Nokia PC Suite 6.84 introduced a brand new feature, 'File and folder' synchronisation. The only trouble is that it's not a true sync and has several limitations. But was there method behind Nokia's apparent madness, what can you do with file and folder 'syncing' and what could Nokia do to improve the feature further?
Read on in the full article.
However, initial tests showed that this feature was a one-way copy only, with the smartphone folder simply mirroring the contents of the folder on the PC exactly.
I beg to differ. I think that it follows the same rule as the conflict resolution preference, i.e. whether it uses the outlook or the phone as master copy.
I had problems using it to handle files, since I have the phone set up to be the final word in accuracy for appointments and contacts. However, when it comes to documents that are naturally more up-to-date being on your computer, the mobile phone still seems to overwrite them if you change them on your PC. This meant that every time I changed a file, after syncing it would revert to the original copy. I think it may have something to do with the sync not liking the date and time of the files, but I cant trace it any further than that. In the end, I stopped using it, since it was making the whole sync take far longer than it needed to be.
Perhaps a better implementation would be to use it like windows live messenger sharing folders, with offline edits being synced in the background.
I've always thought that Nokia should have a sidekick-like internet synchronisation process instead of/as well as the outlook sync. They'd blow everyone away if they let you sync OTA or via a pc to a central server. Never lose a contact again! Access your lifeblog anywhere! I can dream...
Bizarre. On my setup, changes on the phone AREN'T copied back to the desktop. What about the rest of you? Can we get a consensus here? Shall I pull the article?
😮
Please don't pull the article, Steve. There is clearly confusion about how this feature works (or doesn't work)! As for myself, I thought it looked potentially useful when I looked at it a few weeks ago but didn't spot the hidden tab and it seemed to be only via Outlook (cf. your screenshot). Ok, I admit I didn't spend much time investigating but the usability isn't great...
Wirelessly posted (P800: SonyEricssonP990i/R100 Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Symbian OS; 598) Opera 8.65 [fi])
This "new" feature was there in EPOC5. I used it with my MC218 (Ericsson branded Psion 5mx) - and liked the feature. When EPOC became Symbian, the feature was apparently forgotten and now reintroduced as "new". Well, better late than never. Hopefully this is introduced as a Symbian OS feature, not just Nokia specific. Or is it so that it is build in already and it is up to the PC software to support it?
I have tried this from day one and conclude that the sync is random. On my set up the PC is the master..suposedly the moblile should follow (both E70 & 9500). From experience the sync is rarely 100% accurate in mirroring the PC files. On two occassions i had PC files (that had been updated) overwritten by the mobile files that had not been altered. Now for safety i sync with a remote copy file on the PC so that the original remains intact. If it worked perfectly Nokia would have a winner. Definitely one to be careful with!
My advise whilst a pain synching with a remote copy menas that the orignal dats remains unchanged and there is no chance of data loss when altering files on the Mobile, i seperately copy those across to the original PC files and then copy the original synch files to the remote which i then sync with. long winded but it means i keep control. Are there any threads on this a seperate thread on the forums might be useful especially to feed back to nokia.
You have a band? Cool
Don't pull the article.
It is a fantastic tip. Wish I had knew before.
Why are changelogs falling out of fashion? Is it to avoid critisism (people do not tend to critisize something that surprises them? 😉
Initially, I thought it would give me full file sync between the PC and my e90. But I shortly - with extreme disappointment - discovered that the sync works only one way (i.e. only from the PC to the mobile) and ceased using the feature as in such shape I find it useless!
Nokia, make it a true full sync (bi-directional) feature and you'll be the winner. Otherwise, you can easily remove it from future releases of the PC-Suite.
All the best,
Borys
This feature is absolutely useful. I setup a briefcase folder on my pc, here i collect all the files and folders I want to be accessable on my phone. I use the same folder to sync in pc suite.
On the phone i save my new picture, docs and so on to this folder. After I connect my phone, all the new stuff available on the pc. After two more clicks on PC's briefcase folder everything is up to date. My new pictures, docs are now in my documents folder. I like this. I keep around 300 Mb data synced. It takes 30 secs to sync.
A better tool to use to keep your files in sync, in xp at least, is microsoft synctoy. Just google it, and it comes up.
Its excellent at what it does, and it is really easy to use (a real surprise from MS!). You'll have to use the phone in Mass Storage mode, but it has several modes, so you can use it with digital cameras as well, copying off only the new pictures and not putting old ones back etc.
And if you add SymSMB to the package - it could be as easy as putting your phone in charging mode to get files automaticaly synchronized (assuming you have WiFi and S60 3rd edition device).