Hi,
I am happy to use FFS on some occasions. Currently I need to set up a mirror that keeps a copy of older files. I tried versioning, which is nice. But it applies only to files that exist on the right side (ie have been removed from the left side), at least in my hands. I would like that right side files that are older than on left side are first deleted (with versioning), then replaced by/copied from the left side. Is it possible?
Best.
Delete (with versioning) before copy
- Posts: 3
- Joined: 27 Jan 2022
-
- Posts: 2451
- Joined: 22 Aug 2012
When running a left-to-right Mirror sync in FFS, the macro behavior is that if any file that (pre)exists in the right location will be "overwritten" by the the file (of the same filename) in the left location, if those two files are different.
Unless you have disabled "Fail-safe file copy" in the FFS GUI Options, the right side file is copied over first and only if that was successful, the file previous file (of the same filename), if any) is deleted, moved to the recycle bin or moved to the versioning location, depending on the "Delete files" method you selected.
FFS uses its (in)famous *.tmp file extension to temporarily effectively have two files (the old one and the new one) of the same name in one and the same right side (sub)folder.
So, when using Versioning, FFS does what you describe, but not in the order you describe.
> I would like that right side files that are older than on left side ...
Note that a Mirror sync simply copies the left side files to the right side if they are different, irrespective of which one is newer. (You may have restored a previous version of a file to your left location ...)
If you only want newer files to be copied over left-to-right, you should select the Custom sync variant (in the Sync Settings, F8) and define sync rules matching your needs.
Unless you have disabled "Fail-safe file copy" in the FFS GUI Options, the right side file is copied over first and only if that was successful, the file previous file (of the same filename), if any) is deleted, moved to the recycle bin or moved to the versioning location, depending on the "Delete files" method you selected.
FFS uses its (in)famous *.tmp file extension to temporarily effectively have two files (the old one and the new one) of the same name in one and the same right side (sub)folder.
So, when using Versioning, FFS does what you describe, but not in the order you describe.
> I would like that right side files that are older than on left side ...
Note that a Mirror sync simply copies the left side files to the right side if they are different, irrespective of which one is newer. (You may have restored a previous version of a file to your left location ...)
If you only want newer files to be copied over left-to-right, you should select the Custom sync variant (in the Sync Settings, F8) and define sync rules matching your needs.
- Posts: 3
- Joined: 27 Jan 2022
Dear Plerry,
Thanks a lot for your answer.
The "Fail-safe file copy" was already activated in my previous tests. I clicked on the "Restore" button of the options interface, just in case. Then I tested many scenarios. All scenarios worked as you told and as attended, ie backuping takes place before updating. This is great. I still don't know why it didn't work previously, but I won't care.
The mirror sync behavior fits my needs. I also did tests with a custom config sync in which conflicts are unresolved, but I didn't trigger a conflict in my tests. I would like to know what triggers a conflict. Could you point me to the relevant documentation?
Thanks for your help, really appreciated.
Samuel
Thanks a lot for your answer.
The "Fail-safe file copy" was already activated in my previous tests. I clicked on the "Restore" button of the options interface, just in case. Then I tested many scenarios. All scenarios worked as you told and as attended, ie backuping takes place before updating. This is great. I still don't know why it didn't work previously, but I won't care.
The mirror sync behavior fits my needs. I also did tests with a custom config sync in which conflicts are unresolved, but I didn't trigger a conflict in my tests. I would like to know what triggers a conflict. Could you point me to the relevant documentation?
Thanks for your help, really appreciated.
Samuel
-
- Posts: 4055
- Joined: 11 Jun 2019
A conflict is when both sides have been updated since the last sync occurred. This only happens with two-way syncing from what I have seen. For example, I sync my OneDrive contents to a flash drive from my desktop using two-way, because sometimes I work on a file somewhere else. If I make changes to file "ABC123.txt" on the flash drive and then get home and make changes to "ABC123.txt" on my desktop, FFS can't know which file is the one it should keep, thus a conflict arises. Hopefully that clears it!
- Posts: 3
- Joined: 27 Jan 2022
Dear xCSxXenon,
Thanks for these clarifications. Not my case hopefully.
Best,
Samuel
Thanks for these clarifications. Not my case hopefully.
Best,
Samuel
