Author Topic: keeping/saving cloned files (Read 27989 times)

tomos · « **on:** September 08, 2006, 09:04 AM »

Sounds like some type of genetic zoo

does anyone know if theres a way to keep cloned copies of a file (in Dopus you can have a virtual copy* but i want a hard copy)

Say I could clone a file & place it in two different folders, then if i work on & save a file from one folder I want it to update automatically** in the other. (They would be on the same drive)

Don't know will the following help or hinder your understanding, but sure here goes:

I'm working on drawings that I get in mixed batches (they are of archaeological sites in different counties) which eventually have to be filed according to what county they're from.

I work on them in the "Batch" folder (cause thats how they will initially have to be delivered)
but
I keep loosing track of whether I have the most recent version of the file in the "Final" folder (which is by county name).

*As i say I'm aware this can be done with virtual folders but for a couple of reasons cloned copies would be better for me. (mainly my backup procedure)

**Backup software wouldnt really be feasible for this - I'd have a different path for each file

Also I could just look at changing "the [filing] system" (from within!)

mouser · « **Reply #1 on:** September 08, 2006, 10:28 AM »

i think there exist programs for this, i'm looking forward to hearing which programs people recommend.

housetier · « **Reply #2 on:** September 08, 2006, 10:52 AM »

The filesystem NTFS does support this feature (unix guys will know this as hard link as opposed to symlink). But the operating system on top of NTFS doesn't offer easy access to this feature. There are, however, tools which will let you make more use of NTFS.

Sadly, I do not know any such tool by name

I only know they exist.

If you don't use NTFS but FAT32 you will need something different, some watch-and-clone-changes daemon or so. I am positive there are free tools for this.

jgpaiva · « **Reply #3 on:** September 08, 2006, 11:13 AM »

The filesystem NTFS does support this feature (unix guys will know this as hard link as opposed to symlink). But the operating system on top of NTFS doesn't offer easy access to this feature. There are, however, tools which will let you make more use of NTFS.

Sadly, I do not know any such tool by name I only know they exist.

If you don't use NTFS but FAT32 you will need something different, some watch-and-clone-changes daemon or so. I am positive there are free tools for this.
-housetier (September 08, 2006, 10:52 AM)

This is the best alternative, but NOTICE THAT THIS METHOD DOESN'T CREATE 2 DIFFERENT FILES!
So, it can't be used for backup.
It only creates 2 references for the same file.
Now.. Here's the solution (if your filesystem is ntfs): http://www.topsharew...s-download-41791.htm
It looks like the author's site (the first 2 results on the google search) is down.

mouser · « **Reply #4 on:** September 08, 2006, 11:19 AM »

there are a few good directory-watching tools that should do what you want and create versioned or non-versioned backups where you want. i dont know the names off hand but i know they exist.

housetier · « **Reply #5 on:** September 08, 2006, 11:39 AM »

This is the best alternative, but NOTICE THAT THIS METHOD DOESN'T CREATE 2 DIFFERENT FILES!
So, it can't be used for backup.
-jgpaiva (September 08, 2006, 11:13 AM)

Which one do you mean, the filesystem thingie, or the daemon thingie?

jgpaiva · « **Reply #6 on:** September 08, 2006, 11:55 AM »

Which one do you mean, the filesystem thingie, or the daemon thingie?
-housetier (September 08, 2006, 11:39 AM)

Oh, i mean, the filesystem one. It doesn't copy the file itself, it only creates another reference to it.

tomos · « **Reply #7 on:** September 08, 2006, 03:31 PM »

the filesystem thingy doesent seem to be downloadable tonight, will probably not get to try it again till mon morn. should be okay by then!

its not as a backup I'm looking for this (its simply so as I can access the file from two different directions - from the location, & from the "batch" direction - the batch being the work done in a particular month), so the links idea sounds good as long as its relatively easy to setup.

