Hello. I evaluating SeaDrive 2.0.16 on Windows 11 Insider Preview. I plan to store VirtualBox machines on the drive. Unfortunately, when I run the machine, SeaDrive client trying to sync VMDK file (machine’s disk drive) in real time, it syncs every change made to the disk. It’s not the behaviour I want (and also such sync will be inconsistent anyway). Is it possible to pause syncing VMDK until the machine will be turned off?
Please use the Seafile Sync Client for your purpose.
In the Seafile Sync Client, you can pause the sync.
Sync Client has another behaviour: it syncs everything, not only selected files/folders as Drive. Drive is a good and only solution for me, because I store hundreds of gigabytes of data, and also many VMs, so can’t just sync everything to a local drive. I use VMs time to time so open the necessary VM when need it, and Drive concept suits fine for this task. Also, pause sync is not an option too, because I don’t want to pause sync at all, I have many other files which I sync, and I just don’t want to sync machines in its inconsistent state (and also this process consumes bandwidth and computer resources). I don’t quite understand why Drive trying sync it? Isn’t it should not sync busy (locked?) files? However, I don’t know how VirtualBox handles VMDK files, does it lock it or no. Anyway, could it be a solution (fix) i.e. for next Drive version?
PS: I visited your site, so cool things you manufacturing!
Thanks! Appreciate you mentioning it.
This is not entirely accurate. Allow me elaborate: The seafile sync client does NOT sync all your libraires. a.) It only syncs the libraries that you want to sync and b.) you can also do folder sync (with Seafile Professional only though)
In other words, Seafile works differently compared to for example Dropbox. Dropbox syncs all files that sit in the …/Dropbox folder. Seafile is more flexible. You can sync one library to %userprofile%/Seafile and another library to D:\Stuff - just as an example.
Thanks! Yes, I tried Desktop Syncing Client, so I have an idea how it works, and unfortunately it’s anyway not near comfortable as working with Drive, because Drive allows me to use Windows Sync Engine API and its UI in Explorer, very handy to select necessary file, then check “Always keep on this device”, or just open it and wait until it will auto-downloaded and so on. This feature in Windows is super-handy, I even want to switch from Mac which I use more than a decade due this (I also tested Drive client for Mac and it’s integration is not as good as on Windows).
As for folder sync in Desktop Client, I don’t see this option, I see I can only sync specific existing libraries, or sync any local folder by creating a new library. Despite of, this is a compromise that I don’t want to make. It’s the same as using any other sync software, when using Drive is different, better experience.
If SeaDrive developers there, I’d like to hear their opinion, can my situation be solved by patching the app or not.
First of all thank you for your liking to Seafile! However, unfortunately I don’t think SeaDrive can behave as you want. Your use case is very special. Adding extra syncing feature for a special use case doesn’t worth the work and the risk of breaking existing functions. As for locking detection, SeaDrive will try to upload the contents of a file even when it’s opened by other application, unless it’s exclusively opened by other application. Imagine you have an office file opened and edit it from time to time. You don’t want the contents only be uploaded after you close the file.
Perhaps a NAS is more suitable for you use case. And you may also install Seafile client on your NAS server, to regularly sync the files to Seafile server, for backup and sharing purpose.
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