How to sync with Dropbox?

[Rocky Vega]

How do you sync BE database with Dropbox to multiple Macs? I have searched in the forums but the newest treads are from 2009. Any changes in this issue since that time?

[Jon]

Hi, since I don't do this myself, I'll let others who use DropBox (and there are many, I know) reply. Note that for references you can use Bookends Sync, but for pdfs you need something like DropBox.

Jon
Sonny Software

[macula]

It's simple: You keep your database in your ./Dropbox folder (or an appropriately "symlinked" folder, see Dropbox wiki for details).

But you need to make sure that the database is open on only one machine at a time! Otherwise you will get sync conflicts.

[historicist]

And is there also a way to sync all your formats and preferences through Dropbox? Or is that an unnecessary system?

I recall Jon mentioned something about the Sync function, which I've been unable to figure out yet. I'll search around the forums a bit more, but any guidance would be appreciated!

Michael U.

[historicist]

I did manage to find this discussion, which begins to answer my question:

http://bit.ly/fnawQy

[Jon]

Note that the preferences file (and almost every other ancillary file) has been moved since that last post on the forum you found. They are now found in

~/Library/Application Support/Bookends

Jon
Sonny Software

[Rocky Vega]

Where is the database file located in Finder? Is this the only file you have to move over to Dropbox if you don´t have any attachments?

[Jon]

The database(s) is located where ever you saved it. The default for Bookends 11.1.4 is ~/Library/Application Default/Bookends/, but it's a Save As dialog that's used when you save it, so you can put it anywhere you want. That and the pdfs are the main things to sync. But you could choose the custom folders, too, if you frequently modify the formats or filters we provide.

Jon
Sonny Software

[macula]

I did manage to find this discussion, which begins to answer my question:

http://bit.ly/fnawQy

It's been sometime since I tried that and cannot remember if it works as intended (my setup is now different so I cannot verify the procedure). In my experience, anyway, symlinking preferences files to the Dropbox folder is not as reliable as one would expect. So proceed with caution.

[dialectician]

It's been sometime since I tried that and cannot remember if it works as intended (my setup is now different so I cannot verify the procedure). In my experience, anyway, symlinking preferences files to the Dropbox folder is not as reliable as one would expect. So proceed with caution

I can second this. I would not recommend the symlink procedure, and I've resigned myself to manually syncing the formats whenever I make changes. That's a pain, but until Dropbox introduces selective syncing (i.e. syncing of files that are not located in the Dropbox folder) this is the most stable solution for me.

[aechallu]

I can second this. I would not recommend the symlink procedure, and I've resigned myself to manually syncing the formats whenever I make changes. That's a pain, but until Dropbox introduces selective syncing (i.e. syncing of files that are not located in the Dropbox folder) this is the most stable solution for me.

That's one of the reasons why I use sugarsync, no more dealing with symlinks, and also better suited for multiple users sharing an account.

In my experience you can have the database in one of the sync folders. But it'll constantly trigger a huge sync. I think dropbox backups only changed sectors, maybe sugarsync too, but it still takes some time to backup a multimega file every time you update the database. My solution follows a suggestion I read in the lit & latte forums for scrivener files: I set up a periodic backup, and I have the backup folder synced to the cloud. I also have all the pdfs synced as well.

[macula]

I can second this. I would not recommend the symlink procedure, and I've resigned myself to manually syncing the formats whenever I make changes. That's a pain, but until Dropbox introduces selective syncing (i.e. syncing of files that are not located in the Dropbox folder) this is the most stable solution for me.

But please note that my warning applies to symlinked files only, such as preference files (pref). Symlinked folders, on the other hand, are consistently and reliably synced across applications without any problems, provided they are properly set up.

[nicka]

That is useful to know. But what does 'properly set up' amount to, in this case?

[macula]

Nothing special at all. It used to be the case that the "real" file had to reside in the ./Dropbox folder, with the symlink placed anywhere, but I think recent versions of DB have waived that requirement. Anyway, I still follow this practice just in case.

For detailed instructions, see http://wiki.dropbox.com/TipsAndTricks/SyncOtherFolders.