Using Toucan to Simplify Synching
Posted on May 22, 2009 by LJ
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I love USB drives. They are the perfect way to keep information with you, working on any type of computer. And with the plethora of applications available at places like PortableApps.Com, you no longer have to be dependent on any single machine!
A while ago I put forth how I use another application, FolderSync, (see Simplifying Syncing and The Easy Way To Back Things Up). But with the last update I did of my portable software, I discovered something I like better, Toucan.
Toucan is a light-weight utility, perfect for running from USB drives. Its user interface is very easy to use, and provides four different ways to synchronize files: copy, update, mirror and equalize.
I like it better than FolderSync for two reasons: it does the batch file automation within the program, and it takes into account different locations of files, based on the machine you are running on.
The first is self-explanatory, but the second one needs a bit of elaboration to help you see the value.
At home, my USB drive is labeled F. At work, it is labeled G. At home, my work backup files are stored in my native Notestudio directory. At work, they are stored in My Documents.
By using the built-in variables tab, I am able to tell the program these differences, and the synchronization profiles automatically get the files to the right place. So the same sync profile can be used for copying the files from the USB to my work backup — the program figures out where the directories are based on the computer it is connected to.
Switching to this program has made my life much easier. I don’t have to maintain manual batch files, and I don’t have to worry about directories changing.
Photo by haydnseek
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