Syncing User Data Via Dropbox?

[Richard_Morrison]

I am considering moving my X6 Data folder (with my toolbars, User Library, etc.) and my plan files exclusively to Dropbox, so I keep everything on my desktop and laptop sync'd. I have a little concern that my User Library, which is now over 1.3GB, is going to be VERY slow to sync, and that I may run into corruption of plan files if I am not accessing and saving them locally and independently of the cloud, since I tend to save every few steps. (Habit from earlier versions of Chief.)  Anyone experience problems with any of this?

[DRAWZILLA]

I know that Scott has been doing it for a while now, maybe he will chime in.

[lbuttery]

run into corruption of plan files if I am not accessing and saving them locally and independently of the cloud

 

Richard:

 

I would also be concerned about corruption

 

while some may have had success I would be leery....

 

you may want to discuss with CA's tech support as I believe they don't recommend this

 

far safer to work locally and then save to Dropbox when done with the session

 

not sure about the User library and the size issue ???

 

again, probably best to consult with CA's tech support

 

Lew

[dshall]

I keep all of MY DOCUMENTS on drop box. I do not keep the CA program files on drop box.

I no experience keeping user library etc on drop box.

[Richard_Morrison]

I keep all of MY DOCUMENTS on drop box. I do not keep the CA program files on drop box.

I no experience keeping user library etc on drop box.

This seems a little unclear since it is most likely that your User Library is in My Documents, in the Chief Architect Premier X6 Data folder.

[dshall]

This seems a little unclear since it is most likely that your User Library is in My Documents, in the Chief Architect Premier X6 Data folder.

Let me be clearer. Any word document goes in drop box, any spread sheet document goes into drop box, every CA LAYOUT goes in drop box, every CA PLAN FILE goes into drop box. My libraries do not go into drop box, program files do not go into drop box. Program files do not go into drop box because I ain't smart enough to figure out how to do it.

Documents go into drop box because I know how to save a file and I know how to save it in drop box.

I hope that is clearer.

What is surprising is when I explain to my colleagues what a great system I have saving into drop box they say, "why of course, that is what I do"

Again I was late to the party.

[lbuttery]

Scott:

 

clearer now, your first post sounded like the opposite

 

I'm too nervous about "corruption" to save directly to dropbox

 

glad it is working for you

 

Lew

[fcwilt]

Lew:

 

Just so you know the Dropbox folder on your machine would be an ordinary Windows folder - completely local in that regard.

 

What the Dropbox app does is use a standard feature of Windows to be notified when there is a change to the contents of that folder.

 

Then the Dropbox app updates the copy out in the cloud. 

 

Dropbox also monitors for other changes made to the copy in the cloud and updates the local copy as needed.

 

 

The issues you might face have to do with changes being made to local copies of the same file on two computers and something prevents the syncing process from taking place, such as not having your laptop connected to the internet.

 

 

 

Of course you should still have some sort of backup program in use at all times.

 

 

I, for instance, have schedule backups being made of the important files on my desktop computer to three different NAS units.

[lbuttery]

Frederick:

 

I prefer to save to a project folder on my HD

then move that folder to the dropbox folder

 

just gives an added level of security in case dropbox goes 'boom"

 

 

Lew

[eddieritter]

Something else to consider is that Dropbox has limited storage before you get into some $$$. I've been using Dropbox for a few years now and it works well for organizaing my files. I generally have three folders per job file. Plans & Layouts, Renderings, Photos. I also have a general folder for Custom Textures. The photos in particular can chew threw the free GB or 2 that Dropbox gives you when you sign up. Then you start paying yearly fees. The first one's not that bad but when you get to needing over 100 GB or so (I think, I'm not sure exactly what it is) you get into the large business account. I think it's like $500 a year or something like that. Just like the Chief Architect SSA yearly membership, must be paid yearly.

 

P.S. I also don't really add the Chief Architect hard files to the Dropbox. The Archives and User Libraries are all local to the indivudual computer I'm using (work, home, etc.) Hence why I have the custom texture folder. When I open a plan and it's telling me that I have an unidentified texture, I know just where to find it.

[jcaffee]

user files yes (*.plan, *.layout), applications files no.

 

I use OneDrive (formerly SkyDrive) and Adobe's Creative Cloud for personal cloud storage.  OneDrive, DropBox, etc. are good for what they're designed to do, make user files accessible from multiple devices and limited function file sharing.  I would not place any systems or application files on services of this ilk.

 

I would suggest consulting with Amazon Web Services, as a lower cost option, if you're serious about off loading application files and functionality.  But--and this is a big but--then you run into licensing issues with CA. 

