More on Super Flexible File Synchronizer; Updates Anyone?

[J-Mac]

I decided to check for updates to see if SFFS had done anything lately.  A couple of months ago the developer posted here in response to a thread where I was complaining quite loudly about the surprising difficulties with trying to schedule syncs with SFFS.  At the time he mentioned scheduling would be much easier in version 4 and he promised a free upgrade to anyone reading that post if they emailed him and requested it.  He didn't mention when version 4 was expected to hit the street, though.

From the SFFS interface I could not find any way to check for updates.  No link for that under the Help menu as most programs do and nothing in Options to auto-check for updates.

So I visited the SFFS website to look there manually.  I did find that something has been updated in SFFS, but not exactly what.  My current version, 3.67, is the last dated release shown on the Version History page, but several more releases are also shown there - none with dates, though. I copied them from that page and they are listed below:
SFFS Version History

v3.75b build 714
- fixes minimizing problems on some computers
- scheduler tab sheet now supports Unicode better

 v3.75a build 713
- use + prefix in "Execute After" script to have it run only upon complete success
- fixes a problem where sometimes FTP transfers where not resumed when using "Auto Resume"
- fixes some service scheduler-related delays in the GUI

v3.75 build 712
- fixes a rare Range Check Error that can occur with WebDAV authentication when Basic Authentication is not used.

v3.75 build 710
- FTP retrying optimized
- renaming conflicting files now supported for FTP
- certificates can now be used without password again, (new checkbox on the FTP dialog)
- the Cache Destination option now correctly removes deleted files from the cache.
- fixed word wrapping on large system fonts in Wizard Mode
- the program no longer shows "30 days left for eval." for some registered customers
- FTP can now go over port 80 again

v3.73a
- new setting: Waiting time countdown before shutdown (on Options tab sheet)
- fixed Last Sucess not being updated

v3.73
- new setting: FTP Retries on the FTP dialog
- more detailed logging in case of errors when using the "Log Timing" option

v3.72d
- fixes rare AV at the end of processes running in parallel

v3.72c
- fixes emails not being sent from jobs running in parallel

v3.72b
- fixes a WebDAV compatibility issue

v3.72a
- fixes a bug when using a File Age "less than" filter, where the interval would be reduced by 1 second each time the profile is run (1 minute after 60 runs)

v3.72
- improved WebDAV compatibility and speed

v3.71a
- fixes an occasional WebDAV problem

v3.71
- Amazon S3 uploads are now automatically verified using their MD5 checksum

v3.70
- copying across networks such as VPNs now tolerates interruptions and will resme transfers appropriately
- Partial File Updating optimized
- setting timestamps via WebDAV now supports three different server types which can be selected on the Internet Protocols dialog (FTP ETC.)
- Execute before/after command lines can be set to only run on specific weekdays
- a Proxy can now be specified for Amazon S3
- the diff tool can now be invoked when one side is FTP
- program now works correctly if both Partial File Updating and Auto-Resume is selected with SSH uploads

(I tried using the forum "Table" feature for the above - yuck!)

Anyway, has anyone managed to receive/install the above updates?  How do you check for SFFS updates?  Or is it just like I did - look at the site and see if anything newer is there?

BTW, I don't see any way to download updates - only the regular trial version, and I have no idea whether or not that is the latest build.

(This is almost as bad a the Chameleon Startup Manager update circus - another poor implementation IMO.   The more I see.....)

Thanks.

Jim

[Darwin]

I just go to the website and navigate to the download page. If the version listed is higher than the one I have installed, I download and install. That's it! BTW, I assumed that when version 4 is released readers of the thread that you reference were to write to the developer to remind him that he had posted there about a free upgrade. Actually, I think the thread I am thinking about was Zaine's mini-review? At any rate, I am hoping to get the upgrade to version 4! I have found SFFS to be REALLY useful - use it all the time - but then I don't use the schedule so haven't had any trouble in that regard.

[tomos]

yes, manual check - unfortunately.
Download & install over current install.

from the download page:
"Both 30-day trial, Standard and Pro Edition included [in download]"

true, he doesnt show any update dates since the 8th Nov but that there's been 14 updates since then makes me happy the programme is in very active development

Does anyone know when version 4 is planned for, it sounded like he wanted to iron out the interface problems for then
What was that thread recently with discussion about SFFS?

found it,
SyncBackSE vs. SuperFlexible thread:

Hello Everybody,

I am the developer of Superflexible. It is true that in the current version, it takes a bit of hand work to make it auto-start with Windows. This will be made much easier in version 4.0. I hereby promise a free 4.0 upgrade to anybody who reads this. Just send me an email when you need the updated registration code.

