Feature request: auto sync

[ZC1ifi]

Having used the sync option now for quite a while I must admit I am very unhappy about it because it does not cater for the way I work. Presently I use Bookends on both a laptop and an iMac with both of them syncing to a third library (in my case on the NAS). So far, I have lost numerous new references simply because I switch regularly between my laptop and my iMac and have Bookends running on both without remembering on which machine I added anything (the last thing I want to remember when I am concentrating on research is where I added what). Sync the wrong machine and your references are gone. I tried different settings but (so far) nothing has worked. What I really need is a sync feature that keeps the library on the NAS in sync dynamically, i.e. when I add a reference on either machine it should be synced immediately so that all libraries are always up to date. Manual syncing, whether on start up, close down or by hand is simply not good enough any more.

[Jon]

Are you using Bookends Sync? In that case Bookends keeps track of modification dates and such and syncs accordingly. It's not a "manual sync" (not sure what that is, actually), it's automatic. But you do see a dialog box because there Bookends tells you exactly what data are being updated on which database (and you can selectively accept or deny each). We could have an option to not show this and just proceed of course.

An alternative you can use is Dropbox (or equivalent). Put your Bookends database in its folder and it will sync immediately (or at whatever interval Dropbox uses) when changed.

Jon
Sonny Software

[ZC1ifi]

Sorry, I wasn't clear. Yes I am talking about the sync option in Bookends. What I mean by manual sync is that Bookends does not sync automatically when you add something but only on start up, close down or when you "manually" tell it to sync. The result has been that I sometimes lose records. This happens when:
1. I add some records to Bookends on computer A but do not sync
2. I sync Bookends on computer B
3. I sync Bookends on machine A > the added records are now lost because Bookends checks the date, sees that the sync from machine B was the most recent one and updates Bookends on computer A accordingly.

You might argue that at this point Bookends gives you a choice, and that may work for some people, but it does not for me. The example above is very much simplified. When I work with Bookends I will not just have added records, I probably also changed a few and deleted a few ... and that on two machines, so that by the time I sync I no longer remember what I did on what machine, nor which one was synced last.

So what I was arguing for is a reference program that syncs all the time in the background without any user intervention, so that the records are always up to date.

Using Dropbox is not a bad idea. I don't use that anymore since they appointed Condoleezza Rice to the board of directors but I guess Bittorrent Sync will do as well (it has the added advantage of not using the cloud)? I refrained from using this since I remember an earlier discussion warning against its use because it could lead to corrupted records.

[Jon]

I guess the key here is that you add references to Bookends A but don't sync. But if Bookends syncs on open/close it should have synced unless you left Bookends running, which I gather you did. Note that you can always do a File -> Sync With Another Library -> Sync Now (I should add a keyboard shortcut for that).

As for Dropbox or equivalent, I don't think there is a problem with corrupting reference unless after waking up the computer you don't wait a minute or so for Dropbox to download the modified database. As long as the download is complete I don't see any problems with it. Others might comment about their experience.

Jon
Sonny Software

[ZC1ifi]

Sorry Jon, but that is precisely my point. Of course I know I can sync manually, that is why I called it such, but my feature request is that it is done fully automatically in real time. It is simply a huge hassle to have to remember to sync all the time, not to mention the fact that the price one pays when one forgets is simply too high. The days of only a single machine per location are long since gone!

PS. This feature request is more a cry from the heart because I have lost records on more than one occasion and yes, I switch between computers quite a lot and yes, I may save my documents and reload them but I keep Bookends open all the time ... that is what it is for.

[Jon]

Syncing every time you make a change is problematic for lots of reasons. When would it be done? Every time data is written to disk (Bookends updates the local database every time you exit an edited field, or a reference is imported)? Every time you edit, undo, edit, etc? Every time you add/remove a group or move a set of groups to a folder? Given internet/network latency issues, that could certainly impact the user experience (lags between every operation). By doing this on open/close these issues are avoided. My point here is not to say that it's impossible, just that there are many issues to be considered if you want instantaneous mirroring of the database across a network. I think for the large majority of users timing of the sync is not important. But for you it is, and so I think you should explore the Dropbox/DB equivalent approach and see if that works better for you.

Jon
Sonny Software

[ZC1ifi]

That is indeed what I am exploring at the moment using Bittorrent Sync, a program I also use to keep my regular documents in sync. It is too early to say yet whether it works as well as it should, but so far I have not experienced any problems with locked records (I keep two copies of Bookends running all the time).