GlobalSettings.xml → DELETE to get back to defaults ?

[fofas]

Greetings,

before recklessly fiddling with this file:

after deleting GlobalSettings.xml, would it then automatically be re-created with the default values next time FFS is started?

Thanks … ;)

[Plerry]

Probably not, but it never hurts to try.
Simply rename your present GlobalSettings.xml to something else and then run FFS.
You can always rename it back.

Otherwise, delete your GlobalSettings.xml and then reinstall your FFS version.

[therube]

(

after deleting GlobalSettings.xml, would it then automatically be re-created

It sure appears to do that.

Looks like changes made are not saved to disk until program exit.
)

[Plerry]

Above reaction of therube triggered a refinement to my earlier reply:

As described in the FFS manual page on Expert Settings, making changes to (or deleting) the GlobalSettings.xml file should be done while FFS is not running. This includes any changes I suggest in my earlier reply.

If you make any changes to (or delete) the GlobalSettings.xml file while FFS is running, upon exiting FFS it will simply overwrite the existing (or create a new) GlobalSettings.xml file with the same contents as when FFS opened, or modified as per the changes made to the FFS global settings during the FFS active session.
So, it will then not restore/revert to the default settings.

[fofas]

Thanks y'all for your replies!

It sure appears to do that.

I second that; it does.

… but it never hurts to try.

Of course, :D

What I should've been asking:

Is deleting GlobalSetting.xml a legitimate way with no downsides, intended by the programmers, to initialise FFS and get back to all default settings, just like it was after installation ?

And the answer seems to be a resounding YES!

should be done while FFS is not running.

Thanks for adding that, makes sense!

[fofas]

P.S.

Oh, and what I've just noticed:

While everything else seems initialised after deleting GlobalSetting.xml, my default Filters are different; they now do include the 3 Filters I added earlier, i.e.

/.DocumentRevisions-V100/
/.TemporaryItems/
*/._*

This is good, but it seems that Filters are stored elsewhere than GlobalSettings.xml …

[xCSxXenon]

Filters are saved per config, the default filters are saved in the globalsettings file. If you create a new sync, the default filters apply, but it doesn't retroactively apply

[fofas]

Thanks for replying.

Filters are saved per config

Where is that config file? I checked Package Contents of the FFS.app file; is it 'FreeFileSync' in the folder 'MacOS' ?

Anyway, GlobalSettings.xml, when recreated, is not the default, but it gets augmented with previous settings:

the original, 'virgin' file:

<DefaultExclusionFilter>
        <Item>/.fseventsd/</Item>
        <Item>/.Spotlight-V100/</Item>
        <Item>/.Trashes/</Item>
        <Item>/._.Trashes</Item>
        <Item>*/.DS_Store</Item>
    </DefaultExclusionFilter>


after deletion and automatic recreation:

<DefaultExclusionFilter>
        <Item>*/._*</Item>
        <Item>*/.DocumentRevisions-V100/</Item>
        <Item>*/.DS_Store</Item>
        <Item>*/.fseventsd/</Item>
        <Item>*/.Spotlight-V100/</Item>
        <Item>*/.TemporaryItems/</Item>
        <Item>*/.Trashes/</Item>
    </DefaultExclusionFilter>


That's exactly how I want it … ;)

[Plerry]

Repeating xCSxXenon a bit more elaborate:
The default (Exclude) Filter settings are stored in the GlobalSettings.xml file, in the
<DefaultExclusionFilter> section of that xml file.
The default Include Filter seems to always be * (everything).

While everything else seems initialised after deleting GlobalSetting.xml, my default Filters are different; they now do include the 3 Filters I added earlier ...This is good, but it seems that Filters are stored elsewhere than GlobalSettings.xml …

When you define (and save) a new FFS sync configuration file (as *.ffs_gui or *.ffs_batch), it takes the default Exclude Filter rules as per the GlobalSettings.xml file (at the time of opening the FFS GUI) and saves those, along with any changes made to the Include and Exclude Filter settings, in your *.ffs_gui or *.ffs_batch configuration file (in the <Filter> section of those files).
So, making changes to the <DefaultExclusionFilter> section of the GlobalSettings.xml file only takes effect on new sync configurations, not on existing (saved) ones. Which makes perfect sense to me.
Therefore, if you want all your new FFS sync configurations to comprise your 3 added Exclude Filter items, you better check if they are in the GlobalSettings.xml <DefaultExclusionFilter> section, and if not, add them there.

[fofas]

Thanks.

I had deleted EVERYTHING in ~/Library/Application Support/FreeFileSync, the folder was completely empty. NO GlobalSettings.xml, NO LastRun.ffs_gui, etc.

Then I restarted FFS, and a new GlobalSettings.xml was created.

So my previous 3 new filters must have been stored somewhere else; otherwise, how could they have ended up in the new GlobalSettings.xml …

Anyway, be that as it may, I'm fine, I'll just use FFS ;)

[Zenju]

you better check if they are in the GlobalSettings.xml <DefaultExclusionFilter> section, and if not, add them there.

Now also possible via GUI: viewtopic.php?t=8503#p30737