SynchronizeIt. Command Line options and existing Session

daemonhome · Post by **daemonhome** » Tue Jul 15, 2008 8:49 am

Hi.

First of all, thank you for nice software. Nice job.

I have many Sessions and Projects and everything works fine in manual way.
I want to use one of my Session (named "BackUp") in command mode (in order to use Windows Schedule. It's Action is Duplicate

When I perform
C:\ wndsync.exe "BackUp" /auto
in command line it makes not Duplicate, but Synchronize. I am wondered, because I though when I use Session name in command line program will fetch all setting for Session (Source, Destination and exclusions, and Action) from already defined sessions parameters.
But it looks like I have to put everything in command line. Is it right and I need to put all setings in command line? If so, why do we need to put Session name? If no, then which parameters are taken from settings and which are not?

I hope you understand my question

Post by **grigsoft** » Tue Jul 15, 2008 10:31 am

Of course, you don't need to specify all options, session name should be sufficient. Can you try running with /scan instead of /auto - it will show you file list, without actually copying files, so you can verify that files are copied as expected. How do you know that it's using "Synchronize" action?

daemonhome · Post by **daemonhome** » Tue Jul 15, 2008 12:46 pm

Sounds good (that all I need to put only Session name).
In order to try to answer I understand where is the problem.

-------------- Test begin ---------
I created new session "test" with:
Source (folder on HDD with nothing inside ) and Destination (also empty folder)
Action: Duplicate (best for Backup, as I understand)
Option "Use history files" are "checked".

All tests performed manually, that means no command lines, nothing. Just GUI.

Step 1a: put empty file \source\1.txt
Step 1b: make Analyze. It found new file in Source dir and copied 1.txt into Destination dir.
C:\Dmitriy\tmp\source\synch.log
Synchronize It! v3.1 LOG file
0 15-07-2008 14:58:07 0 0 0 1.txt

C:\Dmitriy\tmp\dest\synch.log
Synchronize It! v3.1 LOG file
0 15-07-2008 14:58:07 0 0 0 1.txt

Step 2a: I deleted manually \dest\1.txt file (for example disk crashed)
Step 2b: performed Analyze and program offer me (mark file) \source\1.txt file "to-be-deleted".

WHY? This is Duplicate mode, so NOTHING from Source directory should be deleted. As stated in online manual. Duplicate is perfect for Backup. Don’t kill anything in source.

Following table describes how each action handles these files:
Action Source only target only source newer target newer

Duplicate copy >> delete copy >> copy >>

This file should be marked to be copied to Destination. Is't it?

CONTINUE. 2nd question (or maybe the same but more deeper analyze)

Step 3a: I’ve copied by myself \source\1.txt into \dest\ dir and now program said that everything in equal. Right.
Step 3b: I deleted \source\1.txt and started Analyze again. \Dest\1.txt marked to-be-deleted. Ok. Run. There is no 1.txt neither in source, nor in Destination folder. Fine.
But synch.log files are exactly the same as in Step 1b

Step 3c: I created \source\22.txt.
Make sync (22.txt was been transferred to destination).
Source synch.log didn’t changed.
But destination’s file did:
C:\Dmitriy\tmp\dest\synch.log
Synchronize It! v3.1 LOG file
0 15-07-2008 15:29:38 0 0 0 22.txt
0 15-07-2008 14:58:07 0 0 0 1.txt

Removed \Source\22.txt.
Synced (22.txt was been deleted from Destination).

Both synch.log files are exactly like in Step 1b.

No files in any of directories.

But sync.log files are still have line regarding 1.txt file.

Step 3d: I putted new \source\1.txt file with more text inside and run Analyze again.
Here, I was expecting this file should be marked to-be-copied to Destination folder, BUT it marked to-be-deleted. I think because of this line in synch.log files. Because if I create 22.txt in Source folder again it will be marked to-be-copied to Destination folder as it should be.

So it looks like a bug in synch.log files.

I hope my explanation will help

Post by **grigsoft** » Tue Jul 15, 2008 2:03 pm

Thank you for your detailed report!
You are right in all cases:
1. duplicate mode is not handled properly with history. In fact, only Synchronize action is handled - because for this single action history files were designed. I will have to think it over carefully and change internal settings to support other actions too.

2. Log files are independent, to allow you to sync source with some target2 in future. And in this case in order to tell that file was deleted - it keeps history of deleted files too.

3. As result of above, if you create new file with same name, it will consider that file was deleted on second side - this is obviously not right. I just have not thought about this case. I have yet to find solution here - probably by marking file as deleted and ignoring this mark if it was added again.

I will try to include these fixes in nearest update.