Dilemma - Offline files

[BLatSD]

I am running VV 2.0. The profile runs a compare between a local folder (on c: drive) and a folder on a virtual drive created by an online backup service's software client.

All of the files on the virtual drive have the offline bit set such that all icons have the black box superimposed over the lower left corner.

The profile runs, it finds a file that needs to be deleted from the virtual drive, and an error occurs:

The size, attributes or timestamp of <FILE> have changed after comparison. For data security reasons this file will be skipped. Press 'Refresh' to recompare Source and Target.

I open Windows Explorer and now the file in question no longer has the black "offline" box over it. I asked the online storage service's developer why the status changes from offline to online, and he says that apparently VV is requesting a read of the file, which causes the file to download from the online storage, hence the change in attributes.

I run the profile again, and the file gets deleted.

I saw something about the error message posted above here on the forum, and the VV support person recommendation was to upgrade to version 2.5 of VV. So I did.

Now, all of the files in the target folder of the virtual drive after the compare all have red x's, meaning they will be excluded. Checked the forum again and found that by default VV 2.5 ignores offline files and the behavior cannot be turned off.

So I have a problem, I spent the money for the upgrade, and I'm in worse shape than when I started.

VV already has the option to ignore timestams between compare and execution. It also needs the option to include ignoring attrbutes and file size also, per the error above. And second of all, 2.5's behavior of excluding offline files turned my upgrade fee into a waste of money.

I've re-installed 2.0, having flushed the upgrade fee I paid.

In addition to adding the option to ignore attributes & file size after comparisn, maybe a command line switch in VV can turn off the ignoring of offline files?

As a long tme VV user, I have been such a big promoter of VV, but now it does't look I will be able to use it for my backup to the online storage service like I was abe to do with the prior service provider's virtual drive client (which didn't use the offline file bit).

All of my VV profiles run via VV Engine, so the only way around this is to hold on to 2.0 and tell VV Engine to run the profile a second time when an error occurs.

Please help!

[TGRMN Software]

Hi,

Version 2.5 excludes all offline files by default. Unfortunately I do not think it is currently possible to change that behavior....

In version 2 you could activate the option to copy /delete files even if timestamps change after initial comparison, which should solve the error message problem...
_________________
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TGRMN Software Support
http://www.tgrmn.com
http://www.compareandmerge.com

[BLatSD]

The option you refer to, ignore timestamps, ignores only timestamp apparently. It doesn't ignore attributes.

As for 2.5, I guess I'll just have to consider it a flush of my money. I suppose I can appeal to sales for a refund.

On further investigation, this is what is happening:

Referring to VV 2.0, it scans the folders through the compare process and determines what need to be updated. The target folders all have offline files. The VV scan determines that one or more files need to be deleted.

Instead of just deleting the file like any other application would do or like I would do through DOS or explorer (which works, by the way), VV does a read of the file, which causes the ofline file to download, causing the change in attributes error to happen.

Why does VV have to do a read of the file? What can be determined through reading the file in between compare & execution that it couldn't determine through the same means that the compare scan uses? Why can't it merely call the delete routine and be done with it?

[robkirkpatrick]

Dang - I just upgraded laptops and in the setup process just upgraded my VV to 2.5 also. I have a virtual drive which uses Windows offline files service to keep a copy of server files from my office when I travel. AND, used to use VV2 to run a backup of that virtual drive to a network drive at home every night - an important part of our overall (small) office backup protocol.

I get an error saying VV cannot find the (virtual) drive.

Am I right in concluding from this thread that I CANNOT use VV to backup my virtual drive? It looks like I may have wasted upgrade funds also. Is there any improvement on this subject since these original posts were written? Thanks.

[BLatSD]

I think you describe a dfferent problem than the one I was experiencing. VV was able to read/find my virtual drive & files within it. (My problem was what happened after that.) I never did find an answer and had to downgrade & get a refund to maintain functionality.

I've come across software from time to time that "cheats" the setup of virtual drives that will work fine with certain interfaces like Windows or DOS, but are not recognizeable by other means or software.

[TGRMN Software]

BLatSD:

This is the part I do not understand:

[TGRMN Software]

robkirkpatrick

[BLatSD]

[TGRMN Software]

I'll check the code to see where / why VV is reading the remote before deleting. I think we need to have a new option to include or exclude offline files.
_________________
--
TGRMN Software Support
http://www.tgrmn.com
http://www.compareandmerge.com

[BLatSD]

Obviously for safety's sake, VV takes a second look at a file after the compare phase & before the delete routine is called just in case the file had changed in between. I can't argue with that. But the approach VV used during the compare phase to gather information about a file does not cause the file to download, which is different from the approach it uses during the execution phase when it re-checks the file's attributes prior to deletion, which does cause the file to download.

The easiest way around this is to add an option, "Do not generate an error if file attributes have changed after comparison." This basically disables the safety that's been built in. The best way of course, is to fix the problem.

This discussion is refreshing my attitude a bit towards VV. When I was outraged by the decision to ingore offline files in the new version, the response I got back from support was in essence, "Tough Luck Buddy" which completely reversed my perspective about VV, which up to that point had been nothing short of top rate. I hope that this finally leads to a fix for these two issues (change in attributes error & ignoring offline files) so I can finally upgrade to the newest version. Plus, I'll be able to free up tons of hard drive space by no longer having to maintain local copies of the offline files

[TGRMN Software]

Hello

[BLatSD]

[TGRMN Software]

You are right! I checked the 2.5 code and saw that VV is opening the remote to check the file before deleting it. I have added this and the new offline inclusion / exclusion option to the to-do list for next release. Currently working on the next VVEngine release , once that is done we'll be moving on to the next ViceVersa update.
thanks
_________________
--
TGRMN Software Support
http://www.tgrmn.com
http://www.compareandmerge.com

[BLatSD]

Thanks. Knowing how long it has been between updates so far, this will probably be a long wait for me.

I've sent in a couple of requests for VV Engine over the years too. For instance, while a batch file is being run after execution, VV Engine will state "re-comparing" whlile the batch file is running. Would be nice if it stated "Running batch file". Also, a better way of moving profiles up & down in the list is needed. When you add a new profile, it's added to the bottom, and if you want it to be, for example, at the top, you've got to click it up one at a time, which takes forever if you have a lot of profiles. Also, a personal preference, would be nice if VV Engine profiles wouldn't disable if you edit them in VV (or make it an option).

[TGRMN Software]