Problem with versioning

[Anonymous]

Hi

I have am running FFS 5.6 on Windows 7 64-bit. I have set:

Left folder: C:\MyDir\Test
Right folder E:\My backup\Backup
Versioning: C:\MyDir\Versions

Selected 'Update' variant.

I edit C:\MyDir\Test\test.txt and save it. Hit Compare then Synchronise. The
file then appears as:

E:\My backup\Backup\Test\test.txt

as expected. But if I modify C:\MyDir\Test\test.txt and then hit Compare then
Synchronise again, E:\My backup\Backup\Test\test.txt is updated but nothing
appears in C:\MyDir\Versions.

Why is this please?

BR

David

[Zenju]

I'm not able to reproduce this. Did you exclude the "versioning" folder?

[Anonymous]

Hi

I have realised what I was doing wrong and have it working now. But would
appreciate some explanation please.

I was setting the "versioning" folder using the dialog invoked from the Sync
Settings button in the top right hand corner. That didn't work. Now I am
setting it using the "alternate sync settings" button, inline with the folder
text boxes.

Please will you explain how these two ways of setting sync settings interact?

Also, how do the two dialogs for setting file filters (inline button vs
"Filter files" at the bottom of the application) interact?

Best regards

David

[Zenju]

> how these two ways of setting sync settings interact?


Setting configuration at local folder pair level *overwrites* global
configuration for both sync and comparison config. For filter cfg it *adds* to
global filter.

[Anonymous]

Thanks very much for your answer.

[mikedsm]

Hi Zenju,

I am very new to FreeFileSync! I am using FFS 5.7 on Win 7 32 bit.

I can't find the "alternate sync settings" button, or ANY configuration
buttons that are in line with the folder pairs. The only thing I see in line
with folder pairs is the center column where you can see what FFS intends to
do upon sync and the checkbox next to it.

Right clicking a file or folder gives options but not versioning.

So I'm confused by the previous posts. All I can find for versioning is the
global configuration in the dialog from clicking the main Sync Settings button
in the upper right. Has v. 5.7 changed that from v. 5.6?

My second question is: Where is the ideal place to locate the Versioning
folder? Should it always be located in the root folder of the left side?

Thank you,
Mike

[Zenju]

> alternate sync settings


Those buttons are shown in between input directory fields if you have at least
two folder pairs.


> All I can find for versioning


Versioning is configured in the sync settings dialog (top right on main
dialog) if you click on "versioning".


> ideal place to locate the Versioning folder


Since overwritten files are moved to this folder, the best place is to put it
on the same volume where the most files are updated. This is usually the
target side. If updates are equally distributed accross both sides, place it
on the slower volume.
Personally I find it convenient to place the versioning folder directly in one
of the to be synced directories together with the log files, but exclude this
folder via filters.

[mikedsm]

> Those buttons are shown in between input directory fields if you have at
least two folder pairs.


Ah-hah! I hadn't done more than one folder in the drag and drop window before!


> Versioning is configured in the sync settings dialog (top right on main
dialog) if you click on "versioning".


Ok that's all I could find, but the beginning post threw me off.


> Personally I find it convenient to place the versioning folder directly in
one of the to be synced directories together with the log files, but exclude
this folder via filters.



This part still has me a bit confused. I have accidentally created more than
one location for versions to wind up in, and because I set up a mirror copy in
a NAS (Volume_1 to Volume_2 copy), I end up with 4 copies of a given version
in one nightly backup.

So without going into any more detail on that for now, I will just go delete
all Versions folders and place one new Versions folder in the root of the NAS
Volume_1 (my primary backup is Laptop to NAS Volume_1, secondary and later the
same night is Volume_1 to Volume_2).

I am avoiding the FFS logs folder because your program placed it in
D:\Users\Michael\AppData\Roaming\FreeFileSync, that's the drive I'm primarily
backing up, and I wouldn't want to exclude it because I want copies of the
logs if something happens to my laptop.

I'll come back to tell you if I get it right this time.

Mike

[mikedsm]

I'm going to guess that your file "sync.ffs_db" retains information about
where existing Versions folders are.

Is "relocate.xml" your file also?

I ask because I think the only way I'm going to fix my strange problem with
Versions folders is to delete everything that couls possibly retain any
current information about Versions and start over. As it is, I have Versions
folders in strange places, empty Versions folders, etc.

[Zenju]

> I'm going to guess that your file "sync.ffs_db" retains information about
where existing Versions folders are.


No, sync.ffs_db knows nothing about versioning, it keeps the state of the to
be synced directories only.


> Is "relocate.xml" your file also?


No.

[mikedsm]

Thank you. I'm working on it, just have many things competing for my time and
I've somehow made it complex.

I'll be back soon.

[mikedsm]

I'm back (like a bad penny). I fixed my versioning problem, it now works as
expected. In fact everything works very well except one thing:

One of my two nightly backups is a simple mirror copy of Volume_1 to Volume_2
in a NAS box. I have that set up to do no versioning, deletion handing is "to
recycle bin". I have somehow begun to accumulate "unresolved conflicts
existing" due to "both sides have changed since last backup". It started with
16 conflicts. I was mystified as to how both sides could have changed since
Volume_2 doesn't get touched except by the previous night's backup.

The night of 9/22 no backups ran, I think because a Windows Update had reset
the computer.

The next backup was last night (early this morning), 9/24. My conflicts have
grown to 41.

My question is: What is causing FFS to see any files in Volume_2 as changed if
nobody is doing anything to Volume_2? And what can I do to correct it?

Thank you very much for your help. And by the way, is there a user forum I can
go to so you aren't at the mercy of my every question?

Mike

[Zenju]

> What is causing FFS to see any files in Volume_2 as changed if nobody is
doing anything to Volume_2


Can't answer that, but I can say what FFS is checking. A "change" can be one
of file creation, deletion or update, latter of which can be a change in file
name case, a change in file modification time (with 2 second tolerance) or a
change in file size.


> is there a user forum I can go to so you aren't at the mercy of my every
question?


I guess this is where you are right now. I may be a "little too active"
answering so there is not so much of a demand for other people to "step in".
Generally, (reasonable) problems users face are valuable feedback that might
help me make a better program. I'm wondering if I should expose more internal
information to the user explaining what the changes are on both sides, at the
cost of increased (perceived) program complexity.

[mikedsm]

Thanks for the help. I'm going to take awhile to work on this (weeks) and then
I'll get back to you. I have several deadlines looming and your program is
working well enough to let my questions go for the moment.

To help you in return I will say two things:

1: There may not be much activity on this forum simply because for some reason
this forum is difficult to sign up to - and the email auto-reply failed to
work, forcing me to write to them separately.

2: I did notice that reviews of FFS often made mention of sparse Help
documentation so you may be right to engage in some of that trade-off.

Thanks, and I'll be back.
Mike