Syncing computers. Simple solution

[Wightsparks]

I have 2 (Windows) laptops that I take to site and often create large-ish (150Mb) oscilloscope files on, but I like to look at the data on the big screen of the (Linux) desktop at home.
Conversely before I go to site I will have filled a folder on the desktop with manuals, drawings and other stuff in case I need it, while I am on site I will take pics on my (android) phone. I have been using Dropbox but the 6Gb I have is rapidly filling and £150 to expand it along with some privacy issues sent me looking for an alternative. Only a few work on Linux but I came across Syncthing - https://syncthing.net/ basically you install it on each of your devices tell it what folders you want to sync and as long as you are on the same network it keeps everything up to date.
Granted it is not quite as simple as dropbox to set up (easy on Linux) and you can't use it to send a big file to someone else but for keeping everything in harmony it rocks !

 

[mtt.tr]

Why not something like Google drive?

 

[Kayos]

Why not something like Google drive?

This looks to be automatic and cross platform, currently installing on a Raspberry Pi and a laptop to automatically transfer NOAA downloads

 

[awemawson]

Can you not just use a USB drive that you can plug into any of your PC's? even 4TB ones are becoming remarkably affordable. I have several dotted about on various PC's in different buildings doing timed backup of each other across my intranet so a particular PCs back up actually resides on a USB drive on a different computer in a different building.

OK call me paranoid !

 

[mike os]

OneDrive?

 

[mtt.tr]

This looks to be automatic and cross platform, currently installing on a Raspberry Pi and a laptop to automatically transfer NOAA downloads

More akin to an intranet

 

[Wightsparks]

Why not something like Google drive?

OneDrive?

No Linux support , mobile ?

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

Regarding viewing on big screen. Does the laptop not have a VGA/hdmi to plug it into your monitors second input

 

[Wightsparks]

Regarding viewing on big screen. Does the laptop not have a VGA/hdmi to plug it into your monitors second input

Ok more specifically, viewing on a big screen, with a full size keyboard and a mouse.

 

[Pigeon_Droppings2]

I'm pretty sure iDrive supports a sync folder....never used it myself...I only use them for automated backups but I've seen it in their interface.

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

Regarding viewing on big screen. Does the laptop not have a VGA/hdmi to plug it into your monitors second input

Data transfer for the file sizes your gonna be talking about I'd just use a usb stick/SD card

Ok more specifically, viewing on a big screen, with a full size keyboard and a mouse.

View attachment 332556

Plug kB/m into the laptop monitor on big screen
Run the software on both devices and just dump the files across when you get back.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/ieGeek-Adapter-Keyboard-Resolution-1920x1440-4-port/dp/B00J7JGAHM/ref=asc_df_B00J7JGAHM/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=309903005216&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=7326545991789606024&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1006506&hvtargid=pla-565351983535&psc=1

 

[Kayos]

I think this is one of those things where if you have a need for it, then its brilliant. If you don't then you don't

My test with the NOAA file worked perfectly, I will keep it as I like it but I will be deploying it on other machines, one to collaborate with a colleague and for when I find myself on different machines

I have USB drives, NVME drives in USB C enclosures and NAS drives, but there are core files I access every day, if they are synced across my main machines without needing an extra step then I will never find myself at a computer with an out of date file

 

[Justme]

What about remote viewing?

The prog runs on the machine at home & you remote access it.

 

[DaveB]

If your on linux then why not use rsync

 

[pedrobedro]

You can plug a screen and a USB mouse/keyboard into your laptop as Mr Mite says, Windows automatically detects keyboards.

 

[Wightsparks]

If your on linux then why not use rsync

https://www.digitalocean.com/commun...se-rsync-to-sync-local-and-remote-directories faaaaar to complicated.. and as I mentioned windows and android!

You can plug a screen and a USB mouse/keyboard into your laptop as Mr Mite says, Windows automatically detects keyboards.

I hate windows. Not once in 8 years of using Linux have I been told that I can't turn my computer on/off because "updates" , never have I installed Linux on a new machine (in about 10 mins) and had to spend hours removing a bloat load of unwanted junk. Not once have I turned it on to find out it's broken/out of disk/memory because "updates" - ...unlike my Win 10 laptop that an "update" disabled the touch screen, worked before, pen still works, no touch. Yes I tried roll back, new drivers, HP trouble shooter etc etc. Did I mention I hate windows!

Anyway now I have this set up, all I do is sit down at my usual desktop and everything is there from the laptops, or I research on the desktop and it's there on the laptop when I get to site. I just drag n' dropped 5.4Gb of data over to both laptops in a few minutes. If I take a pic on my phone it's on the desktop.

Really I was just sharing a great bit of software I found, hope it's of use to someone.

 

[Kayos]

I have been having a play with this, started as fun but I'm going to deploy it for work

Now for a lot of people this will be pointless and not required, but if you need it, well you need it.

For reasons I really can't be bothered going into I have several laptops and an office machine, now we do have a server accessed through a VPN but unless you have good internet, it is rubbish and has the same problem Google drive and SharePoint have. It relies on the person. This is also the issue with USB drives

I've installed Syncthing on several laptops, and a raspberry pi that is always on, I have added a 3TB drive

So if I am working on laptop A, but the file was last edited on laptop B I will always have the latest version because they are synced with the Pi

Not having the Pi would mean the machines need to be together, which is unlikely

 

[knighty]

I use resilio sync

I only use it on PCs but it's cross platform and had phone apps etc.

I really like it because there's no 'cloud' element to it... on PC's you just share the folders you want to share and it syncs them up on each device

add as many devices as you like, and it uses the bit torrent network, so if you add it to a new computer (or it's been off and you just turned it on etc.) it downloads the needed files from all other shares.... so for me I have everything stored at home and at work... if I use my laptop in a 3rd place it'll download files from home and work (so it's fast, maxing out upload at both places)+

 

[Ubique]

Onedrive is cross-platform, works on Android, even de-googled android, iOS & Linux plus PC, obviously. I don't use desktop Linux but found this.

How to Use OneDrive on Linux

Cloud storage is a very secure and efficient way to store data. Microsoft offers OneDrive, a cloud storage service to store any type of data online that can be accessed and shared anytime from anywhere. OneDrive comes with different storage capacities depending upon your plan. How to use...

linuxhint.com

 

[Kayos]

Onedrive is cross-platform, works on Android, even de-googled android, iOS & Linux plus PC, obviously. I don't use desktop Linux but found this.

How to Use OneDrive on Linux

Cloud storage is a very secure and efficient way to store data. Microsoft offers OneDrive, a cloud storage service to store any type of data online that can be accessed and shared anytime from anywhere. OneDrive comes with different storage capacities depending upon your plan. How to use...

linuxhint.com

Given the conspiracy theorists on here (not you, just saying) I'm surprised we haven't had 17 pages on why we shouldn't be using the cloud