Archive files modified more than two years ago.

[knoorwagen]

Using SyncBackSE v6.0.12.0.

I'm looking for a way to archive files with a certain age (say, last modification date more than 2 years ago) from our network-data-disk to our network-archive-disk, using SB of course.
My intention is to move the old files to the archive-disk and to repeat this treatment regularly.
I did not find an option in the modify-tabs.
Is there a way to do so?

Tia!
KeesNW

[Dave Wilkins]

Hi

Modify > Expert > Compare Options > Date & Time and set the parameters so the profile only processes the files you want. Be very careful to check out (F1 for contextual Help about...) the rounding/ignoring of fractional parts that takes place if you use rolling periods (but you can use higher values of smaller units to get more fine-grained control, such as [730 days], i/s/o [2 years], so that the inaccuracy is only a day or so). Or, use a fixed date, and simply update it appropriately before running the profile again.

Modify > Decisions-Files has options to Move files instead of just Copy them in all three classes of files (on both X&Y, on X only, on Y only)

Simulated Runs are a good idea while setting up (and maybe even when running again after a down period). You can sort the Differences window by LastModified, and simply scroll to the head & foot to check the high/low values of the range it is proposing to process.

[knoorwagen]

Thank you, Dave!

Your answer helped a lot. I did not understand the "Modify > Expert > Compare Options > Date & Time"-option, when I first saw it. But now I used it and it works exactly how I asked. So, that's fine!

I overlooked one important thing however.
I wanted to move the old files, and most of the directories, but not all!
Example: We have
\\Data\user1
\\Data\user2
etc.
\\Archive\user1
etc.
I started the SB-script to move files not modified for 28 days in \\Data. Now all "root"-directories of all users who did not have files modified last 28 days also moved to \\Archive. These \\Data\user1 (etc.) directories should not be moved. How can this be done?
Can I assign a special flag to certain files and directories?
It is not enough to give the read-only-attribute, because other files may also have this attribute. However if the read-only-flag is the only way, we could evaluate the remainders manually.
Are there variables like dir-level I could use?
Is it necessary to upgrade to SB-Pro?

Sincerely,
KeesNW

[Dave Wilkins]

Hi

I can't replicate that with 'normal' Move settings (I just tried...). Even if a folder is completely emptied of files (because they all qualified for Moving, due to their age), the empty folder is ordinarily left behind on Source. Folders aren't Moved, only files are (note the Move settings are on the Decisions-Files page?) - folders are simply created (copied) as 'somewhere to put the files that were copied or moved')

I think what is going on is that you have a setting enabled to delete empty folders on Source. There are two possibilities:

Modify > Expert > Decisions-Files > Folders > top section

Modify > Expert > Copy/Delete > Folders > 'Delete all the empty directories on [side]'

The first option may be set to Automatic: if so, its behavior depends on your profile type and the circumstances - see the contextual Help on that page (note also - as stated in that Help page - these settings refer only to empty folders). You may simply want to select 'Do nothing'

The second option is a legacy setting (it's there mainly to accommodate profiles imported from the freeware, which only has this option/method). It's less efficient, as it requires a second scan of the tree after the main scan/copy (etc) phase, looking for empty folders on [side], but some people still use it, "because it's there" - and/or, because they don't realise the first option (Decisions-Files > Folders) is there. The first option is more efficient (and has extra settings, such as 'only if stuff was deleted from it': note that a Move is a Copy followed by a Delete, so they would qualify anyway, if emptied)

These options will indeed recurse back up the tree (up to and including the base folder, if empty). Suggest check both locations for settings to delete empty folders, and disable them?

[Dave Wilkins]

PS: there's no difference in this functionality between SE & Pro