Is FFS supposed to copy empty folders on update/mirror?

[justinhow]

I assumed that FFS would copy empty folders to the destination (when they do not exist at the desitnation) when doing an update/mirror but it does not appear to be doing this for me.
Is there anyway I can get it to do this?

[justinhow]

OK I think this is a bug possibly to do with Max Size filter.

1st Screen shot is with a Max Size of 200 Mbytes set and the empty folder will not be copied for some reason. Ignore the other large files - this was about another strange issue to do with Max File Size filter.

Next Test.jpg (239.83 KiB) Viewed 1696 times

This screen grab is without the filter set when the empty folders will be copied.

Next Test without filter.jpg (245.66 KiB) Viewed 1696 times

[xCSxXenon]

Seeing that the mkv files are not excluded when the filter is set, it seems that the size filters apply to the exclusion of files/folders. So a filter setting max size of 200M excludes everything up to 200MB

[justinhow]

I am pretty sure your interpretation of the Max Filter size is not correct. I have been researching this issue for a bit (see thread viewtopic.php?p=37483 for more details and why this appears to be a bug). Notice in the top/1st screen grab above that the 4th and 5th files which are also very large are not being copied across even though no destination file exists, which is of course correct (as excluded by Max File Size filter) but does not explain files 1 thu 3.
The Min Size Filter works as expected.
This is screen grab of same folder with Min Size filter set to 20Mbytes. As expected the empty folders all disappear as they are zero bytes.

Test with Min Size filter.jpg (178.85 KiB) Viewed 1686 times

[xCSxXenon]

Considering your post here:
viewtopic.php?t=10095

The discussion and experiments seem to agree with my assumption

[justinhow]

So as I uderstand it you are suggesting that the Max Size filter actually sets the minimum file size that a file can be to be copied ("So a filter setting max size of 200M excludes everything up to 200MB"). If this is so the the UI is just nuts.
Also what does the Minimum File size filter do? Set the Maximum size a file can be?
Also if you are correct please expain why in the top/1st screen grab above (where Max File filter is set to 200Mbyte) the 4th and 5th files which are also very large (2+Gbytes) are not being copied even though no destination file exists. According to you all 5 top files should be copied as they are way more than the 200Mbyte filter.
Also... if the Min Size filter actually sets the maximum file size to be copied why do the empty folders (zero bytes) disappear in screen grab number 3 above where min file filter is set to 20Mbytes.
I'm sorry but your assertion makes no sense with the results the UI actually produces.

[xCSxXenon]

Oh you are so right!
Honestly, it makes no sense whether it is an 'include' or 'exclude' filter. If it is an inclusion option, then you would think it would mirror the empty folders and then exclude the mkv files that are wanting to update. But maybe the setting only applies to new content instead of existing content, explaining the mkv situation. But then why wouldn't the empty folders copy? It must mean that the setting is an inclusion filter that applies only to files. Since the documentation says "They have to match at least one entry in the include list and none of the entries in the exclude list...", and folders don't fit into this include list, they get excluded

[justinhow]

Perhaps one of the Dev's can definatively say how the filters are supposed to behave, and whether the current behaviour is by design. That would clear this confusion up.
Personally I would be suprised if the Max Size filter is working as they intended.
The Minimum Size filter does work as I would expect with the tests I have currently done.

[justinhow]

...But maybe the setting only applies to new content instead of existing content, explaining the mkv situation....

I thought about this but that does not really work in practise as if the file grows in size over time starting in size below the Max Size filter but ending up far larger than it (quite possible with all sorts of files - databases, log file etc) then the Max Size filter would never work and your destination disk (or whatever) would not be protected against being filled by large files.
Personally I think the filters should be absolute in nature, and not "well they will work in these circumstances, but will not take effect in these other situations". The later would be way too difficult to predict in large complex file structures (there are over 2000 folders in mine).

[Zenju]

Yes, works as designed: When file size or time span filters are set, folder items are excluded.

[xCSxXenon]

So the file time/size filters are inclusion filters for files only, thus excluding folders (with no files in them)

[justinhow]

Yes, works as designed: When file size or time span filters are set, folder items are excluded.

But this ignoring of folder when filters are applied only appears to effect empty folders.
So if I have a Max size filter set, and I have a bunch of empty folders but 1 has a small file in it, that folder will be copied with the file but the other empty folder will be ignored.
If that is by design and if so what is the rational behind that logic?

[Zenju]

All folders are excluded. You can see that on the main dialog. But if copying a file requires that a parent folder is created, then this takes precedence.

[Zenju]

So the file time/size filters are inclusion filters for files only, thus excluding folders (with no files in them)

Yes. Once one of these filters is enabled, *all* folders are excluded unconditionally.

[justinhow]

If we compare FFS to Robocopy (as it has certain similarities: mirror, update etc although not bi-directional sync), then the size limit simply excludes any file above the specified size but has no effect on any folders etc. I think Beyond Compare is the same as well.
To me this appears to be a simpler and better logic for uni-directional copies (mirror, update) than the one that currently exists in FFS.
Others may of course disagree!

[blokewithcomputer]

Thanks for this post. Free File sync wasn't copying empty folders when I had a max size set. I removed the max size filter and it then copied the empty folders. So it looks like a bug.

[Plerry]

> So it looks like a bug.

A bug is something unintentional.
As Zenju wrote, this is by design.