Syncing questions

[Enkidu]

Hi all,

I've just started playing a bit with the syncing feature (thank you so much for putting it in, Jon) and had a question before I start trying to implement it as SOP in our lab.

We fit into the third "user scenario" in the user guide - we are a work group in which everyone can add to a central database. Let me see if I understand how this works and then I'll try and explain my worry.

Person A does some work at home. They sync with the central database. Because their local database has been updated more recently than the central one, they are designated the "master", and all changes they have made to their database are sent to the central one. Then person B syncs, and gets all the changes person A made. Hooray!

My worry: what if A and B have both inputted some new references into their local database, then A syncs, then B syncs. Won't B be designated as the "client" in this case, and hence though A's changes will go to B's local database, B's changes will actually be erased? If this is the case, then it's obviously a pretty serious worry.

Another question: does the "date" used to determine master/client relationships include the clock time? I'm assuming yes, but just wanted to make sure...

Thanks,

Marcus

[Jon]

My worry: what if A and B have both inputted some new references into their local database, then A syncs, then B syncs. Won't B be designated as the "client" in this case, and hence though A's changes will go to B's local database, B's changes will actually be erased? If this is the case, then it's obviously a pretty serious worry.

There are several ways to deal with this.

1. Have only *one* designated updater (always the master) and everyone else be clients.

2. Better (in your scenario), you (or B) can uncheck the option to have Bookends delete any references that he doesn't have. This can be done on an ad hoc manner with every sync (try it -- you'll see a dialog that tells you what's going to happen before a sync is actually performed, and you can turn off any specific operation and let the others proceed).

Another question: does the "date" used to determine master/client relationships include the clock time? I'm assuming yes, but just wanted to make sure...

Yes, the hour and minute (and second) are recorded.

Jon
Sonny Software