I use bookends every day on both my powerbook (travel and home) which runs OS panther and my imac (at work) with runs tiger. i am trying out the demo of bookends 10 and i like it quite a bit.
Question: In version 10, is there any way to synchronize two libraries between my computers where only the changes are moved between the libraries and not copying over the entire library? I'm not clear if this can be done with RefBase. I switch back and forth very often and am always adding new references AND updating older references. I have over 6000 references and I don't want to inadvertently replace new or updated references by copying the libraries over each other. I am willing to upgrade my powerbook to Tiger so I can use v10 if new or changed references can be detected and synchronized.
If not, has anyone found an easy way to do this? I've tried coloring the new and updated references and transferring only those but that is not working very well (i have my references with attachments as a separate color so that I can put them in their own smart group).
thanks!
Shirley
sync libraries with v10 on 2 computers?
There is no reference syncing now, although it's something I'm thinking about (perhaps via .Mac?).
Personally, I copy databases. But you could export/import from/to Bookends, too (and eliminate duplicates automatically if you make a mistake and transfer too many).
Using Refbase is an interesting possibility -- has anyone tried this for syncing?
Jon
Sonny Software
Personally, I copy databases. But you could export/import from/to Bookends, too (and eliminate duplicates automatically if you make a mistake and transfer too many).
Using Refbase is an interesting possibility -- has anyone tried this for syncing?
Jon
Sonny Software
.mac
I love .mac and find it very convenient, although I suppose it would be a lot to ask for folks to spend an additional $95/year to be able to use a sync feature with Bookends. I have a program called FileChute from Yellow Mug software. You can drag any size file (depending on how much room you have on your .mac account designated to idisk) onto it and it will automatically copy it to your idisk (not sure about other web-based drives) and it gives you a direct web link that you can send in an email. The recipient (.mac or not) can then click on the link and it will download the file for them. I had tried this method for keeping my libraries up to date. For some reason, it does something to my bookends libraries (at least in v9) and they won't reopen after I download them (not sure whether it is due to filechute or idisk).
Could there be a way for bookends to export changes made per session to a small file that could be somehow be imported by another bookends file? It also would be helpful if it could also ask the user to pick between duplicate references that had been changed (if any). Just a thought from someone who knows absolutely nothing about writing software '
'
Could there be a way for bookends to export changes made per session to a small file that could be somehow be imported by another bookends file? It also would be helpful if it could also ask the user to pick between duplicate references that had been changed (if any). Just a thought from someone who knows absolutely nothing about writing software '
'For what it's worth, this is my way of syncing:
I sync between an iMac at home and a MacBook at work using Chronosync, which i think is excellent. I either sync the machines directly or via a USB stick. In all cases there is one thing i always make sure: I never work on the same files on different machines at the same time. Since BE databases are relatively small i think there is no problem in copying a complete db. And using a USB stick means i don't have to drag the laptop home so it is really no effort at all.
Gerben
I sync between an iMac at home and a MacBook at work using Chronosync, which i think is excellent. I either sync the machines directly or via a USB stick. In all cases there is one thing i always make sure: I never work on the same files on different machines at the same time. Since BE databases are relatively small i think there is no problem in copying a complete db. And using a USB stick means i don't have to drag the laptop home so it is really no effort at all.
Gerben
chronosync
When I'm working on a manuscript or a grant, I am using the same files at both home and at work. My main library is 50 MB and I often forget to put it on a flash drive to carry back and forth. It's fairly easy to send other docs back and forth with FileChute and I can track changes with ms word. I'm confused on how you are using chronosync with BookEnds. It sounds like you just are just copying the entire file? I will look into chronosync, thanks!
Shirley
Shirley
Well, i use the same files as well at home and work but my syncs are always one-directional so yes i copy the changed files.
Backing up to the stick is automated with Chronosync. This is just an example, you can also use it to back up to a server (and i imagine idisk) which is basically what you do.
So when i go home from work the only thing i need to do before re-starting work at home is do a first sync to make sure i have the newest versions of all my files. Same the other way around when i go from home to work. This way i never have the need to merge files.
Gerben
Backing up to the stick is automated with Chronosync. This is just an example, you can also use it to back up to a server (and i imagine idisk) which is basically what you do.
So when i go home from work the only thing i need to do before re-starting work at home is do a first sync to make sure i have the newest versions of all my files. Same the other way around when i go from home to work. This way i never have the need to merge files.
Gerben
W.r.t. synching via refbase, we have plans to develop such a feature for refbase. Personally, I'd love to see advanced (i.e. field-level) two-way synching capabilities with dup detection between refbase and desktop reference managers such as Bookends, and I'd be glad to work with Jon on something like this. Since this is a big feature that will probably require a lot of thought, programming and testing, it's nothing that can be implemented within a few days, so it's more of a long time goal.
As a current workaround, to use refbase for syncing today, one would need to make all additions/changes in the refbase online database, then export and import to the various local Bookends databases, and probably make use of the Bookends dup detection to resolve any duplicate entries. This might work as kind of a poor man's synching but, obviously, support for true synching (as outlined above) would be greatly preferable.
In case of the BibTeX & MODS XML formats, I've developed means to automaticallly synch a local BibTeX/MODS file with an online refbase server via a command line tool, i.e. a local BibTeX/MODS file can be kept in synch with additions/changes done at the refbase online database (though it doesn't yet work the other way round). Something similar could be done with other bibliographic text formats (such as Endnote XML which is the preferred exchange format for Bookends), but probably not with the native Bookends database format (which is binary AFAIK).
As a current workaround, to use refbase for syncing today, one would need to make all additions/changes in the refbase online database, then export and import to the various local Bookends databases, and probably make use of the Bookends dup detection to resolve any duplicate entries. This might work as kind of a poor man's synching but, obviously, support for true synching (as outlined above) would be greatly preferable.
In case of the BibTeX & MODS XML formats, I've developed means to automaticallly synch a local BibTeX/MODS file with an online refbase server via a command line tool, i.e. a local BibTeX/MODS file can be kept in synch with additions/changes done at the refbase online database (though it doesn't yet work the other way round). Something similar could be done with other bibliographic text formats (such as Endnote XML which is the preferred exchange format for Bookends), but probably not with the native Bookends database format (which is binary AFAIK).
I live by ChronoSync. It helps me keep my libraries in sync, and helps me backup. I use a drive to sync to my desktop, and then use that drive to sync to my laptop daily. Added bonus when working with Mellel and Notebook is that it also functions as a crude versioning system if you have archiving turned on.
I love the idea from RefBase! I'll try that first and hope that the long term plan works out.
I did check out chronosync. The only thing i really don't care for is you have to buy a separate license for each computer, which is sort of strange since its purpose is to synchronize at least 2 computers (and most software these days allows 2 computers per license).
Also, I have a quick question (sorry it's not related to this topic....) - what is the extension for bookend libraries?
Thanks!
Shirley
I did check out chronosync. The only thing i really don't care for is you have to buy a separate license for each computer, which is sort of strange since its purpose is to synchronize at least 2 computers (and most software these days allows 2 computers per license).
Also, I have a quick question (sorry it's not related to this topic....) - what is the extension for bookend libraries?
Thanks!
Shirley