Android Disable .sync/archivee

[John Peterson]

## disable?

 

how do i disable .sync/Archive in the android app?

 

 

## reproduce

 

reproduce my fail by doing this

 

fill the nexus 5 storage with videos during 1 day

empty DCIM/Camera from btsync after auto backup has completed

next day my nexus 5 storage is still full but the files are in .sync/Archive instead

 

 

## fail

 

this attempt to manually edit the settings file failed

 

Save Sync settings. change the setting delete_to_trashi1e14 to delete_to_trashi0e14. Import Sync settings. this sync.dat is saved as sync.dat.1410504049.bad

[RomanZ]

@John Peterson

 

.sync\Archive should not be working on Android at all. It is a bug which will be fixed in upcoming update.

[coolbossov]

@John Peterson

 

.sync\Archive should not be working on Android at all. It is a bug which will be fixed in upcoming update.

 

Hi Roman,

on V2.0.64 I still have the Archive folder taking up 2GB.  Will delete manually.

 

Thanks,

Alex.

 

 

 

PS - Also please consider SQRL to simplify forum login details:

https://www.grc.com/sqrl/sqrl.htm

[wweich]

I also have had this problem since the beginning.

Sometimes when I delete a file on my Linux server, the file is moved to archive on my android device, but most of the times it's not.

[John Peterson]

## still fail

 

still happens in sync 2 on android/windows

 

repro

 

add folder C:\data\DCIM in windows

check share/read & write

add folder /storage/emulated/0/DCIM in android

take a photo

delete it from windows

it's moved to /storage/emulated/0/DCIM/.sync/Archive/Camera

 

 

## clear data fail

 

i tried clearing settings before repro with the same result

 

open settings/apps/Sync in android, force stop, clear data, clear cache

delete /storage/emulated/0/DCIM/.sync

 

 

## another app that doesn't fail?

 

my only reason for using this app is to move photos from /storage/emulated/0/DCIM/Camera (synced to C:\data\DCIM) to C:\Users\User\OneDrive\public\Pictures\phone when the phone storage is full. with as little manual work as possible. since this app fails at this can u suggest another app for this?

 

i don't wanna sync it directly to onedrive and use placeholders in android because i'm concerned that an app fail or my fail will accidentally delete all placeholders and therefore all my photos. i wanna completely remove the files from android

 

 

## workaround fail

 

the workaround to create an empty file called /storage/emulated/0/DCIM/.sync/Archive to block the apps attempt to create a folder with that name and move deleted files there fails too because it fails the whole delete function. when this is the case the deleted file comes back to C:\data\DCIM\Camera a few seconds after it's deleted from there

[Helen]

it's moved to /storage/emulated/0/DCIM/.sync/Archive/Camera

Archive is not fully disabled on Androids. Files stay there for 1 day.

 

 

## another app that doesn't fail?

 

my only reason for using this app is to move photos from /storage/emulated/0/DCIM/Camera (synced to C:\data\DCIM) to C:\Users\User\OneDrive\public\Pictures\phone when the phone storage is full.

Is it possible to set phone to back up to C:\Users\User\OneDrive\public\Pictures\phone, not  C:\data\DCIM?

Plus, when you delete files from your phone, they are not deleted from connected devices. this is how backup works. But make sure you have the files actually *synced* to your PC, before deleting them from the phone. 

[SinDromX]

It would be great to be able to change this setting in the options.

 

In my case, I don't need to keep archives on my android device, not even for 1 day.

I transfer mainly video files, my storage keeps running low and I have to manually delete the files several times per week.

[Timsonrobl]

I encountered a VERY serious problem today related to this issue.

I sync a folder with 8GB of music between my PC and 2 android devices.

Yesterday I used tagging tool to repair charset of tags in all my music collection on PC and assumed it would be synced to all my devices automatically.

Today my phone started going crazy about not having enough space when it was very critical to me to use my camera.

