[SOLVED] How to synchronize folders?

[cdupree]

Does anyone have a reliable method of synchronizing folders between, say, a desktop and a netbook? Or a desktop and a USB stick? I've downloaded Komparator4 but haven't yet had time to spend learning it; is it worthwhile? Or does someone have another way they like better?

[oshunluvr]

Re: How to synchronize folders?

Well, this is linux. That means there's many ways to do this. Here's a few:

rsync: write an rsync script and menu item that you select when the computers are connected. Upgrade: write a daemon process that detects the connection and activates the script.

external service: use Dropbox or something similar for the synced folder. This is the easiest choice. Limitation is 2 or so GB max. Big plus is you can sync all your computers.

manual: drag-and-drop a folder and choose overwrite. Total low-brow, but still an option.

[cdupree]

Re: How to synchronize folders?

I read a little about rsync and it seems kinda heavy-handed and not as nuanced as I'd like. And the drag-and-drop thing needs to be done twice a day if all files are to be synced between the desktop and the netbook so that all edits are incorporated, and if I forget to sync I lose edits.

But I'd never heard of Dropbox, which might solve the problem at least in the short term, so many thanks for that pointer! I've signed up for the free version and will test it out. They solve the problem simply by putting the canonical (sorry) version on the cloud so you don't have to sync. That will have advantages and disadvantages, but I'm sure glad you told me about it!

[bitzbox]

Re: How to synchronize folders?

I've used grsync for many years, which is a graphical front-end to rsync. It's very easy to set up and use, it's very fast, and it has a nifty dry run feature which allows you to use it without making any changes to your files/folders. Once your happy that you've got it set up to your liking, you can then use it "in anger".

Regards

[ErwinC]

Re: How to synchronize folders?

LuckyBackup

[quarkslot]

Re: How to synchronize folders?

A free (for the first 2GB) alternative to Dropbox is SpiderOak. I'd say it's more complicated to get started with, in other words you have to think about it (well, I did!) but is more powerful.

Dropbox syncs everything in a special Dropbox folder which you can share between any number of devices.

With SpiderOak each time you add a device you select the directories or files you want to backup. Once they are backed up to the server you can choose which of them you want to sync between each device. The level of control is far greater, the downside being more opportunity to get something wrong, so perhaps it is not for the casual user.

[GreyGeek]

Re: How to synchronize folders?

....
I've downloaded Komparator4 but haven't yet had time to spend learning it; is it worthwhile? Or does someone have another way they like better?

To use komparator4, you must define named Presets which are essentially left and right root
directories defining what to be synchronized. Also, under the Extended Search Options tab one should define which files to search for (*.* is recommended) and which not to search for (typically a semicolon-separated list like: *.suo;*.ilk;*.res; ...)

[dequire]

Re: How to synchronize folders?

Surprising on the Kubuntu forums no one mentioned Owncloud. It's a F/OSS application after all. And no limitations except for your own storage space.

[cdupree]

[SOLVED] Re: How to synchronize folders?

Thanks to all who took time to reply to my fairly general question! This site exemplifies one of the most attractive aspects of Linux in general and the Ubuntu/Kubuntu community in particular: the helpfulness and generosity of individuals who contribute time to help others they don't know and usually will never meet because they enjoy the opportunity to use their knowledge and skills to help folks.

In that vein, here's my summary of what people have suggested so far and my search results based on those suggestions plus what I've read elsewhere.

- Manual drag-and-drop
- grsync/rsync
- LuckyBackup
- Komparator4
- Dropbox
- SpiderOak
- OwnCloud

I looked briefly at grsync and LuckyBackup, which as far as I can tell are both graphical interfaces to rsync. Both seem useful, and are actually quite in line with what I was originally asking for, as is Komparator4, which seems a bit more flexible but probably therefore a bit harder to figure out initially.

I ended up signing up for the free 2GB at both Dropbox and SpiderOak. OwnCloud looks very cool in terms of functionality as well as politics, being basically an open-source host-your-own version of Dropbox and SpiderOak. But given the tentative feel of the website describing it I didn't feel ready to depend on it for my critical grad-school files yet.

So if you're looking for a solution, check out these excellent recommendations from the kind and helpful folks at KubuntuForums!

[tomcloyd]

Re: [SOLVED] How to synchronize folders?

For what it's worth, I do find Dropbox to work very well across the 3 computers I maintain. Very slick. But, 2GB doesn't cover my image and sound files, I need an additional solution. I find the unison-gtk to be a good solution. I've written a ruby script which can run an an entire set of unison *.prf files (one is set up to describe each file/directory to be synced) sequentially, and this makes things fast and slick. Unison is an rsync frontend, of course.

[oshunluvr]

Re: [SOLVED] How to synchronize folders?

Tom: My dropbox is up to 3gb. You've just got to sign up a few friends! Kinda like Amway

[oshunluvr]

Re: [SOLVED] How to synchronize folders?

BTW All, Has anyone tried the new Dropbox add-on to Dolphin? Kind of a nice little add-on.

[dibl]

Re: [SOLVED] How to synchronize folders?

But, 2GB doesn't cover my image and sound files, I need an additional solution.

I noticed the other day that Ubuntu One is now providing 5GB.

[tomcloyd]

Re: [SOLVED] How to synchronize folders?

But, 2GB doesn't cover my image and sound files, I need an additional solution.

I noticed the other day that Ubuntu One is now providing 5GB.

Ah, now THAT's interesting. Will check it out. Thanks!

[tomcloyd]

Re: [SOLVED] How to synchronize folders?

BTW All, Has anyone tried the new Dropbox add-on to Dolphin? Kind of a nice little add-on.

Could you be more specific as to which addon you're referring to? I see at least 2. One looks rather trivial, and the other won't install on my OS, for some reason. Says it needs Python 2, in the addon's "details", and I have 2.7 installed, but somehow that's not doing the trick.