newby questions: can it do this?

[tinaa]

Hi,

I'm trying Beyond Compare and couldn't quite get it to do what I want. Before I spend any more time with it I was hoping someone could tell me if the software can do it.

I want to synchronize large folders between 2 computers at different sites. The size makes FTP synchronization inconvenient. At one site there is no DVD recorder so copying the entire folder to a disc isn't possible.

So what I'd like to do is identify files that have to be copied in one direction or another, but instead of copying those files to the 2 folders being compared, I want them copied to 2 other folders. This way I'll have 2 folders containing only files that need to be copied in each direction and I can put them on a CD for transporting to the other site.

Can this be done?

The other thing I'd like to do is setup synchronization rules such that a binary comparison is done on any matching filenames of same size. If a file fails the binary compare but the timestamps on the 2 files are different, the newer file should overwrite the older file. If there's a binary difference but the timestamps are the same (or within a couple of seconds) it should let me filter the view so only those files show up and I can manually decide which file gets copied where. I want the same rules to apply to matching files that have different size. That is, if the timestamps are different, they'll be synchronized according to the timestamp, but if they're the same, they'll be manually picked from a filtered view.

I couldn't find a way to filter the view so that only files with matching timestamps but size or binary differences show up. I'm also not clear on how "mismatched" files with different timestamps are handled during a sync.

Thanks for any help you can provide.

[Chris]

Re: newby questions: can it do this?

Hi,

I'm trying Beyond Compare and couldn't quite get it to do what I want. Before I spend any more time with it I was hoping someone could tell me if the software can do it.

I want to synchronize large folders between 2 computers at different sites. The size makes FTP synchronization inconvenient. At one site there is no DVD recorder so copying the entire folder to a disc isn't possible.

So what I'd like to do is identify files that have to be copied in one direction or another, but instead of copying those files to the 2 folders being compared, I want them copied to 2 other folders. This way I'll have 2 folders containing only files that need to be copied in each direction and I can put them on a CD for transporting to the other site.

Can this be done?

Yes, it can be done.

Open up a comparison of the two sites. Select View|Display Filters|Left Newer and Orphans. Then select all files. Select Actions|Copy to Folder. Select "Keep Base Folder Structure". This will copy all of the files that need to be copied left to right for the update.

You can repeat the process for the right to left files.

The other thing I'd like to do is setup synchronization rules such that a binary comparison is done on any matching filenames of same size. If a file fails the binary compare but the timestamps on the 2 files are different, the newer file should overwrite the older file. If there's a binary difference but the timestamps are the same (or within a couple of seconds) it should let me filter the view so only those files show up and I can manually decide which file gets copied where. I want the same rules to apply to matching files that have different size. That is, if the timestamps are different, they'll be synchronized according to the timestamp, but if they're the same, they'll be manually picked from a filtered view.

BC doesn't support conditional binary comparisons if size and timestamps match. It is on our wish list. Right now all you can do is perform a timestamp and binary comparison on every file.

You can use timestamps and size as criteria and then do a manual binary comparison of matching files.
Select Timestamps and Size as your comparison criteria, then select View|Display|Only Matches. Then select All Files. Select Actions|Compare Contents and do a binary compare on the files that are visible.

The best way to do the sync you are describing in the second question might be:

Set comparison criteria to Timestamps, and Binary. In Session|Comparison Control, go to the Advanced Tab and check Independent timestamp, content comparison results.

Normally if a binary comparison is equal, bc considers files equal even if the timestamps don't match. Checking this option makes a file a mismatch if binary or timestamps are mismatches.

Select Left Side Newer and Orphans. Copy them to the right.
The only differences left should be binary differences that you can manually sort.

I couldn't find a way to filter the view so that only files with matching timestamps but size or binary differences show up.

There isn't a way to do this kind of filter. Just using binary comparison by itself will allow you to filter on binary differences.

I'm also not clear on how "mismatched" files with different timestamps are handled during a sync.

The default handling for a sync is to copy files with newer timestamps. You can change the sync settings in the Sync Options section of Tools|Options.

This was a complicated question and response, so if you need further clarification, please post again.

[tinaa]

Re: newby questions: can it do this?

That clarifies some things. I'll give it a go.

Part of my problem is due to a harddisk problem in the past, a number of files were corrupted, but these are randomely distributed on the drive. So orphaned files are no problem, but I'm a bit warry of overwriting any matching files with binary differences for fear of losing the only working version of a file.

I think, though, if I use the method you describe for copying fiiles from one side newer than the other side to a third folder, I could then do a compoarison of this new folder to the folder these files should be copied to. Then I can select the matching files from the destination, and copy them to a backup folder, so that they will be safe in case I find a corrupted file in the future.

Thanks for your help.