Sync Conflicts Handling


tjluoma

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Assume 3 computers are syncing: A, B, and C.

 

Each is syncing a folder called 'Foo' with a file called 'bar.txt' inside of it.

 

Now 'C' disconnects from syncing 'Foo' for awhile (but keeps the folder), and A and B both continue to sync 'bar.txt'.

 

'C' then reconnects to sync. It has a copy of 'bar.txt' in 'Foo' but it's not up-to-date compared to A and/or B.

 

However, it appears that 'C's copy of 'bar.txt' becomes the default, and replaces the copy of 'bar.txt' that has also been sync'd between A and B.

 

I assume this happens because sync considers 'C's copy of 'bar.txt' to be 'newer' because 'C' just (re)joined the sync cycle, but shouldn't the modification date of 'bar.txt' be used instead?

 

Because that does not seem to be what happens here.

 

 

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tjluoma,

 

each file has a timestamp is Sync database - ctime - the time when Sync detects a file being updated/added/removed, etc, and this timestamp is compared. 

So what happened is most likely this: while C was off, for some reason the file on C also got updated, not by you, in such a way that it's mtime remains intact, but ctime changes, and Sync is able to detect it only when it turns on. Then you perhaps updated the txt on A or B, so it's newer for you. and Sync detected it at some 11:14 am= ctime. Then Sync on C turns on at some 11:30, and file there gets this ctime. 

 

This is done in such a way to cover cases when a person puts older mtime file into the folder and wants it to sync. 

The team is considering switching to mtime, but the mentioned case shall be considered and the best flow developed. Thanks. 

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