Folderwatch (a MAC application) for PC's

[questorfla]

I found exactly what i needed in FolderWatch, unfortunately, it is for Mac's only.  The concept behind it is so simple that I felt sure there had to be a "built-in" method to accomplish the same thing in Windows 8.1.  After playing with various settings in "Libraries" (none of which worked) I though i would see if someone here has already written the App

The need is pretty simple.  I want to make any changes done to files in the "Documents" folder occur simultaneously in another folder on the same drive.  Basically a "local" version of Sync. 

Changing the location that the "Documents" folder points to still leaves me with only one copy of each file. 
Without making an edit to any of the applications that use it, is there a way to make "Documents" , "Pictures",  etc work so that they have a real-time "clone" in another location on the same drive

[KynloStephen66515]

I wrote a review back in 2010 about something that does this:

http://www.donationcoder.com/forum/index.php?topic=24281.0

Bvckup is a handly little utility (less than 500kb in size) for backup up files to different drives/computers.

From what I can gather, it does not actually upload the entire file, each and every time you process it.  Instead, it locates the changed data, and only uploads that portion of it to the original file, saving very large amounts of time on each upload.

Don't know if it is still in Development, but it was released here at DC so you might be able to contact the developer or find something about it.

[tomos]

What you need is sync software that will monitor files and copy any changes over.
I use Syncovery (aka Super Flexible File Synchroniser, or SFFS) - lots of info about it here on dc.

The one Stephen mentions has a very good reputation - here's the most recent dc thread:
Bvckup 2 is in open beta !

I'm sure there's a few others that would fit the bill

[c.gingerich]

Neat Idea. I just might make this my NANY 2015 

[questorfla]

I think i get more fun out of looking back in time to old posts .  I had even forgotten I was looking for this ability.  Still need it to but prefer something dead simple. The more whistles and bells it has, the worse it would be.  I'd like to just set to run on boot and know that i could have a 2 nd HD with "mini-clones" of any folder i am working in.  End of the day, i just add the date to that folder-name and let the software start me a fresh new one.  Actually,  this is not something i would do daily but the idea is the same.  If i got to  a point where i was happy with what i had but knew i would not stop there.

These are all small projects or i would store only the changes.  Sometimes it is better to have it all just as it was though.

In practice, my intent is to combine this with BT SYNC and put the cloned copy in the BtSynced folder.  I tried doing that with the "Real" my documents folder and found it was not such a great idea. Neither is Desktop .  Can't blame a guy for trying.

[wraith808]

You might check out synkron... haven't used it, but it seems to do the same thing.

[wraith808]

Two others I saw as related projects on Synkron... FreeFileSync and DirSync Pro

[SphinxCn]

there is also AutoVer (freeware, open source)
http://beanland.net.au/AutoVer/

[4wd]

A couple more freebies:
DSynchronize
Yadis! Backup

BTW, I recently uninstalled BTSync from all my computers and VPSs, it was too resource hungry when it came to syncing files/folders numbering in the tens of thousands.

[tomos]

FreeFileSync

I'm pretty sure that doesnt do monitoring


Edit\\ dont mean to be a fussy beggar, but it looks to me like Synkron doesnt do monitoring either
Edit #2\\ sorry wraith, I missed Questerflora's change of request...

[x16wda]

I'm pretty sure that doesnt do monitoring

For awhile now the FreeFileSync releases have included RealtimeSync. This appears to watch the source and then kick off a batch process when changes are detected. Presumably that batch process would be a FreeFileSync, but it could be anything - you just supply a command line.