Back-up Utility for Geomagic

[Elrick]

I was just thinking abour this. Arent there such utilities for Geomagic? Wouldnt it be nice to plug an external hard drive into your system, define a folder and Geomagic updates all the changed files in that folder with a primary from the hard drive backed up from? I'm in a habit of copieng my whole drawing folder onto my backup harddrive and deleting older ones.

It couldnt be too diffycult since Geomagic only needs to make a log of all the files with each backup and make another one while progress continues. Then it could overwrite the files you worked with and copy the newly created drawings. Im not a programmer but this could be simple right?

 

[jhiker]

I use 'FreeFileSync' to back up my vault to another location. It will compare and synchronise folders and sub-folders.
It allows you to generate a batch file which you can then schedule to run whenever you like using Windows' 'Task Scheduler'

 

[lamar]

I have a segate 2 terabite external hard drive with memo software and it makes a copy of all file that have changed. it keep 3 copys and deleats any older one. it saved me many times.

 

[dwc]

There are many external programs to do this.
I use AllwaySync'n'Go to good effect.
It does just what you ask for, but you can use it for all your work, not just that done with AD
Don

 

[Elrick]

Im glad to know there are such software!! It just makes sense to me. Are these software user friendly and trustworthy? I would be cautious but eager to try these programs you guys mentioned. Thanks for the reference.

Would still be very nice and legit if Geomagic could make their own back-up utility

 

[DavidJ]

Geomagic developers have enough of a backlog of things to fix or add without giving them peripheral features to add that can be accomplished by readily available existing software.

 

[Elrick]

This isnt an issue for me. Just thought many could benefit from such a feature/utility and when the developers of Geomagic have some time on their hands to make something likewise. Backup is a daily or weekly priority!? Also, theres others like me who would like to take their work home and continue drawing. Thats why I started this topic. If there are other "readily available existing software" that works and are reliable its good to know about them. Which software would you recomend David?

 

[DavidJ]

Others above have recommended back-up tools; hence my comment.

I store my key work in Vault, which has been set to back up each day.

 

[dwc]

theres others like me who would like to take their work home and continue drawing. Thats why I started this topic.

That's exactly why I have this Sync'n'Go.
I work on two computers, one desktop and a portable for use on the train.
Sync'n'Go lives on the USB stick that goes between the two.
Whenever I work on one compi the USB stick gets updated and then the other computer.
It works beautifully and that way I have three full copies of everything that are at least close to being in sync every day.
One of those copies is on my keyring and as such pretty safe, usually in my pocket.
The biggest potential problem is that it is not automatic.
You must think to run the program each time yourself.
Usually I am able.
Don

 

[Elrick]

Thank you very much Don! This sounds like the precise thing Im looking for! I will definitely try it out. Just one question, how big does this backup stick need to be if you say "three full copies of everything that are at least close to being in sync every day"? Is all your work stored onto these drives? A 64Gb memory stick should be enough to run between the two PCs?

Others above have recommended back-up tools; hence my comment.

Thats why I say its good to know about them I heard Lew metion he uses Vault too. Will this one also be able to run between two pcs on a memory stick David?

 

[DavidJ]

That is not what Vault is designed for - Vault holds all designs (and their version history) centrally on one machine, this can be accessed from multiple PCs, and it's possible to work in 'off-line mode' too. It's a different approach to what the others have described - both have their place.

 

[dwc]

how big does this backup stick need to be if you say "three full copies of everything that are at least close to being in sync every day"? Is all your work stored onto these drives? A 64Gb memory stick should be enough to run between the two PCs?

Hi Elrick,
By that I mean there is, copy 1) on the desktop compi, copy 2) on the portable compi and copy 3) on the stick.
My designs aren't that massive and I am using a 4G stick right now, but it is filling up fast and I will be going to a bigger one pretty soon.
It is worthwhile to get a stick that is fast, especially when writing, so the sync goes quickly.
Don

 

[Lew_Merrick]

I heard Lew metion he uses Vault too.

Elrick -- No, you have never heard me state or imply that I use Vault! I have had to reconstruct major project data three times since 2004 because information stored in a Vault got corrupted. I know of several other data disasters where problems with Vault were the cause. I have clients that use Vault which means that I must work within their data storage requirements, but that is a very different statement.

