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Hi --

I am just getting OF set up. I have two computers at home, iMac and laptop. I am trying to understand how sync works. I had been working primarily on my iMac, so I just did a sync and said to keep the DB on the iMac. The sync then wanted to replace my laptop copy, which was fine.

I want to make sure I understand the workflow from here on out. How I think it works is -

1 - On iMac, just work as normal. Sync when done.
2 - When I get to the laptop, sync. Work as normal. Sync when done.
3 - When I get back to the iMac, sync. Work as normal. Sync when done.

Is that how it works? Or is there a more automatic way to keep things in sync? Or am I just wrong in general?

Thanks -- Barbara
 
For the most part, OF handles all of this automatically, by syncing 1 minute after you make a change, when you start and quit, and hourly when the application stays open. However, that just pushes the change to the central database, and your other machine won't see the change until it next does a sync, which might be as much as an hour later. If there's any doubt, sync the last machine you used, wait for the sync to complete, then sync the next machine you'll use. If you quit the application when you stop using a given machine, and launch it on the new one, you don't need to do anything extra. This assumes you aren't using the Bonjour sync method, however -- for that, you need the machine which hosts the data to be running the application for the other machine to be able to sync.
 
Thanks. This brings me to my next question. It doesn't seem possible to set up two sync methods. Like, I'd like to use bonjour at home, but MobileMe when I'm out. In the sync screen, if I click the MobileMe tab, then go back to bonjour, bonjour is no longer selected and I have to set it up all over again. It would be nice to be able to do it both ways.

-- Barbara
 
Yes, the syncing methods are mutually exclusive.

But if you've got MobileMe syncing set up already, I see very little reason to do Bonjour syncing. In my experience, the performance difference is almost negligible. YMMV.

Of course, the big advantage of the MobileMe syncing, even when you're at home, is that your Mac doesn't have to be awake (or even on) to sync your iPhone/iPod. And when you sit down in front of your Mac, you don't need to have your iPhone/iPod handy.

Plus you also get an automatic, off-site backup just in case things go horribly wrong at home (e.g. fire, earthquake, tsunami).

-Dennis

Last edited by Toadling; 2009-10-26 at 09:57 AM.. Reason: Off-site backups are comforting
 
Yeah, that's not possible, unfortunately. You can switch methods if you make sure you sync everything before and after doing so, but it isn't exactly convenient. Submit your feature request with Help->Send Feedback if you'd like this, but I wouldn't hold my breath that you'll see it implemented soon.

I've got a very large database (around 4.4 MB) which takes roughly a minute to write out to the MobileMe server when doing a database compaction (the worst case scenario, usually you are just writing a handful of small files of a few KB each to reflect recent changes made). Usually the only clue that anything is going on is the spinning wheel in the sync button, as the program continues to operate normally while syncing. It works well enough that switching around just isn't worth the effort (especially as screwing up risks losing changes). Bonjour (often coupled with an ad-hoc WiFi network) can be a lifesaver if you've got an old iPhone or marginal reception, or a machine you can't connect to a corporate network, or don't want your data on someone else's server, but none of those situations appear to apply to you. Unless you are seeing big differences in performance that impact your productivity, just take the easy way out and use MobileMe all the time :-)
 
 


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