So you have two computers that are not in the same place, and you want them to share the same synchronised folder, communicating directly with each other.


A 6 minute screencast showing how to share files between your computers in different locations, such as home and work.

You can add even more computers using the same method shown here.


If you have a laptop that is sometimes near another computer, you can speed up file transfers when it is by also connecting it using the local pairing walkthrough.

I've noticed that it is also possible to add an existing annex folder on a remote server without using syncing. Are there any dangers in doing this?

Could you explain what syncing does and when it is needed? Thanks.

I'm afraid I don't quite understand the question.
Comment by http://joeyh.name/ Tue Jul 30 14:08:38 2013

I try to understand how to setup git-annex for the following use case:

Two computers, that are paired via remote sharing, using some cloud repository for transfer, and a local NAS for backups.

These two computers are sometimes in the same network, sometimes in different networks, and sometimes even without network at all. From what I read, it should be possible to bypass the cloud when these two machines are on the same network, which sounds great.

Would it be possible to use a portable drive as "another link" between these two computers that can be used to sync them even if there is no network between them?

And as you write, if the pairing has been set up manually, then everything is fine - so could it be that it is really easy and only necessary to setup the git-annex on the local drive as an additional remote on both (or only one?) machine?

thanks for any insight!

You can easily use a removable drive as a transfer repository to sync two computers that have no network connection. Just use the webapp to add the drive on one computer. The drive will be set up as a transfer repository by default. The webapp will automatically start copying all your files to it. Then you can disconnect the drive, bring it to the other computer, and repeat the process. Everything from the first computer will then sync over from the drive to the second computer. And repeat moving the drive back and forth to keep things in sync.
Comment by http://joeyh.name/ Tue Nov 12 14:18:16 2013
Thanks - I was hoping that it is that easy. I'll try that as soon as I have a working version of the latest git-annex (trying to build with brew for Mac OS X 10.9, but without success so far).

In your comment http://git-annex.branchable.com/assistant/remote_sharing_walkthrough/#comment-f97efe1d05c0101232684b4e4edc4866, you describe a way to synchronize two devices using an intermediate USB drive configured as a "transfer repository".

I understand that in that case, the USB drive can only be used as a "transmitter", in a git repository form, not as a copy of the files structure. This means the files contained by the USB drive cannot be accessed without git/git-annnex.

Is there a way to use the USB drive as a "client repository" in order to allow synchronization, as described earlier, but also as a simple copy of the files, in order to access them from any device (opening them with windows in a cyber coffee for example).

Thanks

Comment by severo Sun Mar 16 13:05:43 2014
@severo the web app does not support setting up that use case. However, you can make a non-bare clone of your repository onto a removable drive, and if you do the assistant will use it just the same as if you'd set up a removable drive using the webapp. Note that you will need to run git annex sync inside that repository in order to update the tree it displays.
Comment by http://joeyh.name/ Mon Mar 17 15:50:48 2014
Thansk @joeyh.name for your answer. Do you think this feature could be integrated into the git-annex assistant ?
Comment by severo Tue Mar 18 06:06:50 2014
Some explanations in French on how to do: http://seenthis.net/messages/237648#message238202
Comment by severo Tue Mar 18 07:16:19 2014
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