Syncro

Syncro is a freeware program that allows you to keep two directories in sync.

History
The need came for me when I bought the laptop: the times I worked on that, and sometimes on the computer at home. Inevitably, every time I had to copy the entire working directory from one to another to get the situation aligned on both computers. So I asked if it was an operation can be optimized and the response was the idea of ​​a utility that automatically set the source directory and destination, provvedesse to copy ONLY the files that are new or newer.

I started looking for this utility but for OS/2 I found very little and what I found was not exactly what was needed of me. I also contacted a programmer who has created a utility opposite to that which served to me (was practically duplicates of files), asking him if he could change his utility and make it compatible with my idea. He replied that it was better if I wrote it alone.

So I said: I want to try. With my (limited) knowledge of REXX I started to work Syncro: I managed to schedule a utility that works well for me (and this was the main purpose), and that I found to be useful to other people (and this gratifies me much).

Release Notes
The configuration files (*. Cfg) of 0.54 is NOT compatible with previous versions! Therefore it is necessary to remove and replace the old settings!
 * Introduced to control the mirror "exact"
 * New browse button to select the directory
 * Ability to select whether or not subdirectories
 * Improved backing of reserves
 * Introduced new font for windows (WarpSans 9)
 * Changed the format of the configuration file

Language
The first draft of the program was implemented in REXX command line, then a chance meeting with Virusface on channel # EfNet os2ita led me to the knowledge of DrDialog/DrRexx, a software package that allows you to write REXX programs with PM interface, generating a file. exe (executable).

Currently the code is not optimized to the maximum, but I'm practicing ... be patient :-)

Functionality
We have already said that Syncro will automatically synchronize two directories, or copy from that set as the source to the target ONLY the files that are new or newer. Also has a number of other functions (some not entirely obvious):
 * E 'can also be used in bidirectional mode, ie after performing any copies from the source to the destination directory, copy any files from the destination folder, new or newer in the source folder.
 * It can be run in batch mode, ie without the need for human intervention. This feature is useful for those who have to run on a cycle of time.
 * It can be run in safe mode, because instead of copying files directly writes the commands in a file (copia.txt) that can later be renamed with a. Cmd (for example: copia.cmd) and be launched from the command line.
 * The check is normally done on the date/time of the file itself; You can also set the CRC check on the file for all files that should be date/time equal.
 * You can set Syncro in such a way that, before overwriting a file, execute a backup copy in a separate directory.
 * Syncro also copy files with Hidden and System attributes.
 * Automatically creates the directories do not exist.

Operation
Syncro has its own configuration program (syncfg.exe) who shall save all the parameters in a file with the. Cfg. If you have installed Syncro with your installation script (installa.cmd), the configuration program can automatically create the folder Syncro a program object with the settings you just saved. This will make it extremely easy to choose between the different configurations. Of course, you can create multiple configurations and launch Syncro several times, each with a different configuration file.

Once started Syncro, the program reads the configuration file that was passed as a parameter and start to analyze the contents of the source directory. Compare individually the date / time of the files in the directory with the source file to the destination directory if the file (source) is more recent than that contained in the destination directory or new (= not exist in the destination directory), copy the Syncro.

At the end of operations, the program shows the statistics: Files Total (number and space), the compared files and the files copied (number and space), at the beginning of the operation time and the end time of the operation.

(Possible) Future

 * I already have (thanks to external suggestions) some improvements/implementations for future versions of Syncro.
 * Perhaps the most important improvement is the one that would allow you to work with Syncro FTP (File Transfer Protocol). We'll see if I can ....
 * I was also advised to provide for the possibility to launch Syncro once more passing the configuration file at the same time ... this is interesting and we'll see what I can combine ...
 * Then ... some other ideuzza I have it, but also look forward to your ideas/suggestions to make Syncro a utility really useful!



License

 * Freeware
 * Author: Mario Sebastiani

Links

 * Version 0.54 (1998-09-06)