Was thinking I could also do this with some sort of synch software, I use Karens Replicator & have used SynchToy from MS but you have to navigate to each file & new dir with both of them - which would be very slow with a lot of files.

Any synch software that supports drag & drop ?!

there are a few good directory-watching tools that should do what you want and create versioned or non-versioned backups where you want. i dont know the names off hand but i know they exist.

they could also be of interest to me ...

f0dder · « **Reply #8 on:** September 08, 2006, 05:12 PM »

Jeremy Collake also wrote some stuff that you might want to check ou: http://www.bitsum.com/shjunc.asp

mouser · « **Reply #9 on:** September 08, 2006, 05:26 PM »

http://www.ajcsoft.com/AJCActBkTour.php
http://www.caddais.c.../BackupOnDemand.html

I'm sure there are more as well.

tomos · « **Reply #10 on:** September 11, 2006, 05:12 AM »

found that thread about soft & hard links:

https://www.donation...dex.php?topic=4024.0

unfortunately still cant download Alax's NFTS links from any sites - they prob all link to the authors site ....

Jeremy Collake also wrote some stuff that you might want to check ou

In thread above, Jeremy says he stopped developing when he discovered the currently "undownloadable one"

I tried his v.briefly, but it seems to create links only from virtual folders - also to manage them (delete without deleting the actual folder/file)

Darwin · « **Reply #11 on:** September 11, 2006, 09:20 AM »

Try the NTFSLinks download again - I just downloaded it from the author's website without any problems...

tomos · « **Reply #12 on:** September 11, 2006, 09:41 AM »

odd ... $:-\$

its not working in this part of the world (germany) - via your link, jgpaiva's or the links on the google search page

housetier · « **Reply #13 on:** September 11, 2006, 10:15 AM »

For your convenience I have attached the zipped .msi file wich I downloaded from http://alax.info/blog/ntfslinks

I hope you can at least download attachments from donationcoder.com

I did not ask for permission to distribute the file like this.

Darwin · « **Reply #14 on:** September 11, 2006, 11:17 AM »

odd ... $:-\$

its not working in this part of the world (germany) - via your link, jgpaiva's or the links on the google search page

-tomos (September 11, 2006, 09:41 AM)

That is strange - I hope housetier's attachment works for you. I haven't installed NTFS Links yet but am intrigued! Thanks for starting this thread (I missed the one in June) as this looks like it could really help me!

Cheers,

Mike

tomos · « **Reply #15 on:** September 11, 2006, 11:19 AM »

thanks housetier,
got that one no problem

were you able to download this today?
du bist irgendwo in deutschland, oder?

I hope you can at least download attachments from donationcoder.com

yeah, i downloaded some stuff today from a couple of other sites as well,
but tried those links from a couple of browsers, and no go.

many thanks anyways, I can go try it out now ...

housetier · « **Reply #16 on:** September 11, 2006, 11:44 AM »

were you able to download this today?
-tomos (September 11, 2006, 11:19 AM)

I had downloaded the .msi a few minutes before I submitted that post.

tomos · « **Reply #17 on:** September 11, 2006, 02:18 PM »

I tried his v.briefly, but it seems to create links only from virtual folders - also to manage them (delete without deleting the actual folder/file)

I'm quoting meself now ... & correcting:

the context menu for folders (only) shows the option to "create a virtual folder that links to this folder" courtesy of SHJunction from Jeremy Collake.

I've now installed the AlaxinfoNFTSLinksSetup:

Shell Extensions
1)   Shell user interface extension
a)   New item to directory context menus to accept dropped directories as soft links
b)   New item to directory context menus to paste copied to clipboard directories as soft links
c)   New item to directory context menus to accept dropped files as hard links
d)   New item to directory context menus to paste copied to clipboard files as hard links
e)   New directory column to display soft linked directory’s link target directory
f)   New directory column to display file’s number of hard links
g)   New info tip item to soft linked directories to display link target
h)   New info tip item to display file’s number of hard links
i)   Icon overlay to display soft linked directories with a shortcut image
2)   Shell operation changes
a)   An option to create move a soft link when a soft linked directory is being moved
b)   An option to create a soft link when a directory is being copied
c)   An option to copy a soft link when a soft linked directory is being copied
d)   An option to delete link when a soft linked directory is being deleted

unfortunately it doesent seem to work so well with opus - doesent show up on the context menus
& I cant seem to figure out Explorer version either, saw soft link once & hard link once - think it will all have to wait for another day, & maybe another computer so i can connect to that home page ....