There's a section in the FAQ on my web site on how to make the scheduler auto-start with Windows. Please read "How can I make the scheduler start when Windows starts?" on the following page: http://www.superflexible.com/docs.htm.

Since I cannot monitor forums all the time, I would be very grateful if anybody who has problems would also write to me directly at [email protected]. You can be sure that I will reply and fix any issues that should be there. Superflexible is frequently updated because I attempt to immediately fix any problems that users report.

Cheers,
Tobias
http://www.superflexible.com

-superflexible (November 24, 2007, 11:58 PM)

[Darwin]

Ah, thank Tom! "when you need the updated registration code" makes me happy!

[mhb]

Hi,

I just found a new 4.00 preview/beta version on the download page. http://www.superflex...ble.com/download.htm
That version will expire on February, 28th.

New Features http://www.superflexible.com/history.htm

• Completely redesigned GUI.
• The Profile Overview is now the main screen with a toolbar and a context menu.
• New Synchronization Preview Features:

          - Collapse folders and show their statistics.
          - Collapse All = F11, Expand All = F12.
          - Discontiguous selection using Ctrl and Shift.
          - Improved visual appearance and additional menu items.

• New Restore Wizard, with the ability to use the database cache for the source, as well as a target date for the restore.
• Three choices of schedulers: internal, background, service.
• Background scheduler and service more seamlessly integrated.
• Browse FTP and other online storage sites for folders.
• Folder hierarchy displayed when selecting subfolders for FTP and other sites.
• Exact Mirror Mode now has a "Configure" dialog with two sub-options.
• Redesigned Scheduling settings in the profiles.
• One SmartTracking or Caching Database can now be shared among several profiles.
• The database can now store infinitely long paths (both ANSI and Unicode).
• New ZIP-Compatible AES Encryption (256-bit).
• New checkbox: Auto-Start Background Scheduler With Windows Login.
• Scheduler tab sheet shows running parallel profiles even when service scheduler is stopped.
• Finding Moved Files is now blazingly fast.
• A French translation is expected in February, a Macintosh version in March.

Greetings,
Marc

[J-Mac]

Marc,

Have you tried the V. 4 beta?  Any comments?

Thanks.

Jim

[Darwin]

Yes! Wondering the same thing, Marc.

[mhb]

Hi,

couldn't find the time until now. Hopefully I can check it out this evening.
Will report back about the differences then, especially about the mentioned change in the GUI.

Cheers,
Marc

[Lashiec]

Yes, I'd like to see a shot of the new interface, SFSS always sounded like a great program, but the GUI ticked me off

[Darwin]

I've been running the SFFS 4 beta since yesterday and have mixed feelings about it. I am not fussed about the new GUI - I really like the way version 3 placed everything on one tab (ie listing profiles and allowing you to create/edit them on the same tab). This is gone in v.4. You edit or create profiles in isolation on a different tab. It's a small detail, but it doesn't feel as convenient to have to open a separate tab to edit or create new profilesWhat I do like is that ability to select as many profiles as you like and click a "run" button which then processes them in turn - very useful!

More on Super Flexible File Synchronizer; Updates Anyone?

[Darwin]

PS I was initially "with Lashiec" WRT the SFFS 3 GUI but over time it grew on me and I find it incredibly intuitive and easy to use. The ergonomics of the GUI in v.4 beta are cumbersome and seem to require more clicking and searching to get things done. Just a quick observation though... early days in my use of it.

[J-Mac]

PS I was initially "with Lashiec" WRT the SFFS 3 GUI but over time it grew on me and I find it incredibly intuitive and easy to use. The ergonomics of the GUI in v.4 beta are cumbersome and seem to require more clicking and searching to get things done. Just a quick observation though... early days in my use of it.

-Darwin (January 24, 2008, 12:35 AM)

Doesn't sound too encouraging, Darwin.  Have you looked at the schedule setup?  That was another area where SFFS lacked greatly and Tobias had promised to make significant changes there.

Thanks.

Jim

[justice]

I think he gets a lot of e-mail regarding queries about functionality that already exists, therefore he's taken steps to make functionaltiy more accessible. Which hopefully will be a good thing as I think I don't use 80% of the features because I'm not sure if I need it or how it impacts.

[Darwin]

Hi Jim - I've not tried the scheduling yet (I've never used it before). I will attempt to do so today and get back to you.

