MacUpdate has the capability to update from an open Source file to a (non-open) Destination file. For example, you can Synchronize from your System Folder to a backup folder, even though there are items in your System Folder that the OS has open (System, Finder, Preferences, Extensions, Clipboard, etc.). WARNING: Precautions have been taken to prevent the OS from reading from/writing to a file that MacUpdate is updating, but you should still be careful not to change System settings while MacUpdate is updating your System Folder (for example, don't use Control Panels, or change Application Preferences). Similarly, if you are updating some other open file, be sure not to modify the file while MacUpdate is Synchronizing.
This version of the MacUpdate Automation tools (MUDDaemon, MUDContorl) cannot distinguish between a "Shutdown" and a "Restart". Additionally, MacUpdate will be instructed to Synchronize at Shutdown whenever the MUDDaemon application extension is "quit" (if Synchronize at Shutdown option is on). This could occur if an installation program tries to quit all other running applications. Turn off Synchronize at Shutdown if you are using an installer program that tries to quit all running applications.
If you do not have MacOS System 7 or later , or a 68020 CPU or better, you'll receive a message that MacUpdate cannot run on your Macintosh.
When you Close a Settings File, if changes have been made to it, you'll be prompted with a "OK to Save Changes?" question. If you Revert a Settings File, you'll be prompted with a "OK to Discard Changes and Revert to last Saved Version?" question. Similar questions for preferences, and settings dialogs.
If you are running MacUpdate in the background, and you see MacUpdate's icon flashing in the Applications Menu, it means MacUpdate needs your attention. It needs to report an error, or ask you a question. You need to bring MacUpdate to the front (just choose MacUpdate from the Applications Menu) so it can notify you of the information it has.
Synchronization Warnings and Errors
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If one or more Pair Items in a Pair is not on-line, it will have an "X" through a folder icon to indicate it not available. If you try to synchronize an unavailable Pair, MacUpdate will first try to Auto-Connect to the Pair Item(s) if Auto-Connect is turned on. If unsuccessful, no synchronization will occur, and you will hear the System Beep.
If one Pair Item is the same folder or file as the other Pair Item, or one Pair Item is a sub-folder of another Pair Item, you will get a message that MacUpdate cannot synchronize a folder with itself or any of it's sub-folders.
If there is not enough room on the Destination disk for an updated file, you'll get a message informing you of this fact.
If you cancel the synchronization operation, depending on exactly when you cancel, you will receive one or two messages telling you that the command was cancelled, and synchronization was not completed. You will get a second message if you cancelled during duplication or deletion of a Loner folder (Duplication and Deletion are "sub-processes" of the synchronization process, and all three have their own error-reporting mechanisms).
If MacUpdate encounters a file on the Source with the same name as a folder on the Destination, or vice-versa, you'll get a message that MacUpdate cannot synchronize because one item is a file, and the other is a folder.
If a Destination item is locked and cannot be updated, you'll receive a message to that effect.
If a Destination item is already open by another application, and cannot be updated, you'll receive a message to that effect.
If MacUpdate encounters a file that needs updating on the Destination, but it's type is different from the corresponding file on the Source, you'll get a message stating this fact.
If MacUpdate encounters a file whose modification date is in the future (or if your system clock is set back in the past...) You'll receive notification of this event.
If a pair of files' modification dates are the same, but the file's sizes differ, you will be notified.
Finally, there is a mechanism to report "unknown" errors.
Loner Questions
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If you configure Pair and Loner Settings to ask you questions about what to do with Loners, you'll be prompted for whether to Create, Delete, or Ignore Loners, depending on how you have configured your settings. Note that if you configure MacUpdate to ask questions about Loners, it is much more difficult to automate the synchronization process, since all updating ceases until a user answers a question about a Loner.
