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Choose sub-directories and files

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SBF_User
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Choose sub-directories and files

Post by SBF_User »

Running SyncBackSE v8.5.122.0 32bit, on Win10,
I always do mirrors from source to destination. Whatever is on source I want on dest. What is not on src do not want on dest.
Ok in the C drv profile, Modify->Choose sub-directories and files;
Under Other options (at top) I selected,
[ / ]Clean up Automatically
[ / ]Include all new files and folders
Under Display Filters (at top)
[ / ] Show Files
{ / ] Show Files and Folders only in Source
I have nothing checked on the destination. (and on the right side I check Include New Folders)
(I do not have any of these parent folders in filters, I select only a few from subfolder display)

So in the Choose sub-directories display I should see ALL the Source files in the root folder and ALL the +Parent Folders in the root folder.
And I did see them all when I first created the profile a good while back. But somewhere along the way (possibly a profile copy) sometimes when I start SyncbackSE some of the parent folders don't show.
It makes it confusing like two missing from the display today are ones I need mirrored to the destination.
Ok so this is an old profile that I run weekly for quite some time and it has always worked.
So I go ahead and run it and afterwards look at log and actual destination USB drive
and it is in fact mirroring the two missing folders not showing in the
Modify->Choose sub-directories and files; Display.

What can I be doing that would cause these root folder directories not to show in the sub-folder display?

And to make matters even more confusing when I start SyncBackSE up again after dinner,
and look at the very same profile Modify->Choose sub-directories and files;
Now the two missing folders are showing. I don't understand what would cause this?
Appreciate any info.
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Re: Choose sub-directories and files

Post by SBF_User »

Apologize for posting the original Post question to SyncBackPro, the mods can move it to SyncBackSE if desired.

Ok after several experiments I've been able to re-produce this issue but still confused as why it happens.
I created a small new profile for the experiment. It had the same default filters but only a few sub-folder selections in the Choose sub-directories and files display. I then ran the Mirror to a backup folder on my hard drive. It completed with no issues in the log or the destination.

I then closed SyncBackSE and reopened it, selected the aforesaid new profile and clicked Modify.

I immediately noticed that NONE of the folders that I had just previously Mirrored to the destination folder where showing in the tree listing of Choose sub-directories and files display. They're not showing at all.

Now as I said in my original Post question, at the top Left of Choose sub-directories and files display under Display Filters I have these two selections only:
Show files
Show Files and folders only on source

I have them selected since doing mirrors I only concerned with the source to be duplicated on the destination so I want to concentrate on the source for selections of the tree. I don't care what's on the destination as far as selections for the mirror go.

So why does SyncBackSE erase these previously backed up folders from the tree view?

I had never noticed this before since I only looked at the logs afterward which looked correct. This confusing issue only shows up when I want to check or change selections of the folders and files for the mirror. How can I do that if I can't see them on the source tree?

Now I've also learned I can get them back by doing a Re-Apply Filter and then choosing Yes to All and then Unticking all the selections and starting over. But that's totally counter productive.
mmullins_98
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Re: Choose sub-directories and files

Post by mmullins_98 »

It seems to me it is the interpretation of the options that might be confusing.

The option that says "Show Files and Folders only on Source" really means what it says. If there is the same file or folder already in the destination then don't show it.
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Re: Choose sub-directories and files

Post by SBF_User »

mmullins_98 wrote:
Sun Oct 17, 2021 9:15 pm
It seems to me it is the interpretation of the options that might be confusing.

The option that says "Show Files and Folders only on Source" really means what it says. If there is the same file or folder already in the destination then don't show it.
(Thanks for the reply) Ok, but how is one to add or edit selections to the profile? And if I choose to show the files/folders on destination how can I be sure I'm choosing something that's on the source. To be clear, SyncBackSE has served me well for yrs now since I have made few changes to the original profiles. But I cannot see how this happenstance can be functional to operation if one needs to see on the tree "what" they are backing up so they can verify, add or edit.

I also found after more experiments that doing a Re-Apply Filter and then choosing Yes to All and then Unticking all the selections is also problematic depending what you're mirroring to the destination.

Say if the Profile your Re-Applying filters to includes something like the Profile Settings Files, then it's going to get more than just One Yes To All, and depending on number of folder/files it's going to be overwhelming to click NO and/or YES to single selections.

