DirSync Pro

DirSync Pro
DirSync Pro
DirSyncPro1.31.png
DirSync Pro
Original author(s) O. Givi
Developer(s) O. Givi
Initial release July 30, 2008 (2008-07-30)
Stable release 1.44 July 24, 2011; 3 months ago (2011-07-24)
Development status Active
Written in Java
Operating system Microsoft Windows
Linux
Mac OS X
Size 2.5 MB(Windows)
Available in English
Type File synchronization utility
License GNU GPL 3
Website http://www.dirsyncpro.org/

DirSync Pro is an open source synchronization and backup utility for Windows, Linux, Mac OS X, and all other operating systems that run Java. DirSync Pro is based on the program Directory Synchronize (DirSync), which was first released in February 2003 by E. Gerber. He subsequently developed it with Frank Gerbig and T. Groetzner. DirSync Pro was released by O. Givi in July 2008, based on a branch of the DirSync code. Many parts of DirSync Pro have gone through major rewriting and redesign ever since.[1]

DirSync Pro offers a graphical user interface from which the user can manage and run multiple synchronization tasks.[2] As of version 1.31, it supports local folder to folder synchronization, but does not support synchronization via FTP yet. The application is self-contained within its own directory, and is therefore fully portable.[3]

DirSync Pro makes it possible to compare a couple of directories and synchronize their content. It can be used to create incremental backups. The synchronization can be set up to mirror a directory into another one mono-directionally, or to synchronize the content of two directories bi-directionally. Before synchronization, the user can run an analysis on the source and destination. DirSync Pro detects any kind of changes to any file/directory in the source (e.g. file/directory modifictaion, move, deletion, renaming) and can synchronize the destination accordingly.

DirSync Pro provides the following predefined synchronzation modes:[4]

  • Synchronize A -> B (incremental): This mode makes a shadow of directory A in B. Only new and modified files are copied from A to B.
  • Synchronize B -> A (incremental): This mode makes a shadow of directory B in A. Only new and modified files are copied from B to A.
  • Synchronize A <-> B (incremental): This mode mirrors directories A and B to each other. Only new and modified files are copied.
  • Backup A -> B (full): This mode makes a full copy of directory A into directory B. All files are copied.
  • Restore B -> A (full): This mode makes a full copy of directory B into directory A. All files are copied.
  • Contribute A -> B: This mode copies only the new files from directory A into directory B. Modified files are left away.
  • Contribute B -> A: This mode copies only the new files from directory B into directory A. Modified files are left away.
  • Synchronize A -> B (custom): This is a custom mode to synchronize directory A into directory B mode in which all advanced options could be set up to the users need.
  • Synchronize B -> A (custom): This is a custom mode to synchronize directory B into directory A mode in which all advanced options could be set up to the users need.

When synchronizing bi-directionally, DirSync Pro detects synchronization conflicts. These conflicts may occur if a file is edited in both directories independently. DirSync Pro offers these options to solve the bi-directional synchronization conflict:

  • Copy the latest modified file to both directories.
  • Copy the largest modified file to both directories.
  • Rename and copy both files to both directories.
  • Do nothing and warn the user so he decides himself.

When synchronizing mono-directionally in a custom mode, DirSync Pro detects synchronization conflicts. These conflicts may accur if a file is edited in the destination directory indedependently. DirSync Pro offers these options to solve the mono-directional synchronization conflicts:

  • Overwrite the file in the destination with the file from the source
  • Do nothing and warn the user so he decides himself
  • Do nothing and ignore the conflict.

DirSync Pro has a schedule engine with many options to schedule synchronization tasks, e.g. every minute, hourly, daily, weekly, and monthly. DirSync Pro has many logging facilities to create detailed logs per job, per jobset, or globally.

Linux.com rated the application positively, saying that "it makes defining a bidirectional sync as simple as picking two directories".[5] Likewise, freshmeat calls it a "powerful, easy-to-configure tool to synchronize the contents of one directory with another".[6]

See also

External links

References

  1. ^ "DirSync Pro release notes". DirSync Pro. http://www.dirsyncpro.org/news.html. Retrieved 2009-09-22. 
  2. ^ Mathews, Lee (2009-05-12). "Open source DirSync Pro syncs folders on any platform". Downloadsquad.com. http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/05/12/open-source-dirsync-pro-syncs-folders-on-any-platform/. Retrieved 2009-05-21. 
  3. ^ Fitzpatrick, Jason. "DirSync Pro Keeps Your Files Synchronized - synchronization". Lifehacker. http://lifehacker.com/5259214/dirsync-pro-keeps-your-files-synchronized. Retrieved 2009-05-21. 
  4. ^ "DirSync Pro features". DirSync Pro. http://www.dirsyncpro.org/features.html. Retrieved 2009-09-18. 
  5. ^ "Bidirectional filesystem syncing - DirSync Pro vs. Unison". Linux.com. http://www.linux.com/feature/154149. Retrieved 2009-05-12. 
  6. ^ "DirSync Pro". freshmeat.net. http://freshmeat.net/projects/dirsyncpro. Retrieved 2009-05-12. 


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