Now You're Cooking! Tip - May-June 2010

May-June 2010

Synchronizing NYC User Data on Two Computers

Synchronizing user files means keeping identical user data on two computers while having the ability to change your info on either computer. NYC has no internal capability to allow two computers to maintain identical copies of the same user data. Such a feature would be redundant of many good synchronization programs that are already available, so we probably won’t add such a feature.

Using a shared cookbook (i.e., a cookbook in a Windows shared folder) on a network avoids the needs for synchronization between two computers. This is the optimal solution so long as 2 computers don't try to access/change the same info at the same time and corrupt the cookbook (NYC is not a multi-user program). This is optimal because there is no file transfer or replacement required when one or the other computers modifies the user data.

However, some folks like to take their laptops on the road, modifying cookbooks as they go, and then synch up with their desktop computer when they get back home, and these folks need a synch program. NYC users have suggested MicroSoft SynchToys 2 for a good program to keep user folders synched between a laptop and desktop. Also, Windows has the Synchronize program (in your Start... All Programs... Accessories... area) that you may want to try. Another synch option is to try a web-based synch program or drop box.

A third solution would be to use your laptop to remotely log in to your desktop computer, and access a shared folder on the desktop with the remote connection.

Then of course, you can do synch manually by copying appropriate files from one computer’s user folder to that of another computer using a USB flash drive.

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