I'm having trouble with getting a synchronisation job working - its not specific to the latest build (281), but it also seems to failing in this build as well as previous builds.
The intention is to keep a number of directories on a laptop synchronised with corresponding directories on a server - and while the laptop is off site, if any files are changed either on the server or the laptop, the updated files are to be copied to the other machine to maintain consistency whe it gets back. Aisbackup will run on the laptop anything up to 4 times a day.
When I run the job the first time, specifying a source directory on the server and an empty destination on the laptop, everything replicates across to the laptop fine. If I run it again without any of the files changing on either machine, intuitively it should decide to do nothing. Instead, it recognises not to copy any files, and then proceeds (after asking for confirmation) to delete every file and folder in the destination again!
(specs: running version 2.3 beta build 281 on Windows XP Pro on laptop.
source is a network server folder 'Z:\testworksync', destination is a local disk folder 'C:\Workmobile\testsync'. Destination starts out empty.
'copy new and newer file both ways' is selected, 'Do not copy deleted files from destination' is seleted.)
Verbose 'log everything' logfile available on request!
Any clues?
Problems with 'bothways synchronisation' job deleting files
Synchronization jobs
This used to be a problem prior to version 2.2 when a few files from the one folder were selected but I was sure it was fixed, obviously not.
I tried to replicate the problem here, I selected a folder containing 3 files and seven of nine files from another folder to synchronize between two PC’s, and everything worked okay. The second synchronize said there were no files to synchronize and completed okay - with not files copied or deleted.
Please send me a copy of the backup job files using the Help / Bug report function so that the test here can more closely mirror your own set-up. The log file attached to the bug report may also shed some light on the problem.
Barry
I tried to replicate the problem here, I selected a folder containing 3 files and seven of nine files from another folder to synchronize between two PC’s, and everything worked okay. The second synchronize said there were no files to synchronize and completed okay - with not files copied or deleted.
Please send me a copy of the backup job files using the Help / Bug report function so that the test here can more closely mirror your own set-up. The log file attached to the bug report may also shed some light on the problem.
Barry
I will send the job files and the verbose logfile.
To be clear - when I run the synchronise job the second time, it correctly scans through the files and decides that it does not need to copy any files in either direction.
It then pops up the dialog 'OK to delete the files and folders from the destination folders that are not in the source folders' (Review/Yes/No). Hitting 'Yes' should be safe, since the source and dest are now synchronised - but it deletes almost every folder and file on the destination.
To be clear - when I run the synchronise job the second time, it correctly scans through the files and decides that it does not need to copy any files in either direction.
It then pops up the dialog 'OK to delete the files and folders from the destination folders that are not in the source folders' (Review/Yes/No). Hitting 'Yes' should be safe, since the source and dest are now synchronised - but it deletes almost every folder and file on the destination.
Synchronize job
AISBackup is clearly running incorrectly on your system but works okay here - strange. I do not get the question when the folders are synchronized.
Barry
Barry
sychronization problem
The synchronization fault has been found and is corrected from build 282 (has not been uploaded as of 29 June 2006).
The problem happens if the source of the backup is a network drive, synchronization jobs where the source is a local drive and the destination drive a network drive work okay. The work-around until build 282 is uploaded is to continue to manually filter what is deleted with Review (or as you are doing by clicking No).
Barry
The problem happens if the source of the backup is a network drive, synchronization jobs where the source is a local drive and the destination drive a network drive work okay. The work-around until build 282 is uploaded is to continue to manually filter what is deleted with Review (or as you are doing by clicking No).
Barry
OK, that has now clarified an additional problem with the destination folders that are created. When the directory structure of the 'source' folder is reproduced in the 'destination' folder, the job is reproducing the source directory tree all the way up to the root, rather then just from the nominated source folder down.
example:
If I have folders on the source disk as C:\Clevel1\Clevel2\Clevel3, and folders on the destination disk as D:\Dlevel1\Dlevel2\Dlevel3, and I want to duplicate the contents of Clevel2 into Dlevel2, in AISbackup I specify a 'source folder' of C:\Clevel1\Clevel2, and a destination folder of D:\Dlevel1\Dlevel2.
