Ever since I upgraded to Synchronize It! version 3 my BAT files, which I use for my automatic backups, no longer work as they used to.
I have gone through and changed the command line options in my BAT files but they are not the same.
Previously I used:
"C:\Program Files\Synchronize It!\winsin.exe" /R /E /C /B /H /I /auto /P=Server2Laptop
For version 3 I am trying to do the same thing with:
"C:\Program Files\Synchronize It!\wndsync.exe" Family2Laptop /back /auto /h /r
What the system used to do was start the synchronization (Backup mode) immediately, scan for files WHILE DISPLAYING THE SCAN, backup those files WHILE DISPLAYING THE FILE TRANSFER PROGRESS without any confirmations and then close.
Now the system does not display anything on the screen while it is running. I can not tell if it is actually scanning and backing up, and taking some time, or if it is blocked or frozen or something. Some of these backups can take quite some time.
This is all the more frustrating as, for me, one of the major improvements in version 3.x is the display of the file transfer status for each individual file in addition to the status as regards the total file transfers. We can now see how long it is taking for each big file and how much more it has to go.
As this function has actually taken a step backwards I am obliged to use version 2.82 for my BAT files and version 3 for my manual synchronizations.
I have several clients who use Synchronize It for their backups and I have written the BAT files to allow them to do so. I have not been able to have them upgrade their copies of the program as their BAT files will no longer function correctly.
Help!
Command line issues with Synch It v3.x
That's right, now automatic mode is invisible - there were multiple complaints on irritating visible window during unattended run. Now I have many requests from people who want to see the progress 
So I'm going to add some switch for visual feedback - not as it was, but to display small window with progress information.
So I'm going to add some switch for visual feedback - not as it was, but to display small window with progress information.Backward incompatible = broken update
I must say that I completely disagree with this attitude towards upgrades.
Software must be backward compatible. A new version should not break the previous version and the user should not have to adapt in order to use an upgrade. An upgrade should provide additional and better functions while maintaining the existing functions.
I was already disappointed that I had to completely change all files which used the command-line interface as you had changed both the executable file which was called and the syntax of every command. This was disappointing, and required additional work on the client's part, but at least it was possible.
The idea that you remove a function however is unacceptable. You can not possibly be aware of the number of users who use a function which is a usual part of your program. If it works, and is used, clients are not going to write to you to inform you. That is simply what the software is supposed to do. If there are any number of users who do not like a function, or do not think something functions correctly, then they will contact you. However they should not be immediately considered the marjority as it is impossible to know how many people use and are satisfied with a function.
The fact that you would remove the visual feedback indicates that you are out of touch with some of the ways in which your program is used. Backups can take hours to perform. With your new version there is no indication whatsoever that the synchronisation is running. This is unacceptable as users therefore believe their computer is frozen and they reboot or cancel thus cancelling the backup.
In the previous version there was a display of the progression of a synchronisation which at least showed how much more was left with the entire synchronisation and allowed a user to know that the program was running. Unfortunately if one of the files being backed up was large, such as an Outlook PST file which can be gigabytes in size, it sometimes gave the impression that the synchronisation was blocked as there was no per-file indication of progress. As the new version now displays per-file progress it would appear logical that this display would be added to the synchronisation progress display.
It is certainly unexpected, and in my opinion unacceptable, that this option would be completely removed rather than improved upon.
If you want to reply to complaints about an option then simply provide a means to turn that option off. However do not completely remove the option as you can not be aware of how many of your clients this will affect negatively and the impact this may have.
I now have to maintain two copies of synchronize it on each of my clients' computers: the version 2.x version in order to be able to reliably provide an automated, but displayed, synchronisation and the new version to be able to provide a more complete visualisation during a manual synchronisation.
Functions should be maintained.
The new version should be able to do exactly what the previous version did and more. That includes displaying the progress of an automatic synchronisation at least as well as the previous version and perhaps better.
Software must be backward compatible. A new version should not break the previous version and the user should not have to adapt in order to use an upgrade. An upgrade should provide additional and better functions while maintaining the existing functions.
I was already disappointed that I had to completely change all files which used the command-line interface as you had changed both the executable file which was called and the syntax of every command. This was disappointing, and required additional work on the client's part, but at least it was possible.
The idea that you remove a function however is unacceptable. You can not possibly be aware of the number of users who use a function which is a usual part of your program. If it works, and is used, clients are not going to write to you to inform you. That is simply what the software is supposed to do. If there are any number of users who do not like a function, or do not think something functions correctly, then they will contact you. However they should not be immediately considered the marjority as it is impossible to know how many people use and are satisfied with a function.
The fact that you would remove the visual feedback indicates that you are out of touch with some of the ways in which your program is used. Backups can take hours to perform. With your new version there is no indication whatsoever that the synchronisation is running. This is unacceptable as users therefore believe their computer is frozen and they reboot or cancel thus cancelling the backup.
In the previous version there was a display of the progression of a synchronisation which at least showed how much more was left with the entire synchronisation and allowed a user to know that the program was running. Unfortunately if one of the files being backed up was large, such as an Outlook PST file which can be gigabytes in size, it sometimes gave the impression that the synchronisation was blocked as there was no per-file indication of progress. As the new version now displays per-file progress it would appear logical that this display would be added to the synchronisation progress display.
It is certainly unexpected, and in my opinion unacceptable, that this option would be completely removed rather than improved upon.
If you want to reply to complaints about an option then simply provide a means to turn that option off. However do not completely remove the option as you can not be aware of how many of your clients this will affect negatively and the impact this may have.
I now have to maintain two copies of synchronize it on each of my clients' computers: the version 2.x version in order to be able to reliably provide an automated, but displayed, synchronisation and the new version to be able to provide a more complete visualisation during a manual synchronisation.
Functions should be maintained.
The new version should be able to do exactly what the previous version did and more. That includes displaying the progress of an automatic synchronisation at least as well as the previous version and perhaps better.
I'm sorry to hear that, but I do have my reasons for this. While I do agree that compatibility is a primary issue (and I'm trying to follow it), with time old SynchronizeIt become too difficult to use, so in new version I was trying to make completely new program rather then update the old one. Speaking of feature in question, I have [falsely] never considered it as a feature, it was a mistake due to inapproriate internal design. But as I said, I will add an option for progress displaying and ability to cancel automatic run. Thank you for pointing my atention to it.
Command line issues with Synch It v3.x
I second DCEFrance to some extent as I also was quite dissapointed by the reduction of functionnality of V3.x with regards with v2.83. Quite an unusual move in the software world.
I came to that conclusion after having spent several hours trying to reuse existing scripts and get the newer version to work like the previous one. I had no success.
I know that writing such a nice application takes time and I am very much looking forward for futher releases of SynchIt bringing the best of V2.8 in the nicer V3 GUI and also implementing some of the little suggestions left in this forum.
By the way, August already, shouldn't a v3.2 about to be ready?
Regards
Z.
I came to that conclusion after having spent several hours trying to reuse existing scripts and get the newer version to work like the previous one. I had no success.
I know that writing such a nice application takes time and I am very much looking forward for futher releases of SynchIt bringing the best of V2.8 in the nicer V3 GUI and also implementing some of the little suggestions left in this forum.
By the way, August already, shouldn't a v3.2 about to be ready?
Regards
Z.