The ONLY way I've found to work around this dysfunction and get the profile's original selected folders to show up on the selection directory tree are the following:
(1) If the destination is on the same drive as SyncBackSE app then I have to delete the destination contents. (of course this means a full mirror again unless instead of delete you move it to another folder and then copy it back after profile edits)

(2) If the destination is on a USB external drive then you must disconnect the USB drive before you can see the profile's original selected folders to show up on the selection directory tree. Fortunately for me all my backups are to external drives so I just have to remember this facet.

A few months back I purchased the new version of SyncBackSE but I've been so busy haven't installed it yet. I hope when I do that it does not have this tree hiding issue since it's now past my new purchase 3 month support window.
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Re: Choose sub-directories and files

Post by mmullins_98 »

Select the option "Show files and folders on both Source and Destination". The files on your source will be shown on the left, those on the right are your destination. I don't see any problem.
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Re: Choose sub-directories and files

Post by SBF_User »

mmullins_98 wrote:
Mon Oct 18, 2021 2:21 pm
Select the option "Show files and folders on both Source and Destination". The files on your source will be shown on the left, those on the right are your destination. I don't see any problem.
Not sure what you mean by on the left and right, my display has one tree only for choose folder/files selection tree. I'm not talking about a simulation or compare display. I.e. in my test profile I was mirroring a sub-folder of the Users folder. But after the first mirror backup, say I come back the next day to select an addition of another sub-folder or new file etc. Unless I disconnect the external destination drive, then when I look on the source display the Entire Users folder structure is gone. NO Users parent folder or sub-folder is showing on the selection tree at all. But it's still there on the source in reality. Or if the destination on a local computer drive then I have to move or delete the backup or it's the same scenario.
So I say again if they aren't showing when I select show them on the source, how can I be sure they are showing if I chose to show the files/folders on source and destination?
I just got in tonight and I'm beat. But tomorrow I will run a test by adding specific files to the source to see. I doubt they will given how it's acted with only the source selected. But if it does it would still be counter productive since I don't care what's on the destination. I'm concerned with the source for the mirror.
I can work around it by disconnecting my usb external to make it show, but until I figured out how to do that then it was a big problem. Or say if I was backing up to an attached internal drive then it would still be a big problem. You cannot make selection additions or changes to a folder that doesn't show up in the tree.
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Re: Choose sub-directories and files

Post by mmullins_98 »

Not sure what you are missing so I go step by step and then I'll have to say you are on you own.‎

Select your profile, then Modify, then click on Choose sub-directories and Files, now you should see your Source tree on the left and Destination on your right. Select the gear for options and then check "Show files and folders on both Source and Destination". The files on your source will be shown on the left, those on the right are your destination.

If you can't see this now then maybe someone else might help you.
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Re: Choose sub-directories and files

Post by SBF_User »

mmullins_98 wrote:
Wed Oct 20, 2021 1:02 am
Not sure what you are missing so I go step by step and then I'll have to say you are on you own.‎

Select your profile, then Modify, then click on Choose sub-directories and Files, now you should see your Source tree on the left and Destination on your right. Select the gear for options and then check "Show files and folders on both Source and Destination". The files on your source will be shown on the left, those on the right are your destination.

If you can't see this now then maybe someone else might help you.
I thank you for your effort, must be a version thing, the version I'm currently running SyncBackSE V8.5.122.0 (32bit)
When you say to (->Select your profile, then Modify, then click on Choose sub-directories and Files,
now you should see your Source tree on the left and Destination on your right)
-
Well just to be clear my first attached capture is what appears after clicking Modify, see "File Folder 1.jpg"
(the attached capture jpg files are showing in reverse order with File Folder 3 at top, even though I selected it opposite)
I then clicked Choose sub-directories and Files, but I don't see any left and right trees, only the left trees as shown in attached jpgs "File Folder 2.jpg" and "File Folder 3.jpg" depending on the display options, more on that below.
-
And when you say (->Select the gear for options and then check "Show files and folders on both Source and Destination". The files on your source will be shown on the left, those on the right are your destination)
-
I don't see a a gear anywhere, but I do have an Display Filters Options Menu, and no matter which option I choose, there is only one tree on the left.

When I select show "Show Files Folders only on Source" I see screen capture in attached file named "File Folder 2.jpg". It is the source tree with a missing Users folder which is the parent folder of my mirrored sub-folder. It's always missing right after I do the first mirror sync or until I move or delete or disconnect the destination location. Then it will show again like at first creation.

