Sync apps

[Doombringer]

Hello

I am looking for an app and perhaps you can help. I'm looking for something that will let me automate (schedule) the copying of folders/files from one location to another. This can be a simple 'left to right' (source to destination) copy, or an actual synchronization/mirroring.

A bonus would be to take the source folders/files and archive them in the destination, say as a .zip.

At the moment I am using Super Flexible File Synchronizer for this, and it works, but I'm on a trial version. I'm looking at my options. SFFS is also loaded with very granular features that I will never use.

 

[simsaladimbamba]

CarbonCopyCloner can at least copy a folder or folders to an external HDD, though one can't select the actual folder as destination.
If for instance the source folder is located at Macintosh HD / Users / YOU / Documents / wanttocopy / it gets copied to external HDD / Users / YOU / Documents / wanttocopy /.
It works via network too.

Or you could look into Automator and make a script.

 

[Doombringer]

Automator is a possibility. I'm new to the whole Mac thing, so I appreciate the insight

I don't have need of external device copy... I'm actually dropping the archive into a Dropbox folder on the same local drive.

 

[simsaladimbamba]

Depending on what kind of files you have and how big they are, Dropbox is a good backup method, but an external HDD for Time Machine or CCC might also be a good idea.

Time Machine FAQ

 

[Doombringer]

Thanks for the tip about Automator, I set up two small programs to run in iCal as a scheduled process... one removes the existing zip archive, and the second grabs the source files and creates a new archive. This morning, they ran perfectly. This was just what I needed.

I also bought an external drive to use with Time Machine, to backup my system overall.

Thanks again!