RealTimeSync

Posts: 36 · boris 11 Jun 2020, 21:32

I have tried now for weeks, spending hours on getting RTS to work. But no matter what I do I can't make it work.
I have gone through the instructions step by step, over and over again and still it refuses to work.
Does this feature actually work with Window 10 64bit? Or have I been wasting my time?

Posts: 4056 · xCSxXenon 15 Jun 2020, 16:17

Works great! I've attached a picture of my RTS window
- The title bar contains the path where my RTS file is saved. It is saved in "C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup" so that it runs at startup.
- The 'folders to watch' simply contains the left and right folders from the FFS batch file. So, if there are any changes in one of those two directories, it runs the command located at the bottom of the window.
- The idle time is set to 60 seconds, so after I finish moving data around in one of those folders, it will wait 60 seconds before running the command at the bottom.
- The command at the bottom has three parts:
1. "C:\Program Files\....\FreeFileSync.exe" which runs the FFS program, duh
2. "C:\Users\Owner\Documents\Sync\Images.ffs_batch" This is the location that I saved my batch config for FFS. This contains the sync method and folder pairs, etc. (Two-way for my case)
3. " & exit 0" at the end to fix a bug from a recent FFS release. Not sure if it is fixed. FFS reads %errorlevel% which is a variable in Windows to see if the sync finished or whatever. But it wasn't working correctly and if it was anything but 0, it would pop up an error no matter what. The amendment to the command forced that value to be 0 so the error window wouldn't pop up.

Posts: 36 · boris 15 Jun 2020, 18:32

I shall copy this but in about 4 years of trying I have never been able to get it to work.
I have FFS on the C drive. A shortcut to RTS in startup folder and there are about 8 folders on a backup drive listed in the batchfile.
RTS icon does not even display in the taskbar once I've rebooted. It's so frustrating.

Posts: 4056 · xCSxXenon 15 Jun 2020, 19:02

You don't want a shortcut to RTS in the startup folder, you want the "xxxx.ffs_real" file in the startup folder, to be clear. If you just have a shortcut to RTS, it doesn't do anything. Attached a picture of my startup folder

Posts: 36 · boris 15 Jun 2020, 19:10

OK lemme try that see if I can get that to work

Posts: 36 · boris 15 Jun 2020, 19:55

OK...I give in...where on earth do you get the xxxx.FFS_real file from? I can't see any way at all to make one and there isn't a one in any of the folders.

Posts: 4056 · xCSxXenon 15 Jun 2020, 21:43

Sorry for the confusion. That xxxx is just random letters. It can be whatever you name it. In my image, 'xxxx' is 'Benches', 'Images', and 'Tools' from top to bottom. Open a RTS window and configure the settings first. You can easily do this by finding where your .ffs_batch config file is and drag-and-drop onto the RTS windows. That will autofill the 'folders to watch' and 'command line' sections. Choose your idle time, that's up to your preference. You can then click 'file' in the toolbar up top, then 'save-as', which is where you can name and choose the location for your .ffs_batch file

Posts: 36 · boris 15 Jun 2020, 22:40

OK I knew what the X's were for it was the .real file I was missing.
However, I finally found it and with respect to Zenju who has created a fabulous program, he need to look at the amount of people who get stuck on the same issue so there is clearly a gap in the manual.
Anyway, I finally found that while in Realsync you save that file, and when you save it it saves as a .real file. That was the missing link for me.
Everything seems fine now I think, I will be rebooting in about 20 mins to test it all out. Fingers crossed!

Posts: 36 · boris 15 Jun 2020, 23:19

Nope. It absolutely refuses to work. I've been trying this on and off for years and I have never got it to work. I have to physically start realtimesync after every reboot, which kind of takes away the entire point of having something that detects the usb drive going in.
There's something amiss somewhere cos over the years I have tried pretty much everything.

Posts: 36 · boris 16 Jun 2020, 00:55

Right I've started afresh, I followed the video tutorial step by step, to the letter, pausing and restarting the video as I copied the steps.
It does not work.
I think it's been about 4 years now I have been trying to do this an failed every time so this is my last attempt. I'm off now to find a backup routine that works and I don't even mind if I have to pay fro it at this stage as I am so fed up of the frustration I feel each time I try this.
Zenju if you want apiece of advice, rewrite your manual or redo your videos so that they actually work for people.
Thanks Xenon for your efforts to help.

Posts: 4056 · xCSxXenon 19 Jun 2020, 16:30

No problem, sorry it couldn't get worked out for you even having other success stories at hand. I would be suspicious of an outside issue at this point though. Although another solution may work, I don't think the issue lies with either FFS or you at this point. Unless you are just completely incompetent, which obviously isn't the case as you've been proficient in explaining and understanding, there must be some weird hangup causing the issue.

Posts: 36 · boris 23 Oct 2023, 01:10

Quick update. I paid my dues this year again as I do often as I use this program weekly at least. I had a drive die on me so I replaced it and I decided to set the new shiny one up so that it backs up automatically when inserted...it didn't work ahha I'm past being pizzd about it now, just thought I'd give it a bash again.
Still my fave backup utility aside from the odd thing I'd like added.