File Synchronization is a utility that has the ability to synchronize multiple pairs of folders or files. It has been designed to be easy to use and quick to do the job.
It was based originally on the File Synchronization tool provided by Apple with the old Mac OS, but has a few improvements and features to help get the job done quickly and efficiently.
File Synchronization synchronizes multiple pairs of folders or files. It has been designed to be easy to use: choose 2 folders to synchronize then click the Synchronize button and you're done! However, there are multiple options when your needs get a little more complicated. The interface is easy to use and the application is quick to do any synchronization that you might need.
3 different synchronization modes to use depending on what you want to achieve:
- Automatic mode: whenever the content of one of the folder you synchronize changes, the synchronization is performed so you can be sure that the 2 folders are always synchronized. You set it once and then forget about it.
- Repeat mode: the synchronization is performed at a regular interval that you set in the preferences. Good when you're constantly making changes and don't want the folders to be continuously synchronized.
- Manual mode: whenever you want to perform the synchronization, you select the pair in the list and click Synchronize. Ideal if you synchronize a folder that is on a remote volume that might not always be available.
2 different synchronization directions:
- Bidirectional: changes in both folders that are synchronized are duplicated in both folders. Best when changes can occur in each folder that you synchronize.
- Unidirectional: changes that occur in one of the folder you synchronize are duplicated in the other folder. If you want to have an exact backup of a folder, that's the synchronization mode to use. You can choose to backup the folder on the left or on the right.
- See how many items are going to be copied and deleted and what the sizes of those items to copy and delete are.
- Check what is going to happen if the synchronization is performed.
- Decide which item is going to replace the other
- Remove some items from the list from being synchronized.
- Delete items you don't want to be synchronized.
Synchronization options for each pair:
- Select the synchronization mode.
- Choose the synchronization direction of that pair.
- Set filters to ignore certain items.
- Decide what happens with orphaned files and recently modified files.
- Ignore warnings when both copies of the same file have been modified since the last synchronization.
- Include or not invisible items.
- See the status of the last synchronization session and when it was last synchronized.
Multiple sources for the synchronization:
- Local disks.
- Remote volumes shared by another Mac on your network or by a Windows computer.
- USB flash drive.
- Store login information for remote volumes so that they can be automatically mounted the next time they are needed.
- Any volume you can access in the Finder can be used.
- Can generate a log each time a synchronization is performed.
- Error reporting gives you a description of an error so you can fix it.
- Hierarchical views show you exactly where an item is in any list. Double-click an item and it will be selected in the Finder.