Syncing files, not folders with FreeFileSync.

Posts: 2 · parkman 17 Jan 2015, 18:17

Hi, could some-one perhaps tell me how to sync only files, using FreeFileSync, and not sync folders. I know how to sync folders, but I can't figure how to sync files between drives. If I select a folder and I click on that folder there are no files in that folder, so I can't copy or update or sync the files only.

I am using Win 7 on all computers and my wish is to update 4 separate files on 4 different drives. The files are in different folders, so I need to just sync the files individually.

Is this possible with FreeFileSync ? If so could some-one give me a clear instruction on how to do the job.

If it can't be done with FreeFileSync then I will just copy and paste every time, although this is a painful way of doing the job.

Thanks in advance, parkman

Posts: 85 · blues12 17 Jan 2015, 21:44

Couldn't you simply use the filter settings? Include the specific file names but exclude all other files? Then point your paths to the folders, and according to the filter settings FFS will sync the filtered files only.

Posts: 2 · parkman 17 Jan 2015, 23:38

Couldn't you simply use the filter settings? Include the specific file names but exclude all other files? Then point your paths to the folders, and according to the filter settings FFS will sync the filtered files only.blues12

Hi Stefan,
I have had a look at the filters but unfortunately I have no idea how to do exclusions. I have a vague idea how to type in a file path, but it doesn't work in this case. I think that this is a step too far as far as my computer ability is concerned.
I will stick with my old method of copy and paste. FFS is fine for updating folders and is pretty simple and easy to understand. Using filters and exclusions is getting too expert for me, I'm afraid. I had hoped that the operation would be pretty simple and straight forward.
But thanks for your reply.
Regards, parkman

Posts: 27 · jonrichco 30 Mar 2015, 00:53

Good idea in principle Stefan. But I have a range of filters set which I need for other sync functions that I use regularly. So I cannot immediately see how to exclude all the files and folders in a directory just allowing the files I want to sync. For other functions (eg, backing up the whole data partition) I do not want these filters set. So can I set the filters just for the single file sync operation, but not for others. It seems to me that the filters are set for all operations, but perhaps I am missing something.

Posts: 7058 · Zenju 30 Mar 2015, 17:59

- include/exclude via gui: right-click on rows
- save multiple configurations
- use temporary exclusions

Posts: 19 · intexx 31 Mar 2015, 19:20

Hi Stefan,
I have had a look at the filters but unfortunately I have no idea how to do exclusions. I have a vague idea how to type in a file path, but it doesn't work in this case. I think that this is a step too far as far as my computer ability is concerned.
I will stick with my old method of copy and paste. FFS is fine for updating folders and is pretty simple and easy to understand. Using filters and exclusions is getting too expert for me, I'm afraid. I had hoped that the operation would be pretty simple and straight forward.
But thanks for your reply.
Regards, parkmanparkman

It's one of those "easy-if-you-know-how" tricks ;-)

If you'll post an example of your sync files—sanitized for privacy of course—we'll try our best to provide you with suggestions for a set of filters you might use.

Thanks,
Jeff Bowman
Fairbanks, Alaska

Posts: 27 · jonrichco 4 Apr 2015, 02:34

Thanks Zenju works well. I included the 4 files I wanted (out of 1800 in the folder). I was afraid that the "Include via filter" would apply to my other configurations as well, but it only affects the particular configuration. I saved this and now can run it with two clicks. Saving as batch file would not work, as my external drive does not always have the same drive letter.

Peter: suggest that you try it - you would find it straightforward