Later I investigated and found out that Sync created .sync/archive folder with 8GB of old versions of all my music files, totally useless and unnecessary. This filled up all my free space on SD card and prevented me from using camera in a critical safety concerning situation.

At first I assumed it was my mistake, that I didn't uncheck this archiving option for this folder. But as I found out developers decided that they know better and users should not permitted to tune settings for their Sync folders as they see fit.

Unfortunately I have to uninstall and stop using this application until this issue is resolved, which I am doubtful about because this issue is known for nearly a year and is still unresolved.

Edited August 10, 2015 by Timsonrobl

[Helen]

Timsonrobl,

 

We are really sorry that Archive caused this problem for you. 

 

Permanent Archive is not a bug, this is done so by design. Archive is necessary for processing file renaming, moving. Without archive renamed/moved files will be re-synced causing other problems with people.

Besides, Archive is not top-secret feature, it's a known part of Sync and it can always be cleared manually.

 

We could either decrease the time is keeps files or implement a possibility to disable it.

[Timsonrobl]

I fail to understand why doubling of storage space requirement is unavoidable. Program may move outdated copy of a file to temporary location then download new one and then remove old copy.This means space occupied by files only temporary doubled during sync process for particular files being synced. This would seem reasonable for me. Or with some important data taking little space (like documents) it may be safer to have copies of several older versions of files. Why user can't choose what he needs?

Having a full duplicate of all modified files for 24 hours may be disastrous for big Sync folders especially on mobile devices. And if they can be safely removed after 24 hours why not after 5 minutes or 10 seconds? I don't understand what's the difference.

Edited August 10, 2015 by Timsonrobl

[Helen]

 Program may move outdated copy of a file to temporary location then download new one and then remove old copy

That is how Archive works. and remove files - in a day. that decision was also based on other people's reports and needs. 

 

And if they can be safely removed after 24 hours why not after 5 minutes or 10 seconds? 

We do not claim that we will never do it. as was mentioned - we could either decrease the time is keeps files or implement a possibility to disable it. a best way to do it is yet to be discussed with the team.

So far you can manually clear it.

[Timsonrobl]

From your answers I assume that either my case of using BitTorrent Sync was not typical and therefore not supported by developers or that having double the volume of folder of any size as temporary files for 24 hours is considered normal or not-critical.

This is strange to hear but I accept you answer and do not expect this to be fixed any time soon.

 

a best way to do it is yet to be discussed with the team.

 

The best way in my opinion is to let users decide what they need and add such option.

[Helen]

having double the volume of folder of any size as temporary files for 24 hours is considered normal or not-critical.

Archive size equals the size of files edited or deleted on other peers. And no one ever said that your case is not important. We just were receiving other reports and other cases and requests regarding Archive, and adjusted Archive to them. Hope this is understandable.  

 

The best way in my opinion is to let users decide what they need and add such option.

as was said, we could either decrease the time is keeps files or implement a possibility to disable it. on other words - people will be able to either keep it or disable it at all. Right after we got your particular report. But, unfortunately, this cannot be done in some 2 hours, so I added that we need to yet discuss how to better implement it so as not to interfere with other Sync functionality, and other people's use cases. Hope this is understandable. Thank you. 

[hakujin]

That is how Archive works. and remove files - in a day. that decision was also based on other people's reports and needs. 

 

We do not claim that we will never do it. as was mentioned - we could either decrease the time is keeps files or implement a possibility to disable it. a best way to do it is yet to be discussed with the team.

So far you can manually clear it.

Helen, you keep saying 'that is how Archive works', but the app is called Sync. I know I'm not trying to 'archive' anything, I'm trying to TWO WAY SYNC between two disparate devices, a PC directory and an Android externalSD card.

Many of use who have been with BT Sync from its inception on Android embraced the app as a fundamental 2 way sync app. BTSync capitalized on this feature because it was missing in Dropbox and others. The whole selling point of a two way sync is proper work flow whereby mobile files may be edited, altered, and deleted on PC and this carries through back to mobile device.

