RealFileSync: monitoring only, sync on demand?

Discuss new features and functions
Posts: 1
Joined: 11 Nov 2019

bfrot

Dear community,

I am wondering if the following is possible: I have a large collection of files in my sync folder (about 50GB of many smaller files) which I sync with a USB drive to move between workplaces.

As only a small fraction of these files changes every time, the scanning of files takes a long time while the copying is rather quick. Now I am thinking about the real time sync option so that I won't have to wait for 10 or so minutes each time when closing down. However, I also really like the fact that I have a kind of a short-term backup on the USB stick which remains save even if the PC crashes (as long as it doesn't crash during sync).

So I would like RealFileSync to monitor my file changes but it should delay the sync itself until I am finished with work, thus on demand. Is this currently possible?

Many thanks for your insights!
Bob
User avatar
Posts: 2248
Joined: 22 Aug 2012

Plerry

So I would like RealFileSync to monitor my file changes but it should delay the sync itself until I am finished with work, thus on demand. Is this currently possible?
No. After RealTimeSync (RTS) has detected one or more changes in the specified folders and no newer change has occurred during the RTS idle-time, RTS will launch the specified application, normally FreeFileSync (FFS).
I don't know why you want to wait running the FFS Compare+Sync.

Looking at your description, it seems best to split your RTS and FFS tasks in multiple (e.g. 10) smaller portions.
You should then have each RTS task monitor a separate ~10% of your 50GB of files/folders, and have each RTS task launch a dedicated FFS Compare+Sync for the files/folders monitored by that RTS task.
Part of your syncs will then run while you are still working, while your last Compare+Sync (which may still run at/towards the end) will only last ~10% of the time of your present full Compare+Sync.

If you really want/need to do what you describe, it seems you need a folder monitoring tool that logs any changes to a log-file, and upon shutdown run a script to sync all logged changes to your USB disk/stick (and clears the log).
I am not aware of any such tools, albeit those may exist.
But at least RTS and FFS can (presently) not do that for you.