COPY and SYNC Info FOR FILEMANAGER2b

Safety:  For the Sake of Safety, we suggest backing up your system using another utility, and then trying these copy and sync routines out on safe and backup up directories.   We only suggest full usage of them when you are comfortable with how they operate.

Description - There are now 8 ways to copy or move files from one file side to the other.  They represent variations of three kinds of thinking.  Which is the best?  That is for the user to decide - who adds in information about the user beliefs of which file side has the correct information and how important it is.  Two of the file copies - copy and move are within the normal copy / move of the program.  The other 6 copy items are in 2 different groups under "Sync" in the drop down menu.  The first group has 4 commands which ALWAYS uses the left side as the master reference, and it is always only the right side that is modified.  The last 2 commands in the lower portion are two way copy commands - that mostly depend on the date.  How these copy routines differ is discussed below.

COPY and MOVE in the Main Program
Colors:   Copy side = yellow, Move side (if used) = light red or pinkish, Paste side = Green

This group is definitely the most rigid for the begin side being totally correct and the other side being the one to change.  However, it can begin on either the left or right side and the paste side could be either a folder or the main directory of the other side.  Copy and Move for all files will write over any file with the same name it is being written to - regardless of size or date of the file it is writing over.  Directories will look inside for files to do the same rule with.

SYNC Commands - Pull Down Menu Near the Software Program Top

Note:  For ALL 6 sync commands, no file will be written over if the send file and receive file have both the same name and the same size.  While there is some possible chance of neglecting a changed file, this software will assume that files with the same name and size are in reality, the same file, and no transfer is needed.  Of course for some icon files and some random other files, the size might be the same and you might need to use the main program copy to write over some files.

SYNC > LEFT (Master) to Right (to be changed) - Top 4 commands along with a 5th selection at the top for help. 

For these commands, the left file side is always the unchanging master and the right side is always the only side to be changed.  No files will be written over if the name and size of a file is the same on both sides (unlike the main program copy and move).  But if the file is missing on the right, it will be written there from the left file side.  If there is a file with the same name on both sides, but the size of the two files is different, the left file will overwrite the right hand side.  Specifics are next:

• > Left > to > Right (info) - Help text file for the four commands below it
• > Copy: Files- Copies files left to right only in this same directory heading.  No subdirectories worked on
• > Copy: All - Similar to above, but also does subdirectories within the main directory headings
• > Make Same: Files - Does only files within the main directories shown on each side.  However, any file on the right that is not on the left will be deleted.  When this operation is done, the files on both sides should be the same.
• > Make Same: All - Similar to above, but also does subdirectories.  When done, the entire file sides on both left and the right should look identical for both files and subdirectories.  Some subdirectories on the right of course may be deleted.

<> Name, Size, Date  - Unlike the above, works on both file sides

For these commands, files may be copied in either direction.  So files on either the left of right may be copied over to make both sides seem similar.  If a file has the same name and the same size, it will not be copied.  But if the size is different, for only the two commands in this section, the "last write date" will be the determining factor.  The file with the most recent date, on either the left or the right file side, will dominate and write over the file on the other side.  For subdirectories, any missing directories on either side will be supplied by the other side.  For subdirectories that both sides have, they will compare files and follow the same rules as just indicated above in this same paragraph.  Note - while some files may indeed be copied over by the other side, no files or subdirectories are simply deleted for these options.  Specifics Next:

• <> Name, Size, Date (info) - Help text file for these commands below it
• <> Files (no delete) -  Copies files, either way, left to right only in this same directory heading depending on the most recent date.  No subdirectories worked on.
• <> All (no delete) - As above, but subdirectories will also be included, and both ways, and similar ones compared.  When done, both sides should be the same.

PROGRESS BAR - And Why You Might Not See It - Unless you Plan for it

A Progress bar near the middle top has been added to show progress for operations that could be long.  However, depending on how the copy is done, you may not see it.  It works differently for different modes:

• For Copy, Move and Delete in the normal program - Shows progress on highlighted items done compared to how many items highlighted in total.  If you highlight 10 big items, you might see it.  If you only highlight one item, you might now, except at the start.  If you highlight only one folder but it is huge, the progress bar will see that as only one item.  Best to highlight the items inside of that folder if you wish to see progress.
• SYNC for File Copy Only -  Should work from the number of files and files copied versus that total of files
• SYNC for Directories - Looks at the number of directories and how many done compared to the number of subdirectories that it has found so far (note that the total may change as the software digs deeper and finds more subdirectories it needs to work with.)  If you are in directory mode ("all") and you are moving one directory but 600 files, you might not see progress bar movement since the system is looking for directories to be moved.

WHAT is SAFE?  ALSO CONSIDER COMBINATIONS

I do not believe that any one method in the above works for all cases.  I will use many of the above depending on the current situation and my knowledge of which file side has the correct information and which side needs update.  For backups of my software, which is often only one small folder at a time, I use the program copy routine which is the most brutal, since I know that the information in my programming language is the most current and I do wish the best information stored.  For backups to my portable computer, since I use my desktop mostly at home, I would like use the Sync top group - where the desktop would be the left file side and the portable the right hand change side.  Of course when returning from a trip, the situation would be reversed since it would be my portable I was using.  Then on return, the portable would be the master left side and the desktop the receiving right side of the first sync group - that always goes left side to right side.

But what if I do not know?  I might do a combination

If I am not certain, and I have backed up files that I truly am certain of and perhaps the whole file system of all computers, then I might do a combination.  I might use the <> both ways approach of the Sync lower two commands to give the file the computer things is the most latest to the other side.  Now since I have many files on both sides, I might take one of the new files, such as my desktop, and delete all that I no longer want.  Now that I have the reduced slimmed down version I want going forward, I can use the "Make the Same" last two commands of the top master left to right copy.  Then I would force the portable computer to be the same as my now revised desktop with files now deleted from both that I do not want.  So, a combination of two methods and some work may be also a great alternative.

But most of all .. have fun with this program.