[dmetzcher]

I have two Macs and need to have several folders on them kept in sync. How can I do this? I assumed that I would write a script for it, but, I'm thinking now that, if someone else has already written one, or if someone has written an application (free or commercial - doesn't matter), I'd be better off saving myself the time and downloading a solution.

Are there solutions for this, and, if so, which is the best? We are talking about syncing (not copying, but syncing changed files and folders) multiple folders on an iBook and a Mac Pro.

Thanks!

[Big Mac]

I think you want rsync.

[dmetzcher]

Originally Posted by Big Mac 

I think you want rsync.

That's what I thought, and I'm going to test out a GUI wrapper for it. Do you have any suggestions for software that uses rsync?

[frdmfghtr]

I use Syncronize X! Pro from Qdea to sync my iBook with my server space at school and to do weekly backups to an external USB-connected hard drive. Before I got the external drive, I used to sync with a Windows-based laptop for my document backups. It runs on either the PPC Macs or Intel Macs--it's a Universal Binary app. It even has a one-week free trial license so you can test it out before buying a license.

[Hal Itosis]

ChronoSync

[CatOne]

Originally Posted by Hal Itosis 

ChronoSync

2nd.

[besson3c]

Re: Chronosync and other rsync GUIs

Why do you need a GUI wrapper for a faceless operation? Makes no sense to me... Why would you want this thing to disturb your work by being launched? Or, does it simply set cronjobs for you and then once setup render itself more or less useless?


Just learn rsync, it's really not that big a deal.

[Hal Itosis]

Originally Posted by besson3c 

Re: Chronosync and other rsync GUIs

Why do you need a GUI wrapper for a faceless operation? Makes no sense to me... Why would you want this thing to disturb your work by being launched? Or, does it simply set cronjobs for you and then once setup render itself more or less useless?


Just learn rsync, it's really not that big a deal.

Syncing folders isn't always as simple as "make everything the latest in both".
(You were talking about two-way synchronization, right? Not just a backup).

Like syncing the Home folder on 2 Macs involves excluding a bunch of stuff:
hardware specific stuff like software license files (scattered willy-nilly), logs,
and even something obscure like desktop pictures (ie, different screen size).

Sure, I could sit in Terminal and design it... look at listing after listing of dry
runs, to verify it isn't doing something unwanted. YAWN. A well designed GUI
makes life much easier. If the task is easy and you enjoy coding, sure go for it.
But beyond basic backups, keeping 2 or 3 Macs synced while being certain not
to include/exclude un/wanted stuff is enough of a brain twister using a GUI app.

No need to make it a totally masochistic exercise by limiting oneself to the CLI.

Besides, rsync currently acts very dumb around resource forks: it copies them
every single time, whether they've changed or not. As for your question about
how ChronoSync operates... just download and try it out for yourself.

" It's really not that big a deal "

--


[Found an interesting (CLI) synchronizer called "unison".
Only... it likely doesn't do Mac resource forks, and it is
no longer in active development. Still interesting tho].

[dmetzcher]

I purchased ChronoSync and have been testing it out. It's fast, and gets the job done. The ability to archive changed or deleted files, before replacing or deleting them on the second Mac is really great in certain circumstances, and will probably save me at some point in the future.

[CatOne]

Originally Posted by besson3c 

Re: Chronosync and other rsync GUIs

Why do you need a GUI wrapper for a faceless operation? Makes no sense to me... Why would you want this thing to disturb your work by being launched? Or, does it simply set cronjobs for you and then once setup render itself more or less useless?


Just learn rsync, it's really not that big a deal.

Because there are lots of things you may want to tweak -- exclude certain folders or directories, set archive policies, etc., which are difficult to do with rsync. I have compared ChronoSync to other sync programs (rsync, rsyncX, You Synchronize), and ChronoSync has the best functionality, including very nice things like "sync when this target mounts" which is great for doing things automatically based on other operations (in my case synching when I mount an AFP folder).

[mduell]

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