Ro Sync A Directory In Program File Install Path

[jonnojohnson]

I'm wondering if this an appropriate use of Sync.

I'd like to have access on mobile devices to the documentation files that are installed with various programs (on a Win7 pc).

The documentation is typically installed in the relevant C:\Program Files or C:\Program Files(x86) path.

These programs will be updated fairly regularly so the contents of these directories overwritten at that time.

I would ideally set up these folders to be Read-Only sync.

 

My question is how will Sync handle things when this directory is updated? Ie: the files .SyncID, .SyncIgnore & dir .SyncArchive will probably be blown away by the install update.

 

Does this make sense? It would be a very nice use of Sync for me.

[GreatMarko]

Well, you could add your entire C:\Program Files (or C:\Program Files (x86)) folder to Sync, and then use .SyncIgnore to exclude everything apart from .pdf, .chm, .doc files etc.

 

However, at present sadly there is no "SyncInclude" behavior - which would be more useful in your case i.e. just specify which files you want to include in a sync, rather than those you wish to exclude.

 

If such "SyncInclude" behavior was available, it would be a simple case of adding rules for .pdf, .chm, or .doc files. However, given that only ."SyncIgnore" behavior is available at present, you'd need a pretty extensive list of exclusion rules in this file in order to exclude everything but .pdf, .chm, or doc, etc files from your Program Files folder..

 

Perhaps a different approach would be to open a search window (Windows key + F), search in your Program Files for the file types you're interested in, and then copy all the files from the search results into their own "Documentation" folder somewhere else of your computer, and then just sync this new folder?

[jonnojohnson]

Thanks GreatMarko.

I did a test and it seems that blowing away the .SyncID file creates a problem.

I'm currently using the last approach but it means a lot of manual updating and duplicate files.

[RomanZ]

jonnojohnson,

 

Indeed - .SyncID is totally necessary to identify the folder. Removing it causes BTSync to stop recognising Sync folder.

 

If you have some development force you can think of using Sync API which allows to do a selective sync of files, so your script / app can go over folders and choose what to sync actually.