Occasional timestamp bug in copy / update LR

[markf_2748]

Most days I copy lots of files back and forth between my hard disk and USB memory stick. Typically there is a 1-2 second difference in the time stamps, which under normal circumstances is nicely ignored by setting Session Settings > Comparison > Compare timestamps to a 4 second tolerance.

However, occasionally, when I try to copy or update, I will get a message that says the destination file is newer than the source file, asking me to verify the overwrite for every file. This is very annoying. Even if I set the timestamp tolerance to 6 seconds (far larger than the indicated time difference), I keep getting the messages. In the worst cases, I have to close another application that I've been using (MATLAB) and/or close BC3. Sometimes, just hiding files that are the same solves the problem. Sometimes, selecting only the files and not their folders solves the problem. So far, the only consistency is that it only occurs when I have been doing lots of work with MATLAB (and possibly the CRiSP editor) and have BC3 open at the same time. I have only encountered this in the current beta release.

Has anyone else seen these occasionally incorrect messages wrt timestamps? Any ideas for the cause?

BC3 462

[markf_2748]

ok, if I uncheck Options > Folder Views > Confirmations > Confirm overwriting newer files, then the pesky messages go away. But in general, I wish to get these messages for time differences larger than the timestamp tolerance. So I would expect that leaving this option checked would be the right thing to do for my desired behavior. Why does the confirmation sometimes appear for time differences less than the timestamp tolerance?

[Zoë]

The "Overwrite newer" confirmations currently ignores the "Compare Timestamps" settings so that it will prompt even if you aren't comparing timestamps. We can discuss it in the office next week, though BC2 did the same thing and I can't remember anyone else being bothered by it, so I don't know how likely a change is. I could see paying attention to the tolerance setting though.

[markf_2748]

The "Overwrite newer" confirmations currently ignores the "Compare Timestamps" settings so that it will prompt even if you aren't comparing timestamps. We can discuss it in the office next week, though BC2 did the same thing and I can't remember anyone else being bothered by it, so I don't know how likely a change is.

Regarding above, I am perfectly ok with the current behavior whenever the timestamp tolerance is exceeded.

I could see paying attention to the tolerance setting though.

From the BC3 Help on Folder Comparison Criteria: "Timestamps must differ by more seconds than the Tolerance to be considered mismatches."

Therefore:

(1) During a synchronize (update) operation, when Compare timestamps is checked, there should be no overwrites attributable to the timestamps and hence no overwrite newer warnings when the file time difference is less than or equal to the timestamp second tolerance. I think it is these unnecessary warnings that I am seeing. This could be the result of "Overwrite newer" confirmations ignoring the "Compare Timestamps" as Craig says above. The suppression of overwriting in this scenario should also be verified.

(2) During a copy or move operation, it is possible to overwrite a newer file even when the file time difference is less than or equal to the timestamp second tolerance. In these cases the overwrite newer warnings are expected and justified if the user has requested the overwrite newer Confirmation.

I will check behavior with regard to these scenarios the next time I encounter the issue.

Thanks.

[Zoë]

Well, I misremembered how BC2 handled things, and it does in fact pay attention to the tolerance settings for this prompt, which made this change easier to justify.

The next release prompts will pay attention to the "second tolerance", "Ignore daylight saving difference", and "Ignore timezone differences" options if "Compare timestamps" is checked. BC2 uses them even if "Compare timestamps" is unchecked, which feels a bit weird since the tolerance edits are all disabled.

[markf_2748]

With the danger of belaboring the point:

When checked, "Confirm overwriting newer files" prompts are all powerfull, unstoppable, and trump everything else, including time differences that are less than the timestamp second tolerance (for example my case (2) above).

However, when there is no danger of overwriting, then they should not appear. For example my case (1) above (assuming the synchronize logic is correct with respect to timestamp second tolerance), or "Ignore daylight saving difference", or "Ignore timezone differences".

Thanks.

[Zoë]

I checked in a behavioral change yesterday so it works similarly to BC2. I think it will be easiest if you just give it a try when the new build is released and let us know if you have any problems with the way it works.

[markf_2748]

For the record, BC3 462 works fine when I do simple Right to Left copy, move, synch update, and synch mirror tests with this setup:

(1) Touch left side file so it is 2 secs newer than a right side copy.
(2) Set Session Compare timestamps to 4 second tolerance.
(3) Tools > Options > Folder Views > Confirmations > check "Confirm overwriting newer files"

So the behavior I originally reported is apparently an anomally that shows up only under certain operating conditions. In any case, I will keep my eye on it and also see what happens in the next release.

Thanks