Synk is a popular BACKUP and SYNCHRONIZATION program that can resolve aliases and archive old files. It runs on all Macintoshes except Mac Plus, Classic and PowerBook 100.
You can backup a folder full of aliases, making it simple to modify your backup or synchronization strategy by dropping file or folder aliases into the defined folder.
It is just as easy to distribute synchronized files throughout a PowerBook's hard drive by synchronizing two folders containing aliases.
Any number of file types, creators and file endings may be skipped.
Obsolete files and folders can be archived into a folder.
Other features include:
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- complete log of actions (now unlimited in length)
- obsolete files can be deleted, trashed or archived
- collisions are conveniently placed in a folder on the Desktop
Synk 2 is $10 US shareware. Upgrades from previous version of Synk are free to registered users.
Special Notes:
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- "Synk Documentation" is a small document reading program. Navigate the document with RETURN, ENTER, DELETE, ARROW KEYS and PAGE UP/DOWN.
- Synk 2.5 has a new preferences file, so you must reset your prefs if you have been using an older version
- Synk 2.5 can read old documents and converts them, but they won't be able to be used by old versions of Synk again. (You just get folder definition errors, not very elegant, I know...)
- Bump Date is a small drag and drop utility that changes the modified date to the current date and time... freeware... useful for experimenting with Synk
Known Bugs:
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- There is an as yet unresolved problem with Drag and Drop support that periodically crops up. If you get the "Items dropped must be folders or volumes" alert and you did drop a folder or a volume, then just use the button and select folder dialog to select your folder and volume sources. (Sorry, but it works most of the time and doesn't crash Synk, so it is better to leave the feature in Synk because it is the easiest way to define folders.)
Version History:
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2.5.2
- fixes a bug related to saving the log (the document file size didn't shrink when you cleared a log and was always the size of the largest log you ever saved)
- has more alias resolving options (including copying aliases)
- can store passwords for mounting shared volumes
- can delete or trash locked files, especially important for version control software used by programmers
- can ask for confirmation before "autorunning" documents from Finder
- added "Ignore collisions in backup" option
- does a better job of copying file positions
- some internal changes (thanks to suggestions by Jon Pugh)
- new independent documentation application
- completely rewritten documentation with many examples of program's use
2.5.1
- same as 2.5.2 but in limited release
2.4.2
- fixed an error message that came up the first time you ran Synk when no preferences file was found... there should have been no message to the user because the preferences were simply created when Synk was quit
- fixed a font problem with non-English systems (now use application font everywhere instead of Geneva... please excuse my ignorance)
- documentation is no longer in Acrobat format but in a standalone viewer
- added many more alias handling options... can now copy aliases without resolving them
2.4.1
- fixed a synchronization bug
- added a new "Accumulate Backup Files" button: this feature gives you the option to either delete files from the destination folder that are deleted from the source folder or leave them to accumulate
2.4.0
- dramatically improved the documentation
- added new scriptability
- improved the grayscale appearance
- fixed up a few issues with Mac OS 8
- removed the "Remove deleted source items" feature of 2.3.0 because of potential problems... this will be addressed in a future version
2.3.0
- synchronization now has option to remove deleted source items from destination folder - KEEP IT UNCHECKED TO WORK AS EARLIER VERSIONS
* this feature works by checking the modification dates of items that exist in only one folder
* if the mod date is older than the date of the last performed synchronization, then the item is treated as obsolete (and is deleted, moved to trash or archived, depending on setting)
* please read the important notice in the documentation on this subject
2.2.3
- improves the way documents run immediately from the Finder (fixing a problem introduced with 2.2.1)
2.2.2
- fixed the "Ignore File Endings" where it only checked the first list entry
2.2.1
- improved the "Ignore Unmounted Volumes" option a bit in operation
- improved the way the log file is displayed if errors are encountered
- added the ability to suppress error warnings
2.2.0
- added "Ignore Unmounted Volumes" option that skips backup or synchronization of folders that are defined for unmounted volumes
- document window is now resizable because it has grown too large to fit on small screen Macs such as the SE/30
- also fixes a few interface bugs
- fixed a crashing bug that cropped up when flipping to and from Synk a number of times and then running a Synk document
2.1.1
- fixed a bug where you weren't asked if you wanted to save a file that had been modified by dragging a folder onto the main document window
- changed the GetFolder dialog that pops up when selecting a folder from Synk's main window to something more commonly used in Macintosh programs
- shipped both a PowerPC native version and a 68k version in package
2.1.0
- fixed a problem with RamDoubler and certain Mac models
- fixed possible launch error by enlarging minimum memory partition
- Apple style grayscale appearance added (can be switched off in preferences)
- unlimited logfile length (log can now be cleared before each run, set this option in preferences)
- text can be dragged out of the log window and "about" dialog
2.0.9
- fixed a bug that only deleted one obsolete file per folder per run
- also changed the font used in dialogs and log to better work with international systems
2.0.8
- fixed an international system related bug resulting in -48 errors
- fixed a problem with the Collision folder not being recreated if deleted and document was not closed before re-running the document
- fixed a problem with the rules being lost when defining folders
2.0.7
- unreleased version
2.0.6
- fixed a problem with the resolution of aliases and their mod dates
2.0.5
- fixed a problem backing up a System Folder
2.0.4
- during a Backup, can leave old files alone stored in the destination folder that no longer exist in the source folder
- can be set to resolve only the "top" level folders and files
- "drag and drop" folders into the Synk document window (requires System 7.5)
2.0.3
- unreleased version
2.0.2
- documents opened from Finder can be optionally run automatically, making it compatible with files placed in the Startup or Shutdown folders