My own system (which has never failed me) is to construct project directory trees based on my experiences with CAD, CAE, and CAM products over the past four decades as my work-storage environment. When the project is complete, I (1) make a master archive of that directory tree that can be stored complete and (2) store a copy of every file in a secondary database with definitions, revision history, and restoration path data. These get "burned" to an appropriate storage media and filed three places (with two of them not being located on my premises). They can easily be restored in a manner that recreates the original project directory tree faithfully.

 

[bigseb]

...These get "burned" to an appropriate storage media ...

This is what I do. Zip it and burn it.No need to have the last five years worth of projects all stored on my PC...

 

[Elrick]

Thanks Don. Currently my drafting folder is almost 42GB (5,078 files in 505 folders). But actively Im only using 650mb more or less for my main assembly. I've learned to export my finalised parts/assemblies and re-import it to get some extra speed when loading. Since my assemblies/parts are scattered across many folders I would rather back the whole drafting folder up to be safe. I would have to see how this "Sync'n'Go" performs. The name is called "Allway Sync 'n' Go" from the website http://allwaysync.com/ ? To be sure..

My mistake Lew. Dont ask me how but I had parts trace library confused with Vault. Sorry

 

[dwc]

The name is called "Allway Sync 'n' Go" from the website http://allwaysync.com/ ? To be sure..

Yes that's the one I use, I don't know if it is the best out there, but it works for me.
Don

 

[Elrick]

Ok thanks for sharing Don! Just need to remove Alibre from one of our systems here at work and install it on my personal pc at home then I will give some feedback when Im all set up. Hopefully this program will be faster than copieng the whole folder.

Im just woreed that all my assembly paths will get mixed up when I run it from a different machine. The first time we upgraded the hardware and copied all the files to a different machine, Geomagic got confused since all the files used to be in the D drive of the one pc and the upgraded pc only had a C and G drive. I had to replace all the parts manually when I entered my main assembly. Otherwise I will have to free some space on my personal PCs C drive.

 

[Elrick]

Hi. I tried your suggested program Don. It appears to be working quite good! I like it a lot. I recently found another online proramme where you could make back-up of your data. Unfortunately only 2GB is free and you could get an aditional 250MB if you help them by doing some smallish stuff. The programme is called "DropBox". You just copy your files to a folder and it outomatically updates a folder online. When your accouts are connected it keeps the Dropbox folder up to date with the contents on different devices. You should be able to use alway sync n go with this programme too That way you wont even need to run around with memory sticks and harddrives (if all your devices are connected to the internet though). You could also share a link to the files in you dropbox with others to download them. Pretty neat software!

Unfortunately the situation is like I expected. I wont be able to jump between PCs because I cant run my drawings on different harddrive with different drive letters. This really really really sucks!! Big time!! Assemblies looks for the different assembled parts in their specified locations. So all the assemblies will need to be updated everytime you synced the data. Hundreds of parts needs to be replaced. Its really not worth it if this is the case. IF Geomgic could atleast help to improve the replace function of the missing designs alert where you only have to specify a different drive lettter instead of pointing all the mixed up spaghetti in the right direction it would have made sense.

Please someone prove this wrong. Are there any other options left? Im afraid to try and change the drive letter cos it just might make a big mess of my operating system and user files. Ive got a small 120gb SSD, a normal 360gb partitioned HD and a 2tb internally at home. The SSD is the C: where my operating system is installed on. Geomagic uses the C: at work.

I will try to replace the files at least once to see if it will be worth it.

Thanks

 

[indesign]

Yes you can easily make an external drive the same letter on each machine.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/libr ... 10%29.aspx

I have done this and moved my files from several machines without fail.

You can also create partitions and name them the same letter so when moving from one machine to another the directories match. Using this method you can insert usb drive and let it sync first then open file from hard drive.


Use a letter that could not be a normal windows default say drive L or Q

 

[dwc]

I think that the assemblies use relative addresses.
I save my entire CAD directory tree, but below that base directory the path is not the same and it works fine.
My two computers use different versons of Wdoze and that is no problem either.

I would never trust my work to other peoples computers.
There is no privacy on the cloud, no matter what they claim.
Don