So after reading your suggestion last night today I tried the Display Filters set to "Show Files Folders on both Source and Destination". To test how this affected the issue, in the Windows Explorer file manager, I first added a new folder and file to the actual source drive in C:\Users\MyProfile\AppData\ and named it "New Add Folder".
And inside that folder I added a new file named "New Add File.txt". These are not on the destination drive, only on the source drive and have never been mirrored yet.
When back inside SyncBackSE the display on choose sub-directories tree under that option shows the Users folder, but obviously it's only showing what's on the destination since it's not showing the new added folder or file on the source. You can see the result of that in the attached file named "File Folder 3.jpg". This surprised me, I would have thought it would have shown both source and destination left me to guess which the new added folder and file was on if I did not readily know as would be the case of future selections.

So to add to all this, I leave the "Show Files Folders on both Source and Destination" selected and then also select the
"Show Files Folders only on Source" (I couldn't show that capture since we're only allowed 3 attachments)
This time it shows ALL that's on both source and destination but it's useless to me since if I've opened it up say 2 weeks from now to check on any unknown or new config folders etc, I'm not going to be able to know whether anything I see is on the source or just only on the destination without opening a file manager and verifying the location of every one. If you do mirrors like me then you know that the source is the ONLY thing you're concerned with when verifying selections.
Since I bought a newer version of SyncBackSE a few months back I will install it and see if it works any different.
Until then I'll just make sure I do all my selections before connecting my external destination drive.

In summation:
File Folder 1.jpg is the options dialog right after clicking Modify
File Folder 2.jpg is with Display Filters set to "Show Files Folders only on Source"
File Folder 3.jpg is with Display Filters set to "Show Files Folders on both Source and Destination"
Attachments
File Folder 3.JPG
File Folder 3.JPG (84.51 KiB) Viewed 15441 times
File Folder 2.JPG
File Folder 2.JPG (100.24 KiB) Viewed 15441 times
file folder 1.JPG
file folder 1.JPG (135.01 KiB) Viewed 15441 times
mmullins_98
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Re: Choose sub-directories and files

Post by mmullins_98 »

OK, I see the reason you are not seeing Source on the left and Destination on the right.

After you select Modify you will see "Choose sub-directories and Files" and just to the right of those words you will see a down arrow, click on the down arrow and select "Source, Destination". This is just a view option.

Then do as I have previously said.
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Re: Choose sub-directories and files

Post by SBF_User »

mmullins_98 wrote:
Wed Oct 20, 2021 6:19 pm
OK, I see the reason you are not seeing Source on the left and Destination on the right.
After you select Modify you will see "Choose sub-directories and Files" and just to the right of those words you will see a down arrow, click on the down arrow and select "Source, Destination". This is just a view option.
Then do as I have previously said.
Ok, when I click Modify I see the exact same screen that is on the previously attached "file folder 1.JPG"
But I do not see any drop down arrow just to the right of those words "Choose sub-directories and Files"?

When you look at "file folder 1.JPG" do you see it? If so how far right is it of the choose sub-directories button window, 1 inch, 3 inches, more?

Or are you talking about the Easy Mode which is over on the upper left Click for Options?
If so I tried that but I still don't see the drop down arrow, and I still see everything the same as my previous attached jpgs?

So I don't know, I appreciate your effort to help me but it's just not showing on my screen. And clicking around I just cannot find any way to get the display you do with the Source tree on the left and Destination on your right. In any case after all my experiments I realize how my version of SyncBackSE is treating this facet. So I will remember to always disconnect my USB so I can then see the source selections for any future edits. I do appreciate all your efforts in this though.
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Re: Choose sub-directories and files

Post by mmullins_98 »

The down arrow is touching the box where the words are. I don't remember a previous version where it was not there but if you upgrade to a newer version and it is there then let us know.
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Re: Choose sub-directories and files

Post by SBF_User »

mmullins_98 wrote:
Thu Oct 21, 2021 3:22 pm
The down arrow is touching the box where the words are. I don't remember a previous version where it was not there but if you upgrade to a newer version and it is there then let us know.
I'm running SyncBackSE v8.5.122.0 32bit, on Win10. I plan to install the version I purchased less than 6 months ago. It's sitting in downloads on another Laptop but I never installed it. Yea I know, but I stay kinda busy and the old version has served me so well except for this one facet I recently stumbled on. But when I do install the newer version I will report back to this thread. And thanks the help, glad to know that it will be more like what you describe. I also have another good backup app that also does mirrors but it's not quite as fast as SyncBackSE.
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