RealtimeSync / USB Drive

Get help for specific problems
Posts: 5
Joined: 25 May 2011

demonkunga

First of all, I'd like to say, Zenju, your program rocks, thank you very much!
Okay, so I read in your help file that you can set RealtimeSync to launch a
batch operation when a USB drive is connected. I've mucked about with this and
it does work, the only problem I'm having has something to do with the Minimum
Idle-Time value. I'm not sure what that should be set to. If it's too low,
multiple operations happen during each other, which causes the main operation
to stop. If it's too high, when I connect the drive, the sync doesn't happen.

For the record, I'm not using silent mode.

> The command-line must NOT block the progress. If a FreeFileSync batch file
is called make sure it is operating in "silent-mode" and "error handling” is
set to "ignore errors" or "exit instantly".


Should I be using silent mode with Minimum Idle-Time set to 10 seconds? Would
that cause the sync to always take place when the drive is connected, without
causing problems? I'd prefer for it not to be silent, but if I have to, I have
to. Thanks!
Posts: 5
Joined: 25 May 2011

demonkunga

I just tried it in silent mode and it seems to not cause any problems. I set
the tray icon to always show, so I can see when an operation is being done. My
only gripe is that it does it every 10 seconds, instead of only when the drive
is first connected, so I have to wait anywhere from 1-10 seconds until the
operation starts. Oh well, I can live with it. =)
User avatar
Site Admin
Posts: 7170
Joined: 9 Dec 2007

Zenju

> My only gripe is that it does it every 10 seconds
This is actually "not a feature". I wouldn't go so far and call it a bug,
since RTS behaves correctly. The problem is that FreeFileSync.exe is running
asynchronously in v3.18.
This is an oversight when introducing the 32/64 bit launcher:

viewtopic.php?t=911

About the meaning of "Minimum Idle-Time":
If RTS detects a change for one of the monitored folders (directory becomes
available, or file/folder within a directory changes), it runs the command
line.
(*) However it doesn't do so immediately: First it waits the specified number
of seconds. If a second(!) change is detected during this period, the timer is
reset and we go back to *.
So the use of "Minimum Idle-Time" is to avoid starting sync during periods of
high disk activity, probably while many files are open for writing. If the
directories have not seen a change for <"Minimum Idle-Time"> seconds, it is
very likely that we are not in such a high activity time slot and it will
execute the command.
Posts: 5
Joined: 25 May 2011

demonkunga

So does this mean when 3.18 is released, with the drive connected, FFS won't
be run every * seconds? I just want it to run when I connect the drive. =)

So if I have this right, if I set the MIT to 5 seconds, when I connect the
drive, it'll wait 5 seconds then sync. And once 3.18 is released, it shouldn't
keep doing it every 5 seconds, unless I go to the drive and change some files
on it manually.

I wonder if it will notice files were changed (by FFS) and try to do another
sync. That'd be redundant.
User avatar
Site Admin
Posts: 7170
Joined: 9 Dec 2007

Zenju

> I just want it to run when I connect the drive. =)
You'll probably get "a bit more". Command is triggered on connect and on every
file change while it is connected.

> when I connect the drive, it'll wait 5 seconds then sync.
Yes, unless it detects a second change where it will wait another 5 seconds.

>And once 3.18 is released, it shouldn't keep doing it every 5 seconds
You needn't wait for 3.18. Following the link is a description how to geht
this behavior already with v3.17

>I wonder if it will notice files were changed (by FFS) and try to do another
sync
If the call to FFS is synchronous, this won't be a problem.
Posts: 5
Joined: 25 May 2011

demonkunga

Alright, thank you, I've got the functionality that I want. One last thing, I
either read it in the help file or on the forum, but I can't seem to find it
again... how do I set RealtimeSync to not show the window when it's ran? I
could set it as a service, but I don't want to.
Posts: 5
Joined: 25 May 2011

demonkunga

It looks like I can just run the .ffs_real file and that bypasses the
RealtimeSync startup screen. Awesome. =)