[thelist] keeping the computers synchronized

Bruce Wilbur thelist at brucew.com
Wed Feb 19 09:24:00 CST 2003


Jeniffer C. Johnson wrote:
> So what do you all do to keep your machines synchronized?

MS inclues an nice sychronization tool with Windows--the Briefcase.

It does everything you've asked about--two-way synchronization, including new subdirectories, the works.  Certain briefcase-aware applications even synchronize records within their files--like Access and MS-SchedulePlus (forerunner of Outlook, so I'd guess Outlook can too).  My roommate uses it daily to keep his schedule and and several key files and directories syncronized between his desktop and his ThinkPad.


>From Windows Help:

Briefcase overview

If you frequently work on files outside your main computer (using a portable computer, for example), you can use Briefcase to synchronize the files with their counterparts on your main computer when you finish working on them.

When you reconnect your portable computer to your main computer (or insert a removable disk containing the modified files), Briefcase automatically updates the files on your main computer to the modified versions. You do not need to move modified files out of Briefcase or delete the existing copies on your main computer.

Briefcase stores files and displays their status. For instance, it can show you whether a file is linked to the original file on your main computer, or whether it is an orphan file. This information helps you keep files organized and prevents you from accidentally deleting or copying over the most recent version of a file.


To create a new Briefcase

To open My Computer, click Start, and then click My Computer.

Click the folder in which you want to create the new Briefcase.

On the File menu, point to New, and then click Briefcase.


To synchronize files on connected computers using Briefcase

While the computers are connected, open Briefcase on your portable computer and copy the appropriate files from your main computer.

Work on the files on your portable computer.

When you have finished working on the files, connect the two computers if they were disconnected, open Briefcase on your portable computer, and then do one of the following:

To update all the files, on the Briefcase menu, click Update All.

To update only some of the files, select the files you want to update, and then on the Briefcase menu, click Update Selection.


The process works well in the other direction too--that is keeping a briefcase on the desktop PC.  By keeping identical briefcases on each PC, update can be done no matter which you're sitting in front of, which is especially handy.

HTH!







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