think i have it now:

you copy your file,
then right click on destination folder & select "paste as hard link"

(jesus, its such a pain to use explorer!!

I'll have to see does it work in Xplorer2)

tomos · « **Reply #18 on:** September 12, 2006, 09:23 AM »

you copy your file,
then right click on destination folder & select "paste as hard link"

this pastes a copy of the file in the selected folder.
When I modify it it doesnt modify the original i.e. it's only a copy

P.S. jgpaiva, are you still having trouble getting through here, or is it only me?

It looks like the author's site (the first 2 results on the google search) is down.

jgpaiva · « **Reply #19 on:** September 12, 2006, 09:35 AM »

you copy your file,
then right click on destination folder & select "paste as hard link"
this pastes a copy of the file in the selected folder.
When I modify it it doesnt modify the original i.e. it's only a copy
-tomos (September 12, 2006, 09:23 AM)

Actually, that shouldn't be working like that. The hard link is a link to the file itself, thus doesn't create any copy. (i do it all the time, and it never made a copy).

P.S. jgpaiva, are you still having trouble getting through here, or is it only me?
-tomos (September 12, 2006, 09:23 AM)

Nope, the link that housetier mentioned worked for me.

Try the following: (re)Install ntfs links, then select the file you want, and try again.
BTW... The right-click menu entry works in my dopus..

Darwin · « **Reply #20 on:** September 12, 2006, 12:27 PM »

Hmm... I couldn't get the right-click menu entry to work in my Dopus either and I've got the regular explorer context menu items enabled. I uninstalled NTFS Links (because life is too short!) but maybe I should give it another go...

tomos · « **Reply #21 on:** September 13, 2006, 03:13 AM »

I uninstalled NTFS Links (because life is too short!)

going to try later - un&re-install, but its down the list (to do list!)

as I said for explorer:

you copy your file,
then right click on destination folder & select "paste as hard link"

but
realised this option "paste as hard link" also shows up in Dopus (in folder contextmenu, after copying a file) with "the regular explorer context menu items enabled."

so the framework is there...

as i say, will try again later

tomos · « **Reply #22 on:** October 09, 2006, 02:27 PM »

I uninstalled NTFS Links (because life is too short!) but maybe I should give it another go...
-Darwin (September 12, 2006, 12:27 PM)

I just after reinstalling it & it seems to work okay -
I mean
the first test hard link worked perfectly:

created a hard link of a .rtf file (right click-drag)
modified hard link - original modified
renamed h.link, modified it again - original kept same name but did follow suit re modification.
Perfect

Unfortunately,
I'm just after trying the same with .fh files (Freehand) -
it created the hard link, but nothing beyond that worked ...

repeated with diff .fh file, no joy.

PS

odd ... $:-\$
its not working in this part of the world
-tom

funny, its still not working from my "part of the world"=on this computer with any browser.

maybe it's really just not meant to be, for me,

jgpaiva · « **Reply #23 on:** October 09, 2006, 04:53 PM »

That is incredibly weird, here it has worked for all the files...

tomos · « **Reply #24 on:** October 10, 2006, 03:04 PM »

That is incredibly weird, here it has worked for all the files...

tell me about it - but the linked files are there looking at me - one dated months ago, one dated yesterday ...

I'm trying at the moment to be a dedicated worker @ la GOE-xperiment

so,
I'll try this again some evening later this week. (I want this to work)

It could be something to do with my machine ?? Its working (fairly) well otherwise.