[J-Mac]

Hopefully you all know that the V. 3X local scheduler must be open and running for it to work.  (If SFFS isn't open the schedule does not work at all - it isn't using the Windows Task Scheduler).

And the ExtremeSync service is supposed to run similar to Windows Task Scheduler, but it won't on my PC unless I have SFFS open and manually start the service each time.  (That may be a problem on my PC though).

Jim

[Darwin]

Er... no - didn't know that! Thanks, that'll likely save me some grief. Will get to this later today, I hope.

[superboyac]

Guys, keep in mind that any application with such an extensive feature set as SFFS will always have a tradeoff between an easy to use interface and power.  SFFS is pretty overwhelming at first, but it's not meant for the one-click user, it's pretty complex.

My complaint about the interface is that sometimes there are those little check-boxes that shouldn't really be check-boxes because they do more than just turn something on/off.  For example, to pick the directories to include in the backup, there's a checkbox for it, but if you click it from off to on, it will open up a browser window to select the directory, and if you click it from on to off, nothing fancy happens (which is fine).  Some of those aspects of the user interface should be cleaned up a little.  I seem to recall that there are some contradictory options you can run into, like with deleting things to recycle bin or to a folder, but it can get confusing because you can enable both at once (or at least it looks like you can, even though it will work the right way in the end).

Anyway, just a little housecleaning would be good.  I wonder how the new interface will be.

[J-Mac]

Oh, the feature set is great; no argument from me there.  However the way it is presented - along with the extremely poor scheduling tools - really hurts the application in the long run.  Another thread on SFFS has posts from DC users here who refuse to use it because of the way it is implemented and presented.  And that's really a shame.  Shouldn't be that difficult!

Jim

[Darwin]

Er... I've just updated from beta 4 build 5 to beta 4 build 10. GUI is a bit more "refined" in some intangible way... maybe I'm getting used to it. The little tweaks and functional updates are nice, I am finding v.4 much easier to use.

Jim - I've neither checked the scheduler on SFFS 4 nor taken Multiset Almeza for a test drive  I'll try to get to that today.

[J-Mac]

Per Tobias, he claims to have done some redesign to the scheduler, but not that you would notice. Not quite sure what he means. From what you told me, it is still the internal scheduler where SFFS must stay running, plus you cannot do anything within SFFS unless you stop the scheduler. (Worst config I've ever seen for a scheduler in an application!!)

Or the "Extreme Sync" service. No comment on that.  But no use of the Windows Task Scheduler in this version. Doesn't sound like much changed at all, except some GUI changes which just have you use more views to accomplish the same things.

Please yell at me if I am misunderstanding it.

Thank you.

Jim

[J-Mac]

I'm definitely trying another synchronizer.  SFFS doesn't have any help file, and I can't find any manual. I know - why would I ever have any questions, right?

I have some profiles that are scheduled (though I'm not sure why - they rarely run as scheduled!)  But others I setup manually and ran that way - once. Now I select three profiles/sync jobs that I want to run today.  Click on "Run" and all profiles start running.  Appears I can either run one at a time - like I really want to sit here and monitor this stuff.  Or run everything, whether I need to or not. (Most others were just run this morning - don't need them to run again today).  And I cannot find any resource to offer help with this app.

Some fun, eh?

Jim

[mhb]

Hi J-Mac,

for which version of SFFS you don't have a help file? I am using right now version 3.76 and access the help file by clicking on "Introduction" in the "Help" menu.

Greeetings,
Marc

[cranioscopical]

Try F1

[Darwin]

Anyway, just a little housecleaning would be good.  I wonder how the new interface will be.

-superboyac (January 24, 2008, 04:11 PM)

Hi Superboyac - just noticed this comment. Check out my screenshot of the beta for version 4 in my earlier post in this thread.

[superboyac]

Anyway, just a little housecleaning would be good.  I wonder how the new interface will be.

-superboyac (January 24, 2008, 04:11 PM)

Hi Superboyac - just noticed this comment. Check out my screenshot of the beta for version 4 in my earlier post in this thread.

-Darwin (February 03, 2008, 04:45 PM)

Hey Darwin!  Yeah, I saw that, but it doesn't show the things I was asking about.  I was talking about some of the subtle checkbox options in the program.  I just felt like they shouldn't be checkboxes...they should be something else.  But the new interface definitely looks good.  Actually, I installed the beta a couple of days ago just to check it out, it's nice.  Also, Tobias (the author) told me that the new version will eventually have the feature to change the settings on multiple profiles simultaneously.  I thought that was important.