I would expect after synchronisation to have a destination folder created named D:\Dlevel1\Dlevel2\Clevel3.
What actually happens is I end up with a destination folder D:\Dlevel1\Dlevel2\Clevel1\Clevel2\Clevel3.
(Actually, now I try it again, perhaps the issue is the selection dialog for specifying the source folder 'select files and folders for backup' - when I select a folder deep into a directory tree, the dialog automatically selects all the parent folders as well. I don't want all the parent folders created - is there a way of specifying this?)
example:
If I have folders on the source disk as C:\Clevel1\Clevel2\Clevel3, and folders on the destination disk as D:\Dlevel1\Dlevel2\Dlevel3, and I want to duplicate the contents of Clevel2 into Dlevel2, in AISbackup I specify a 'source folder' of C:\Clevel1\Clevel2, and a destination folder of D:\Dlevel1\Dlevel2.
I would expect after synchronisation to have a destination folder created named D:\Dlevel1\Dlevel2\Clevel3.
What actually happens is I end up with a destination folder D:\Dlevel1\Dlevel2\Clevel1\Clevel2\Clevel3.
(Actually, now I try it again, perhaps the issue is the selection dialog for specifying the source folder 'select files and folders for backup' - when I select a folder deep into a directory tree, the dialog automatically selects all the parent folders as well. I don't want all the parent folders created - is there a way of specifying this?)
Synchronize options
AISBackup was designed to synchronize selected folders to the destination, a selected folder is defined by its full hierarchic name not just the ‘part’ selected.
I understand your problem and it would make a good addition to AISBackup’s functionality, however, how it is implemented require some thinking about. It may be better to create a specialist synchronization program to enable multiple, selectable, destinations to multiple, selectable, destinations. The easiest way to achieve the set-up is by using drag-and-drop as this gives a more intuitive way to select the source and destination. This was going to be added to AISBackup, but departs a little from the original intention, which was to make a backup and restore program.
As it stands AISBackup can only have one destination, whether this be a root disk or sub-folder.
If folder:
K:\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\My Pictures
If synchronized to
\\LEMMING\WORK\J-Pics
As it stands AISBackup will create
\\LEMMING\WORK\J-Pics\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\My Pictures
If \\LEMMING\WORK\J-Pics\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\My Pictures is selected as a Copy to Root of Destination Folder the following will be created:
\\LEMMING\WORK\J-Pics\My Pictures
Does this make sense or would it be easier to have a Copy Contents to Destination Folder option so the contents of \\LEMMING\WORK\J-Pics\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\My Pictures will be copied to \\LEMMING\WORK\J-Pics?
Actually now I think about it the latter is probably easier to understand?
Actually, with a two way synchronization job, what do you synchronize back to where? This requires more thinking about!
Barry
I understand your problem and it would make a good addition to AISBackup’s functionality, however, how it is implemented require some thinking about. It may be better to create a specialist synchronization program to enable multiple, selectable, destinations to multiple, selectable, destinations. The easiest way to achieve the set-up is by using drag-and-drop as this gives a more intuitive way to select the source and destination. This was going to be added to AISBackup, but departs a little from the original intention, which was to make a backup and restore program.
As it stands AISBackup can only have one destination, whether this be a root disk or sub-folder.
If folder:
K:\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\My Pictures
If synchronized to
\\LEMMING\WORK\J-Pics
As it stands AISBackup will create
\\LEMMING\WORK\J-Pics\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\My Pictures
If \\LEMMING\WORK\J-Pics\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\My Pictures is selected as a Copy to Root of Destination Folder the following will be created:
\\LEMMING\WORK\J-Pics\My Pictures
Does this make sense or would it be easier to have a Copy Contents to Destination Folder option so the contents of \\LEMMING\WORK\J-Pics\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\My Pictures will be copied to \\LEMMING\WORK\J-Pics?
Actually now I think about it the latter is probably easier to understand?
Actually, with a two way synchronization job, what do you synchronize back to where? This requires more thinking about!
