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File Sync software?
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driven
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Jan 23, 2011, 01:28 PM
 
Can anyone recommend a decent (and preferably free, or cheap) software program that can sync files between an iMac and a MBP? (Syncing delta's is important because I'm looking to sync a fairly large set of files)
- MacBook Air M2 16GB / 512GB
- MacBook Pro 16" i9 2.4Ghz 32GB / 1TB
- MacBook Pro 15" i7 2.9Ghz 16GB / 512GB
- iMac i5 3.2Ghz 1TB
- G4 Cube 500Mhz / Shelf display unit / Museum display
     
Cold Warrior
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Jan 23, 2011, 01:33 PM
 
Download Backuplist+ for Mac - File copy and backup application. MacUpdate.com

That one is based on rsync.

And the Mac App Store has several options with a search for 'sync'.
     
seanc
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Jan 23, 2011, 01:34 PM
 
Rsync is built into OS X... slight learning curve but it's worth it once you've gotten the hang of it.
     
driven  (op)
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Jan 23, 2011, 01:42 PM
 
Thank you. Most excellent.
- MacBook Air M2 16GB / 512GB
- MacBook Pro 16" i9 2.4Ghz 32GB / 1TB
- MacBook Pro 15" i7 2.9Ghz 16GB / 512GB
- iMac i5 3.2Ghz 1TB
- G4 Cube 500Mhz / Shelf display unit / Museum display
     
Jonesy
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Jan 23, 2011, 03:56 PM
 
I use ChronoSync for this. I have used it for a couple of years and it keeps getting better. Easy set-up. Can't recommend it highly enough.
     
pcryan5
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Jan 23, 2011, 08:17 PM
 
Originally Posted by Jonesy View Post
I use ChronoSync for this. I have used it for a couple of years and it keeps getting better. Easy set-up. Can't recommend it highly enough.
Agreed. I have all sorts of sync routines updating files to location drives and remote network servers Work perfectly.
     
driven  (op)
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Jan 24, 2011, 12:01 AM
 
Looks to me like Chronosync is at least worth a look. :-)
- MacBook Air M2 16GB / 512GB
- MacBook Pro 16" i9 2.4Ghz 32GB / 1TB
- MacBook Pro 15" i7 2.9Ghz 16GB / 512GB
- iMac i5 3.2Ghz 1TB
- G4 Cube 500Mhz / Shelf display unit / Museum display
     
Cold Warrior
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Jan 24, 2011, 12:06 AM
 
Might be overkill for your needs. It's $40.
     
driven  (op)
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Jan 24, 2011, 12:09 AM
 
I'll check out all of the solutions mentioned. Chronosync seems to have a free trial, so it's worth looking at.
- MacBook Air M2 16GB / 512GB
- MacBook Pro 16" i9 2.4Ghz 32GB / 1TB
- MacBook Pro 15" i7 2.9Ghz 16GB / 512GB
- iMac i5 3.2Ghz 1TB
- G4 Cube 500Mhz / Shelf display unit / Museum display
     
Eug
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May 24, 2011, 11:00 AM
 
Originally Posted by Cold Warrior View Post
Download Backuplist+ for Mac - File copy and backup application. MacUpdate.com

That one is based on rsync.

And the Mac App Store has several options with a search for 'sync'.
Would this (on my iMac) work with a 3rd party rsync machine?

I want to sync my iMac with my NAS server which has the ability to rsync with rsync compatible servers. However, the primary info would actually be on the iMac, and it would be syncing in both directions, as I work on the iMac, and as I ftp into the NAS remotely. The iMac and NAS are on the same Gigabit LAN, but the ftp server is on the NAS currently.

Or is this just a one direction thing? (That page I linked seems to suggest unidirectional...)

The other alternative is to Time Machine from the iMac to the NAS, but that wouldn't give me the ability to transfer files over FTP to the NAS and have them sync back to the iMac. I could run an ftp server on the iMac, but I don't really want to have this thing on 24/7 anymore.
     
turtle777
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May 24, 2011, 11:29 AM
 
Originally Posted by seanc View Post
Rsync is built into OS X... slight learning curve but it's worth it once you've gotten the hang of it.
Careful re: proper handling of resource forks. Use -E.
Leopard and SL ship with an old version of rsync.

Handle resource forks correctly with newer rsync - Mac OS X Hints

Read through this (a bit confusing) article.

To be honest, after reading all this, I'm not quite sure if I would recommend rsyn to anybody, because the devil is really in the details.

-t
     
Eug
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May 24, 2011, 01:30 PM
 
^^^ arRggh...

1) Is there a reason that Fink doesn't provide a binary for rsync 3.0.7-1?
2) Considering that arRsync 0.4.1 came out in 2006, would it not work properly with rsync 3.0.7, given that the flags have now changed?
     
besson3c
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May 24, 2011, 02:22 PM
 
If it were me I'd just compile the latest version of rsync using MacPorts and forget about the OS X metadata stuff.

You need to issue two separate rsync commands with the source and destination reversed if you want to do a two-way sync, it is designed for a one-way sync but can be used to sync multi-directionally with some care. Be careful though, it is easy to overwrite stuff you don't intend to this way!
     
besson3c
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May 24, 2011, 02:27 PM
 
If you want to preserve that stuff, the Mac OS X Hints article Turtle linked to says that the -E option is now:

-X, --xattrs preserve extended attributes


you can download/compile rsync 3.0.7 with this option via MacPorts or Fink. However, this does not preserve the old school OS 9 era resource fork info, I don't think, but the newer xattr stuff. I always have to revisit that Siracusa article to remember where pre-xattr stuff is being used. If you can get by with just the xattr support, rsync would be easy to get up and running if you were inclined to do so.
( Last edited by besson3c; May 24, 2011 at 02:39 PM. )
     
Eug
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May 24, 2011, 03:14 PM
 
This seems like way too much of a headache for idiots like me. I take it as a sign that it's probably not for me when compiling is involved.
     
turtle777
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May 24, 2011, 05:18 PM
 
Exactly. That's why you stick with an actual app, and leave it to the programmer to worry about it.

-t
     
besson3c
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May 24, 2011, 05:37 PM
 
Originally Posted by Eug View Post
This seems like way too much of a headache for idiots like me. I take it as a sign that it's probably not for me when compiling is involved.

Here is a binary installer I made just for you!

http://mixolydian.netmusician.org/~j...nc-3.0.7-1.dmg
     
besson3c
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May 24, 2011, 05:38 PM
 
Originally Posted by turtle777 View Post
Exactly. That's why you stick with an actual app, and leave it to the programmer to worry about it.

-t

wuss
     
Eug
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May 26, 2011, 12:42 AM
 
Originally Posted by besson3c View Post
Here is a binary installer I made just for you!

http://mixolydian.netmusician.org/~j...nc-3.0.7-1.dmg
Thx. I'll check it out.
     
subego
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May 26, 2011, 01:16 AM
 
Tell us if you get the clap.
     
   
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