I know that copying a synced file is BAD. That said the users of this system are not rule followers so I am trying to develop mechanisms that will mitigate data problems.

 

What will happen if this scenario is followed:

Spoke File#1 is used and synced on Device#1

Spoke File#1 is used again but not yet synced

That unsynced Spoke File#1 is copied to Device#2

That Spoke File#1 is used on Device#2 and then synced on Device#2

ASSUMING (yes, I know what that means) Device#1 doesn't use the file again

To be more specific:

What will happen to the unsynced data from Device#1 when Device#2 syncs?

What will happen to the new data created on Device#2 when they sync?

Mark

 

If device#1 doesn't use the file again, you're 100% fine. For instance, you could safely copy an offline copy from any device to any other device and use it safely. It's also safe to get a user's offline copy onto your own computer and do a sync on their behalf, as long as they don't continue syncing their copy of the file.

Where you'll run into problems is multiple copies of an already synced file continue to be used concurrently. So:

Sync copy #1 on device #1 <-- Fine, obviously

Sync copy of #1 (we'll call it copy #2) on device #2 <-- Still fine

Sync copy #1 on device #1 <-- Problems! Most likely just a slow sync, but small possibility of duplicate records or unexpected deletions.

Sync copy #2 on device #2 <-- More problems!

Sync copy #2 on device #2 repeatedly <-- No new problems, as long as device #1 doesn't sync again.

--Jesse Barnum

So, follow-up question.

And somewhat related to what I'm trying to achieve here.

If I have a file that has been synced and I delete the second mirrorsync record, the one with the user data in it, will that make the file behave as if it was never synced, waiting for its initial sync and connection to a device?

Yes. However, that initial sync will be very slow - probably much slower than an initial sync with a fresh copy of the file from the server, because the record contents and and modification timestamps will not match what's on the server.

--Jesse Barnum

Thank you. I can live with that as it is the errant user that will pay that price!

(Ps: you can close out the ticket I started on this topic at 360works)

Great - thanks Mark.

--Jesse Barnum