Question

0

Keeping files that are often changed in sync between desktop and laptop

rated 0 times [ 0] [ 0] / answers: 1 / hits: 1039 / 2 Years ago, fri, september 2, 2022, 2:06:08

I'm looking for a way to keep a desktop and a laptop in sync. What I want to keep in sync are some folders, mainly ~/Documents, that are changed often when working on them.

If it matters I can connect to my desktop from anywhere via an URL but my laptop is harder to access since it might be behind NAT and such.

I have been looking at Ubuntu One but it seems to not go well with working on documents written in LaTeX. If I work on a .tex file in the Ubuntu One directory and compile it (with pdflatex) every now and then (as often as every 10 sec when working) it will create several new files including a pdf which are uploaded to Ubuntu One and this seems stupid since it will create continuous upload when working on .tex files. I also usually keep .tex documents version controlled by git and then every commit (which also can happen frequently) will cause upload (by changes in ./.git) so that it happens continuously when working. Another example is editing images that are saved often. What I think would be best is for sync to happen every tenth minute or at the end of every working session (but there might be some other way to handle this?).

Answers

Only authorized users can answer the question. Please sign in first, or register a free account.

ntlesslving

Add To Favorites

Follow

Total Points: 123

Total Questions: 109

Total Answers: 113

Location: South Korea

Member since Fri, Sep 11, 2020

4 Years ago

ntlesslving questions

2 Stuck on reboot after Ubuntu 23.04 install

Mon, Feb 28, 22, 13:55, 2 Years ago

1 I'm getting the message: "The following security updates require Ubuntu Pro with 'esm-apps' enabled" when updating Ubuntu 22.04

Fri, Jul 30, 21, 12:16, 3 Years ago

1 Does Ubuntu force updates like Windows or I can choose if I want to update?

Wed, Sep 1, 21, 08:55, 3 Years ago

1 apt --purge autoremove can't find older kernels

Fri, Jul 8, 22, 01:43, 2 Years ago

1 Ubuntu 22.04 SSH the RSA key isn't working since upgrading from 20.04

Sat, May 6, 23, 10:23, 1 Year ago

View All

answered 2 Years ago huovie · Accepted Answer

This is a solution based on fossfreedom's answer to another question, Synchronizing 2 Ubuntu Systems with Unison, the Unison manual and my answer to another question.

Setup

Both computers

sudo apt-get install openssh-server unison

Test the SSH link from each computer to the other.

On the computer that might be behind NAT

mkdir ~/.unison

nano default.prf – Create a profile file named default.

Write the profile file, e.g.:

root = /home/user



root = ssh://[email protected]//home/user



path = Documents

Sync

Sync the computers by running unison -auto default on the computer that might be behind NAT. This will sync ~/Documents. I do this before and after my laptop leaves the LAN with my desktop to keep their documents in sync.