How can I run a sync with logging only so I can see what the resulting job would do ?
I am trying to run an Update but cannot run a Compare to show me what the Update would do because the Compare seems to compare all files in both source and destination.
I am doing an incremental update so don't want the job to check every file on the destination because there are many. I just want the compare to tell me which of the source files will be copied to the destination.
Run Sync and Log only
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The FFS Compare always performs a full comparison between the left- and right-side files in scope.
It needs to do so, in order to determine which sync actions (if any) to propose.
If you just want to see the proposed (in casu: Update) sync actions (and not all other Compare results, you can selectively make the different Compare result Categories visible or invisible by clicking a Category mid below the Compare results.
If you want, you can export the visible Compare results in the FFS GUI via Tools / Export file list.
A log file is only created when performing the actual Sync.
It needs to do so, in order to determine which sync actions (if any) to propose.
If you just want to see the proposed (in casu: Update) sync actions (and not all other Compare results, you can selectively make the different Compare result Categories visible or invisible by clicking a Category mid below the Compare results.
If you want, you can export the visible Compare results in the FFS GUI via Tools / Export file list.
A log file is only created when performing the actual Sync.
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OK, that's just too inefficient as there are many files on the destination and only a few on the source. Consider adding a Trial Sync option which runs the sync and just produces a report showing what actions will be taken so it is possible to quickly verify the rules are correct.
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> "OK, that's just too inefficient as there are many files on the destination and only a few on the source."
That's exactly why I write: The FFS Compare always performs a full comparison between the left- and right-side files in scope. By limiting the scope (via proper selection of the folder(s) to be synced and/or the use of the Include and/or Exclude Filter) you should be able to substantially reduce the amount of files being compared.
> "Consider adding a Trial Sync option ... "
It's not my decision (I'm not the author), but I would not count on this any time soon (if ever).
It sort of defies the FFS concept of running a comparison and then being able to, for every file in scope, still select an action different from the FFS suggested sync action.
That's exactly why I write: The FFS Compare always performs a full comparison between the left- and right-side files in scope. By limiting the scope (via proper selection of the folder(s) to be synced and/or the use of the Include and/or Exclude Filter) you should be able to substantially reduce the amount of files being compared.
> "Consider adding a Trial Sync option ... "
It's not my decision (I'm not the author), but I would not count on this any time soon (if ever).
It sort of defies the FFS concept of running a comparison and then being able to, for every file in scope, still select an action different from the FFS suggested sync action.
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With a one way sync it should be smart enough to only compare files/folders that exist on the source but it doesn't - it goes off and checks every other folder/file on the target. Which is fine for a two way sync but for a one way sync that makes no sense since none of them are in scope.
In any event it is a feature available on other sync solutions.
In any event it is a feature available on other sync solutions.
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> "With a one way sync it should be smart enough ... "
This only applies to a an Update sync.
Another type of one-way sync is a Mirror sync.
And for a Mirror sync, FFS needs to scan the entire target, to determine which files at the target side do not or no longer exist on the source side and need to be deleted from the target.
But the entire concept of FFS is that the Compare phase is essentially fully independent of the Sync phase. Following a Compare, FFS will show the proposed actions according to the presently selected sync settings. But you can change the sync settings, e.g. from Update to Mirror, and FFS will show the proposed sync actions based on your modified sync settings (without running a new Compare) and see the impact of selecting different sync settings.
And still you can manually change the proposed sync action for each and every file, irrespective of the Compare result Category of that file. Obviously this is only possible if everything in scope has been scanned, where I define the "scope" of the sync as everything in the left and right base location(s) and any of their subfolders.
Which obviously differs from your apparent definition of "scope" in your above reply.
As I indicated, there is a very straight forward way to limit the amount of files and folders that will be scanned in the Compare phase by limiting the scope (as per my definition) of the sync, via proper choice of your left-right locations(s) and the use of proper Include and/or Exclude Filter settings.
If you consider that too much effort, and you consider FFS running a full Compare to take too long, than perhaps FFS is not the tool for you.
This only applies to a an Update sync.
Another type of one-way sync is a Mirror sync.
And for a Mirror sync, FFS needs to scan the entire target, to determine which files at the target side do not or no longer exist on the source side and need to be deleted from the target.
But the entire concept of FFS is that the Compare phase is essentially fully independent of the Sync phase. Following a Compare, FFS will show the proposed actions according to the presently selected sync settings. But you can change the sync settings, e.g. from Update to Mirror, and FFS will show the proposed sync actions based on your modified sync settings (without running a new Compare) and see the impact of selecting different sync settings.
And still you can manually change the proposed sync action for each and every file, irrespective of the Compare result Category of that file. Obviously this is only possible if everything in scope has been scanned, where I define the "scope" of the sync as everything in the left and right base location(s) and any of their subfolders.
Which obviously differs from your apparent definition of "scope" in your above reply.
As I indicated, there is a very straight forward way to limit the amount of files and folders that will be scanned in the Compare phase by limiting the scope (as per my definition) of the sync, via proper choice of your left-right locations(s) and the use of proper Include and/or Exclude Filter settings.
If you consider that too much effort, and you consider FFS running a full Compare to take too long, than perhaps FFS is not the tool for you.
