Folder Sync wish: Exact mirror of everything or Exact mirror of filtered

[Pete]

For the upcoming implementation of Folder Sync, I would like to request that we have a choice (1) to make an exact mirror of everything from the source to the target, or (2) to make an exact mirror but only for the files that match the current filters.

This request is because I've assumed that (2) is impossible in BC2 and I would like BC3 to offer this.

Background: In BC2 I've set the global option to "Create Empty Folders" because this is required for an exact mirror of everything. This works fine and I'll continue to use this type of sync.

However, I'd also like a different type of sync. The problem in BC2 is when I set a date cutoff to sync only files that have changed in the past three days it (1) only copies the filtered files (good), (2) doesn't delete the non-matching files from the target side (bad), and (3) re-creates the entire folder structure (i.e. many empty folders) on the target side (bad).

I haven't tried to disable the "Create Empty Folders" option for two reasons. First, I'd like this option to be per session so that I don't have to go into the global options each time I run such a session. Second, I suspect that BC2 would still not delete the non-matching files & folders from the target side.

[Zoë]

The "Create Empty Folders" option has been removed in favor of following the "Compare folder structure" session setting we added in January. If that's checked empty folders will be created/deleted, if it isn't they won't.

For your second type of sync, are you saying that you have the filters set to only show files newer than three days old and you want it to delete files on the target that are older than that? It's an interesting suggestion. It doesn't match how we're defining file filters, so I can't promise anything, but we will take it under advisement.

[Pete]

For your second type of sync, are you saying that you have the filters set to only show files newer than three days old and you want it to delete files on the target that are older than that?

Yes.

I have a workaround for this. After BC2 exits then a non-BC job runs that deletes all files/folders older than 3 days on the target side. The inelegant part of this is that BC creates thousands of empty folders in the target which the next job has to delete. It only takes a few seconds but it's the principle of the thing. Having the "Compare Folder Structure" setting on a per-session basis will be a big improvement for this. Thanks.