I would like to have the compare by file content made a little smarter.
What I DON'T LIKE ABOUT FFS is that it keeps updating the date on files. It always copies the newer over the older dated file EVEN IF THEY ARE THE SAME. I have multiple computers and multiple NAS. The current version is always updating the date so it seems that the dates on all my NAS and computers are constantly being updated and copied even if they are the same.
What I would like is to be able to compare files and if the files are identical then the newer file is set to the older file because IT REALLY HASN'T CHANGED! It just got copied by another computer at a later time.
Currently I use compare files option but then I must manually select the direction of copy. This could be made automatic without much effort.
A New Option For When to Update or Not Update Files
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That should not be.What I DON'T LIKE ABOUT FFS is that it keeps updating the date on files.
Set up a simple sync of a few files from say c:/tmp/ to c:/new/.
Are the file date/time different between the to directories.
Do the same with your NAS.
Are the file date/time different between (say) c:/tmp/ & \\NAS\new\?
It is possible there is something running on your NAS affecting outcomes (causing the date to change - after the file is copied to the NAS), Recurring "Updates" That "Don't".
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Now this is different (potentially).It always copies the newer over the older dated file EVEN IF THEY ARE THE SAME.
If your Compare is Time & Size, & if the source is newer - & even if the size & content are the same, then yes, it will copy source to target.
A Content compare would not select the same content file even if the dates do differ.
(But obviously would be much slower.)
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I understand that if you compare by date that it will always copy the newer over the older file so I don't use the compare by data/size option. I compare by content. When two files have the same content they should be set to the date of the older file. This avoids needlessly copying files between different backup devices.
At this time, when the contents of two files are the same, I must compare the dates manually. This works but it is a pain when there are many files. At least this keeps the files from updating the date.
At this time, when the contents of two files are the same, I must compare the dates manually. This works but it is a pain when there are many files. At least this keeps the files from updating the date.
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Nothing has been done. If two files are the same then both file's time should be set to the oldest date.
I have multiple NASs and USB drives because one backup is not enough. I find that every time a file is copied its time is updated so it will want to copy over older but file of the same content. This results in a lot of copying.
just because one file is newer than the other.
Also, I don't like the variant selection options. Time, size and content should be individual selections with an AND or OR feature. However, most of the time I would simply use content but I really wish that two files with the same content were updated with the oldest date.
I have multiple NASs and USB drives because one backup is not enough. I find that every time a file is copied its time is updated so it will want to copy over older but file of the same content. This results in a lot of copying.
just because one file is newer than the other.
Also, I don't like the variant selection options. Time, size and content should be individual selections with an AND or OR feature. However, most of the time I would simply use content but I really wish that two files with the same content were updated with the oldest date.
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- Joined: 30 Mar 2022
The new option DOES NOT WORK for me. Those icons say difference but what if the files are equal? I test out the suggestions in the link by editing a file in the source directory so it is different from the of the same name in the destination directory. I tried the option in the link above. The files are different and it copied the older file in the destination over the newer file in the source. They would have been a disaster if I wasn't testing. What I want is and option for when the files are equal to update to the older date. Don't even bother to copy, just change the date of the newer equal file to the date of the older equal file.
