sees the newly added file.... Just doing Synchronize directly (without doing a compare first) does not see the new file .....

[RayJohnson]

There is something weird going on.
- I add a new file to the source folder.
- I click 'Synchronize'... No files are copied to Target Folder.
- I Exit FFS.
- I restart FFS.
- I click 'Synchronize'. Now the file is copied from Source to Target ....
It seems that just clicking Synchronize does not do a Compare. Unless when FFS has just been launched ....

[Zenju]

Yes, FFS only runs a comparison if you haven't done so already manually.

[Zenju]

FFS batch jobs that run on double-click is probably a better fit for your requirements. (They can be attached to the FFS icon in the Windows task bar, which makes them more easily available for manual exec.)

[RayJohnson]

Ok, thanks for your help.

Can I put this somewhere as a feature request?
- Add a checkbox in the 'Synchronization' settings: "Always run a Compare before Synchronizing"

[RayJohnson]

FFS batch jobs that run on double-click is probably a better fit for your requirements. (They can be attached to the FFS icon in the Windows task bar, which makes them more easily available for manual exec.)

Yes, I created a batch file. Double-clicking the batch file compares and synchronizes in one run.
Thanks.

I still would keep my feature request though .... ;-)

[tom775]

I also vote for this function:
"- Add a checkbox in the 'Synchronisation' settings: "Always run a Compare before Synchronizing"."

I initially had the same problems as RayJohnson and was confused by this. I was about to switch to another software.

This small additional function should really not be a problem for the programmers to implement.

I think it is inelegant to create everything by batch for such a frequently used standard process.

[xCSxXenon]

I can actually see the benefit of adding such a button/feature. I know the batch configs can do this, but it would be nice to have a way to do this in the GUI

[Zenju]

What's wrong with viewtopic.php?t=7132&p=29615#p23742 ?

[tom775]

Because it simply complicates things senselessly for beginners. As a beginner, I did not assume that the software would automatically compare only once. Creating a batch file to be able to use such a simple standard function (compare more than once automatically) is strange and unintuitive. I am also speaking here as a person with experience in product marketing. As I said, I almost changed software for this reason.

[xCSxXenon]

So here's the issue:
If you run a compare on it's own, then make changes to one of the locations, then click synchronize, the changes made between the compare and sync are treated as if they never existed. Since the compare ran before the changes, whatever is queued up won't include the changes. Sure, it would be easy to click compare again after making changes, but it would be a nice little addition to have a "compare & sync" button in the gui. Maybe a right-click on the config and a 'run' entry in the menu that pops up.
It definitely won't affect me, since I make all my changes before ever opening FFS anyway, or I just know to re-compare after changes are made.

[Zenju]

I don't quite see the scenario where such a function would be useful. Why would someone want to sync again after he just did before? If on the other hand the time span between syncs is large, why is FreeFileSync left open?

Also: An automatic "compare" before sync means that all manual changes to the file list will be lost.
If manual changes of the file list are not important, then why run a GUI sync at all. A ffs_batch job is tailored exactly for this scenario.

[RayJohnson]

Well, I use FFS like this: I usually have FFS (GUI) open most of the day. I currently have 23 different projects (.ffs_gui) defined in FFS. I use FFS to backup to a network drive over VPN.
During the day, I work on 2 to 5 different projects (of the 23). Whenever I switch projects (or when I go for a cup of coffee) I make a backup (clicking 'Compare', then 'Synchronize'). This can be upto around 10-12 times per day. Having to click only 'Synchronize' instead of 'Compare' and 'Synchronize' would save me time...
I would welcome a one-click Compare-and-Synchronize function... Furthermore, I can not think of any argument against it ...

[xCSxXenon]

The only issue is a small one, and I wrote it step-for-step in my previous response:

If you run a compare on it's own, then make changes to one of the locations, then click synchronize, the changes made between the compare and sync are treated as if they never existed.

The ability to one-click run a sync from within the GUI is only applicable to this one very niche 'issue'

[RayJohnson]

The only issue is a small one, and I wrote it step-for-step in my previous response:.....

And the benefit is 1 click instead of 2 ....

[xCSxXenon]

Correct ^
Super small issue, definitely a quality-of-life enhancement