Barry
Synchrionize - candidates fror delete
The Synchrionize - candidates for delete has been fixed in beata build 282 which was made available today.
Barry
Barry
Last edited by Barry on Mon Jul 17, 2006 3:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.
no network shares from the local computer
Sorry Barry, have been on vacation in the intervening time.
I'm still thinking myself of the best way to do this, but in the meantime I thought I'd be sneaky and get the result I am looking for by defining the subdirectory I want on the local machine as a network share, and then setting the new drive letter as a 'root' for the job.
I found this didn't work - as AISBackup excludes the local PC name from the list of computers on the network with network shares. From another PC the shared folder (and the PC it is on) is visible, but not from the same PC.
I realise this probably seemed like a good idea at the time, but I for one would like to see the local PC and its shared folders in the list of networked PCs when selecting a network source or destination!
I'm still thinking myself of the best way to do this, but in the meantime I thought I'd be sneaky and get the result I am looking for by defining the subdirectory I want on the local machine as a network share, and then setting the new drive letter as a 'root' for the job.
I found this didn't work - as AISBackup excludes the local PC name from the list of computers on the network with network shares. From another PC the shared folder (and the PC it is on) is visible, but not from the same PC.
I realise this probably seemed like a good idea at the time, but I for one would like to see the local PC and its shared folders in the list of networked PCs when selecting a network source or destination!
sychronization problem
I have just tested your scenario by mapping a local drive to a local folder using Windows Explorer, this works and AISBackup remembers the share.
Your original problem has also been fixed and should still work in the latest beta build, please confirm this.
Barry
Your original problem has also been fixed and should still work in the latest beta build, please confirm this.
Barry
Still a niggly issue
Thanks Barry - the original problem (bothways synchronisation not working when the source was a network share and the destination a local disk folder) is fixed, in that it now works (apart from the issue below) when the source is a network share. I'm still to confirm the problem I had with not seeing drive mappings from the local PC, but now......
When I change a file in the SOURCE folder, it is copied to the DEST
when I add a new file in the SOURCE folder, it is copied to the DEST
when I change an existing file on the DEST, it is copied back to the SOURCE
BUT when I add a new file into the DEST tree, it is NOT copied over to the SOURCE - instead, it is listed under the 'OK to delete files and folders from the destination filders that are not on the source folders' preview, and listed in the preview in green text.
I'd like a new file created on the DEST (with a creation date after the last synchronisation run) to be copied back to the SOURCE, not deleted.
When there is a file on the DEST that is not on the SOURCE, could the program check its 'last modified date/time'? The "file last modified date is after the last successful synchronisation job time" allows the program to distinguish between 'a new file created on the DEST (so copy it over)' and 'a file on the SOURCE has been deleted (so delete it on the DEST as well).
Cheers.
When I change a file in the SOURCE folder, it is copied to the DEST
when I add a new file in the SOURCE folder, it is copied to the DEST
when I change an existing file on the DEST, it is copied back to the SOURCE
BUT when I add a new file into the DEST tree, it is NOT copied over to the SOURCE - instead, it is listed under the 'OK to delete files and folders from the destination filders that are not on the source folders' preview, and listed in the preview in green text.
I'd like a new file created on the DEST (with a creation date after the last synchronisation run) to be copied back to the SOURCE, not deleted.
When there is a file on the DEST that is not on the SOURCE, could the program check its 'last modified date/time'? The "file last modified date is after the last successful synchronisation job time" allows the program to distinguish between 'a new file created on the DEST (so copy it over)' and 'a file on the SOURCE has been deleted (so delete it on the DEST as well).
Cheers.
Copy back new files and folders
This is a good idea and has been implemented as a new option in build 289, select the option:
Manage Backup / Chnage Synchronize Job Settings / Copy new destination files to source
This may be downloaded from:
http://www.aiscl.co.uk/aisbackup_beta.htm
Barry
Manage Backup / Chnage Synchronize Job Settings / Copy new destination files to source
This may be downloaded from:
http://www.aiscl.co.uk/aisbackup_beta.htm
Barry