Orphaned Files

[san]

I'm not sure whether this is a question (how to do something) or a feature request, because I don't know whether these capabilities are already present and I just don't know how to get at them...

When I execute a Synchronize (update server) operation, it seems that I have very limited options with respect to orphaned items (that are on the server but not on my hard drive). I can check "Delete orphaned items" or not, and if I do check it, I can then uncheck individual orphaned items in the preview box that comes up. And it seems those are about my only options.

What I'd like is several more options for orphaned items on the server:

1. Generate a list (text file) of orphaned items, so I can ponder it later and figure out what the heck those things are and what I should do with them. Or at least make the preview report copyable, so I can manually paste it into a text file. (I can select the list now but "Copy" is disabled for it.)

2. Transfer the orphaned items into a special folder on the server, perhaps called "archived_items" or (to be clever) "orphanage" or something like that, rather than actually deleting them.

3. Download the orphaned items into an "orphanage" folder on my local hard drive, and then delete them from the server.

4. Even more ambitiously, I'd like some way to find out whether those orphaned items are really different from anything in my local hierarchy, or are actually some of the same files as in the local hierarchy, but have been renamed. (Not sure if this is even possible.)

The bottom line is that I typically don't remember why those orphaned items are on the server, and therefore don't know whether they're really garbage or -- scary thought -- they're important files that I accidentally deleted off my local mirror, and the server copies are the only remaining ones. In which case I clearly don't want to delete them!

Are any of the options that I mentioned possible now?

Thanks much,
San

[JD]

None of the options you've discussed are available, I'm afraid.

I understand your predicament with respect to deleting files on the server when you don't know what  they are, however the idea about moving items into an 'archive' folder is just too prone to problems - eg what if the user already has an archive folder, or an orphanage folder, and, what happens to orphaned items on the Mac side when you use the Update Mac synchronization? It's all a bit too messy. For idea 4 I'm not sure how it would even begin to work - it's impossible, I think.

So, I think the only realistic option is to save preview report as a text file.

[san]

what if the user already has an archive folder, or an orphanage folder

Then you add the new orphaned items to the archive folder? I'm not sure what the problem is -- are you concerned about overwriting unrelated files that happen to have the same name, in an existing folder that also happens to have the same name? You could let the user name their orphanage folder anything they like, or add a new subfolder for each synch, and/or add a date-timestamp to the orphan filenames.

and, what happens to orphaned items on the Mac side when you use the Update Mac synchronization? 

I guess I can't visualize the problem there either, partially because I've never updated my Mac from the server, except (rarely) manually dragging over an individual file. (This is off topic, but I've wondered -- under what circumstances do people want to update their Mac from their Web server?) In any event, just to be clear, I'm not suggesting you require the user to archive their orphaned items, just that you make it some kind of option.

So, I think the only realistic option is to save preview report as a text file.

Adding that feature would be helpful. Right now I'm scribbling it on a scrap of paper by hand, or copy-typing it into an adjacent text window. Even just making the current report Copyable (so I could paste it into the text window instead of retyping it) would be a help.

Thanks,
San

[JD]

You've touched on a couple of issues which would need to be addressed, but I'm sure there will be plenty more once you start to work through the logic. Once you start trying to automate file/folder management via FTP it gets messy quick.

The bottom line is that while I'm sure something along the lines you've described could be achieved, the amount of work to get it right isn't justified by the demand for such a feature. How many people would be interested in this?

The text copy of the Preview report, on the other hand, is very clear cut and could have multiple uses so it would be worthwhile adding.

[paulc]

This strikes me quite like backup programs (that write to tape), or Time Machine. In that orphaned files are not in your face, but can be gotten to.

Which begs a question... JD, can any ftp client ever simply mount a remote server as a local volume? Isn't that knda what WebDAV does?