 

Either that or just buy a Samsung EVO 1TB SSD and be happy, happy.

 

jon

[dshall]

I am considering moving my X6 Data folder (with my toolbars, User Library, etc.) and my plan files exclusively to Dropbox, so I keep everything on my desktop and laptop sync'd. I have a little concern that my User Library, which is now over 1.3GB, is going to be VERY slow to sync, and that I may run into corruption of plan files if I am not accessing and saving them locally and independently of the cloud, since I tend to save every few steps. (Habit from earlier versions of Chief.)  Anyone experience problems with any of this?

Sorry I did not answer the specific question very well,  maybe somebody else with more knowledge will pipe in.

[DRAWZILLA]

I pretty much do the same thing using Carbonite and its unlimited space available. As soon as I save the file on my SSD drive, it automatically goes to

Carbonite where I can retrieve it from any device.

[JLDrafting]

Carbonite has added a "Sync and Share" which may be helpful to those using multiple devices.

[lbuttery]

another reason for not saving directly to the cloud via Dropbox or other services

 

depends on how many versions they can store and recover back to

 

when working I tend to save every 5 minutes or so

definitely after completing a "difficult" task

 

If each of these saves goes to the "cloud"

then doing a recovery becomes difficult

 

I would prefer to save the "final" version of a work session to the cloud

 

Lew

[fcwilt]

Lew:

 

Your approach is just fine - not trying to change your mind.

 

But, in the interest of clarify, retrieving different versions of a "Dropbox" file simply involves right clicking on the local file of interest which takes you out to the cloud and displays a list of all available versions. There you can select the desired version.

[lbuttery]

There you can select the desired version

 

Frederick:

 

understood

 

but If I do a 4 hr work session and save every 5 minutes - every 15 minutes

 

what does that do to the versions that were on the cloud ???

 

then the client calls and says "forget those changes" ???

or I decide I don't like the design alternative and want to start over or back to

some earlier version that's no longer on the cloud ?

 

Lew

[fcwilt]

Lew:

 

Every time you save the file Dropbox treats that as a new version (and it becomes the current version).

 

Now its going to take Dropbox a bit of time before it processes the save so many quick saves, one right after another, may not trigger an update to the cloud.

 

A quick test suggests that saves at "normal" intervals, say, every few minutes, create a new version on every save.

 

What I don't know is how many versions Dropbox will keep.

 

It's discussed here and a quick read suggests that it will keep all of the versions but only for 30 days unless you pay a small monthly fee:

 

https://www.dropbox.com/help/115/en

[DRAWZILLA]

You will still have the older one's in the archive's

[lbuttery]

Perry:

 

which archives ???

 

Chief's or dropbox's ???

 

when I do "Save as" I add date/time to the file name

 

so that would mean that I end up with way too many files on Dropbox

and would end up using way too much space

 

if I skip doing the date/time then I would be replacing earlier versions

and then have issues if I decided to go back to an earlier version

 

I just think it would be better to save to a regular folder on my HD first

then move the final work session file to dropbox for syncing

 

right now this is all theory as I don't have other devices to sync to

so I don't need to save anything to the cloud

 

just expressing concerns about saving directly to the cloud

 

Lew

[Richard_Morrison]

Re: "too many files." One of the Park brothers suggested (on the old forum) turning on Chief's file locking so that Dropbox wouldn't have access to the file until it was closed.

[lbuttery]

Richard:

 

good to know

 

I always have file locking on

 

Lew

[DRAWZILLA]

Perry:

 

which archives ???

 

Chief's or dropbox's ???

 

when I do "Save as" I add date/time to the file name

 

so that would mean that I end up with way too many files on Dropbox

and would end up using way too much space

 

if I skip doing the date/time then I would be replacing earlier versions

and then have issues if I decided to go back to an earlier version

 

I just think it would be better to save to a regular folder on my HD first

then move the final work session file to dropbox for syncing

 

right now this is all theory as I don't have other devices to sync to

so I don't need to save anything to the cloud

 

just expressing concerns about saving directly to the cloud

 

Lew

Chief's archives , after saving to dropbox you would still have copies in the My doc.s folder as usual.

[lbuttery]

Perry:

 

thought that's what you meant

 

I usually have the Chief achive system turned off

as I do my own "save as"

 

I suppose this might help control versions if one is going to save

directly to Dropbox type apps

 

I understand that some like going straight to the cloud

 

but I will continue to avoid doing so

 

Lew

[Richard_Morrison]

I should point out that Dropbox is not deleting files that are over 30 days old. It is just deleting the older versions of files that were CHANGED more than 30 days ago. So even if your archives are in Dropbox, they probably will still be there in mulitiple versions.