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In search of ... a flexible merge software.

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barney:
Ok, folk, I'm not certain this one exists, but I'll ask, just in case.

I'm using several duplicated software items on each machine.  These are mostly [PIM] databases and note-taking apps.  I need a way to keep them concurrent on each machine.  Right now, I use Syncless to replicate changes to a different data folder and to a USB key.  That works well for one (1) machine. 

However, when I'm using the same software on two (2) or more machines ... let's take MyInfo as an example.

MyInfo creates .mio files, with .mib backups.  The process mentioned works well.  But when I'm actively using MyInfo on two (2) or more machines, I need a way to merge the different files so that all data, from each machine, is preserved.

Let's say I've added a new article on machine A, and copied several Web pages on machine B.  On both machines, this was copied to daily.mio.  Now I need a way to merge the two (2) daily.mio files so that the resultant daily.mio contains all the data from both machines.  Might be able to do it with WinMerge, but this needs to be an automated process.  What I need is a kind of cross between WinMerge and Syncless.  Dunno that I've ever seen such a beastie.

Any ideas?

No, creating a separate file for each machine is impractical.  Daily.toshiba.mio, daily.gw.mio, and daily.gw2.mio could be created, but each would have to be loaded and updated on each machine - a maintenance nightmare I'd prefer not to encounter- but a bigger downside would be that now I'd have to search three (3) files for information that should ideally be contained in one (1).  In addition, I'd have to triple the MyInfo file loading on each machine, which would end up being a resource dilemma.

I looked at SyncBackSE, but I don't thimk it'll do this on a file level any more than Syncless does.  Syncless does directories, and while it's a bit more flexible, SyncBackSE does the same.  None of the backup software to which I have access seems to cover this, either.

skwire:
Unless I'm completely mistaken, these types of files are almost certainly proprietary (to the software) binary files and, thus, are going to be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to merge together.

Target:
Unless I'm completely mistaken, these types of files are almost certainly proprietary (to the software) binary files and, thus, are going to be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to merge together.
-skwire (April 16, 2012, 08:30 PM)
--- End quote ---

that's what I was thinking - perhaps it's time to explore another option (sounds like you need something browser based that runs across a network...)

barney:
Unless I'm completely mistaken, these types of files are almost certainly proprietary (to the software) binary files and, thus, are going to be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to merge together.
-skwire (April 16, 2012, 08:30 PM)
--- End quote ---

that's what I was thinking - perhaps it's time to explore another option (sounds like you need something browser based that runs across a network...)
-Target (April 16, 2012, 09:14 PM)
--- End quote ---

Yeah, I'm afraid you're both correct.  I had but faint hope of getting a positive result, but I had to try - there's some pretty sharp folk hangin' out here :Thmbsup:.

Problem with another option is that I'll prolly have to do it myself  :o :-\, or pay someone to do it for me  :(.  Either way, it's gonna take more time than is presently available to give it  :mad: :(.  And I suspect it'll be definitely a non-trivial task <sigh />.  I wonder if it would even be marketable?

4wd:
Perhaps if the software in question has a merge function, (or a boring old copy/paste), you could automate the process somewhat by using AutoHK/AutoIt to simulate keys/menus/etc.

Otherwise, choosing software that has a flat file database is your best option for what you want I would think.

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