Strange behavior of Smart Tracking mode in combination with "Flat Right Side (no folders)"

[Silicon]

Hi
First of all, let me thank Syncovery developers for a great product! I have been using it with satisfaction for more than 6 years.

Today I have identified a strange behavior of Smart Tracking mode in combination with "Flat Right Side (no folders)".
Let me describe what I need to achieve:
- we're using file delivery system Aspera Faspex (its upload to Dropbox feature) to deliver materials from field to central bureau
- Aspera stores delivered files under following directory structure: /%dropbox_root_folder%/%aspera_transfer_unique_id%.aspera-package/PKG/
- I need to copy delivered files from Aspera storage (left side) to production storage (right side), where the files can be freely moved, renamed or even deleted by the target users … therefore I’m using the “Smart Tracking” mode with Detection of Moved Files set to Off and Detection of Deleted Files set to Ignore
- It was working as expected - i.e. all files including original directory structure were synced from left to right once and any subsequent changes on right side were ignored
- but when I enabled "Flat Right Side (no folders)" option in Profile Settings - Folders menu, the Smart Tracking mode started to behave as Copy mode – i.e. whenever the file on right side gets renamed or deleted, Syncovery copies the original file from left side again

I consider it as a bug. What do you think?

BR,
Silicon

[tobias]

Hello,
SmartTracking is not really meant to be combined with "Flat Right Side". I'm not sure if this combination was ever tested.

However it might be possible to enable it. Did you test it with the latest version 9.46?

[Silicon]

Hi tobias
Thanks for quick replay!
Yes, I'm runnnig latest version (downloaded earlier today).
BR
Silicon

[tobias]

Hello,
the next version 9.46n will be able to work with SmartTracking and Flat Right Side.

If a file on the source side is updated however, it will be copied to the destination, regardless of whether somebody has previously deleted or renamed it there.

Also - I think it's better to use the two Archive Flag checkmarks under Masks & Filters -> General Filters in the profile. This is better than SmartTracking, if the source path supports archive flags (such as Windows volumes - not FTP).

You could probably even combine both. If the SmartTracking database ever gets lost or corrupted, you will still have the archive flags, and vice versa.

[tobias]

Hello,
version 9.46n is now available.

[Silicon]

Hi tobias
Wow, you are superfast!
I'll test and let ou know.
Thank you very much indeed.
BR,
Silicon

[Silicon]

Hi Tobias
I've tested 9.46n. The Smart Tracking mode in combination with "Flat Right Side (no folders)" is working now almost fine with one exception:
- I can't avoid the situation, when two different Aspera packages (uploaded by two different users), stored on left side, will contain file(s) with identical filenames
Example:
/%dropbox_root_folder%/556ee505-2d16-48f9-80c1-6674f7bc39e2.aspera-package/PKG/file.mxf
/%dropbox_root_folder%/56e69ebb-6bae-4f92-a55e-9df10b31c4ff.aspera-package/PKG/file.mxf
- but I need to sync those "conflicting" files to the flat right side (FTP) with timestamps or numbers added to the filename, i.e. I don't want the files with identical filenenames to be overwritten on the right side
Unfortuntely I'm able to achieve this. Can you advise? I can PM you my test Profile.

Let me also react to your comment "If a file on the source side is updated however, it will be copied to the destination, regardless of whether somebody has previously deleted or renamed it there."
This situation should never occur under normall circumstanes because:
1. Aspera is uploading files to its depository (left side) with temporary extensions *.partial and *.aspx; the temporary extension is removed only if the upload is completed successfully.
2. Files with temp extensions are exluded from sync.
3. Files stored by Aspera to /%dropbox_root_folder%/%aspera_transfer_unique_id%.aspera-package/PKG/ folder are never modified by Aspera (just deleted after configured retention period).

Thank you.
BR,
Silicon

[tobias]

Hello,
such a feature is currently not available, but I will try to add it in the next preview release of Syncovery 10.

[Silicon]

Thank you indeed.
BR
Silicon

[tobias]

Hello,
I added a new checkmark called "Add Timestamps to Duplicate Filenames" in Syncovery 10.dev.02.

You can choose the timestamp encoding type under Versioning->More. Encodings are always in UTC. Please don't ask for a different encoding.

It should work fine with SmartTracking, although there might be extremely rare corner cases with these duplicate filenames where it re-copies a file that was deleted from the right side.