I understand now the app has been fundamentally rebranded in light of a new monetization effort (circa 2.0), but the feature defeats the purpose of many original usages of this app, which many here attest.

If the 'feature' can't be switched off (manually or otherwise), there should a setting to allow delete of archive upon successful sync. 

But I digress... I'll never update to the terrible new version. I'll have to use another app to continually purge this idiotic 3rd file 'backup' space. Just hard to believe we can't turn it off in a .nomedia kind of way.

[RomanZ]

@hakujin

Archive is a part of Sync core functionality. Disabling archive completely will introduce another drawback: in some cases, files are going to be re-downloaded when they are moved or their timestamp modified on another peer. This peculiarity is tied to the way how remote OS processes file change events, and this is not something Sync can affect.

 

So we have to choose here between saving space or traffic. Although, we would like to implement switch in future so user can make his own choice.

[hakujin]

@hakujin

Archive is a part of Sync core functionality. Disabling archive completely will introduce another drawback: in some cases, files are going to be re-downloaded when they are moved or their timestamp modified on another peer. This peculiarity is tied to the way how remote OS processes file change events, and this is not something Sync can affect.

 

So we have to choose here between saving space or traffic. Although, we would like to implement switch in future so user can make his own choice.

 

That drawback is par for my other sync tools, it's imho a lesser drawback than to have 5GB of video I just cut and paste out of a Win OS directory, still residing in a .archive folder on an android eSD card that is OOS.

 

Anywho, It has been over a year since the issue was raised and no update, which again - I'm cool with since I prefer the old version for my needs anyway.

Roman, when you stated ".sync\Archive should not be working on Android at all. It is a bug which will be fixed in upcoming update." - it would be nice to know the version that was broke. This is the version I would like to use! Please, break form for me kind sir.

[RomanZ]

That drawback is par for my other sync tools, it's imho a lesser drawback than to have 5GB of video I just cut and paste out of a Win OS directory, still residing in a .archive folder on an android eSD card that is OOS.

 

 

It hardly depends on your usage scenario. We were getting a lot of complains about re-downloading files and did our best to address it.

 

Anywho, It has been over a year since the issue was raised and no update, which again - I'm cool with since I prefer the old version for my needs anyway.

Our manpower is finite and we have to choose which issues needs to be addressed sooner and which later. We are getting a lot of feedback about Sync and are really grateful to our customers and community for it. Hopefully, some day we'll manage to address all of them.

 

Roman, when you stated ".sync\Archive should not be working on Android at all. It is a bug which will be fixed in upcoming update." - it would be nice to know the version that was broke. This is the version I would like to use! Please, break form for me kind sir.

Well, there was a bug in the past when Sync was moving everything to the archive - pretty much like a desktop application, for 30 days. I'm not sure if there is a build which does not store anything in the archive or if we moved to 1-day archive right after that - I'll check it out.

[RomanZ]

@hakujin

It's definitely pre-2.0. Even several latest 1.4 builds still work with archive. I wouldn't recommend to roll back to that old builds. Sorry about that - and note, that we are aware of your request to make it configurable.

[hakujin]

@hakujin

It's definitely pre-2.0. Even several latest 1.4 builds still work with archive. I wouldn't recommend to roll back to that old builds. Sorry about that - and note, that we are aware of your request to make it configurable.

I'm on BTSync-1.4.110, if I'm not mistaken the last 1.4.x build. Not interested in the new features so much; my primary usage is just 1) replicating my external SD card (rooted, Lollipop) to Desktop and 2) changes on desktop synced folder persisting back to external SD card. Achieving this w/o the side affect of duplication to archive would be awesome as these 'changes' usually encompass moving photos and video from the desktop sync folder to another directory on the computer for the sake of freeing up space on the Android device. 

 

I guess if I knew which version of 1.4 where archive was broke, that would be perfect.

Edited October 28, 2015 by hakujin