- Left and Right Side Options
- General
- Filters
- Auto
- Analyze
- Sync
- Recycled/History
- Speed/Limits
- Errors/Conflicts
- Scripts
Left and Right Side Options
In the Left Folder and Right Folder tabs, you may set the locations of your job and configure options.
Click on "Show Options" to list all options for the selected Left or Right side.
What Makes Files Differ
Compare Checksums When Needed (slower) (unchecked by default)
If enabled, GoodSync compares the MD5 checksum of the old and new file when the file size is the same, but the modification time has changed. If the MD5 checksum differs while the file size and modification time are the same, GoodSync reports a conflict. After Sync, GoodSync verifies that the checksum of the copied file matches on both sides.
If disabled, GoodSync determines file changes based only on differences in file size or modification time.
Compare Attributes (on Mac: Compare Permissions)
If enabled, changes in file or folder attributes are detected even if the file contents have not changed.
If disabled, attributes are copied only when the file itself is copied.
Compare Owner (unchecked by default)
If enabled, changes to the file owner are detected even when the file contents have not changed.
If disabled, the file owner is copied only when the file contents change.
Compare ACL (unchecked by default)
If enabled, changes in the Access Control List (ACL) are detected even when the file contents have not changed.
If disabled, ACL information is copied only when the file contents change.
Compare Extended Attributes (Mac only, unchecked by default)
If enabled, changes in extended attributes are detected even when the file contents have not changed.
If disabled, extended attributes are copied only when the file itself is copied.
Exotic Options
Do Not List Folders During Analyze (unchecked by default, formerly Fast Pre-Analyze)
If enabled, GoodSync does not list folders during Analyze. Instead, it relies on the GoodSync State File to determine file listings.
If disabled, GoodSync performs a full analysis of the folder structure.
This option should only be used if files in the folder and its subfolders are modified exclusively by GoodSync.
Note:
Incorrect use of this option may lead to data inconsistency or data loss. Intended for advanced users only.
Safe Copy Using Temporary Files (enabled by default)
If enabled, GoodSync copies files to a temporary file in the destination folder first. After the copy completes successfully, the temporary file is renamed to the final destination file.
This prevents file corruption if the copy process is interrupted.
You may disable this option for one-way backups if the destination storage has limited free space.
This option is available only for file systems that do not support atomic uploads (where interrupted uploads automatically revert to the previous file version).
Folder Options
No _gsdata_ Folder Here (unchecked by default)
If enabled, GoodSync does not create the _gsdata_ folder inside the sync folder on the Left or Right side of the job.
Instead, the _gsdata_ folder is created in the GoodSync profile folder on the local computer.
Example: C:\Users\%USERNAME%\AppData\Local\GoodSync\_mirror_
If disabled, the _gsdata_ folder is created inside the sync folder.
This option should only be used when writing to the sync folder is not possible or not desired (for example, a read-only source in a one-way job).
This option should only be used when the sync folder is not being synchronized by any other job on this or another computer.
Note:
When this option is enabled, the following options cannot be used:
- Save Previous/Past Version
- Save History
Compress (Windows only, unchecked by default)
If enabled, file contents are compressed using the native Windows file system compression feature.
This option works only on NTFS file systems. Compression is performed by Windows, and the Compressed attribute is applied to the file.
Uncompress (Windows only, unchecked by default)
If enabled, file contents are decompressed using the native Windows file system functionality.
This option works only on NTFS file systems, and decompression is handled by Windows.
FAT File System That Does Not Reveal Itself (Windows only, unchecked by default)
If enabled, GoodSync applies a special time adjustment designed to compensate for FAT file system time storage limitations.
If disabled and the file system does not report itself as FAT, GoodSync assumes the file system stores file modification times in UTC.
Do Not List Folders During Analyze (unchecked by default, formerly Fast Pre-Analyze)
If enabled, GoodSync does not list folders during Analyze. Instead, it relies on the GoodSync State File to determine file listings.
If disabled, GoodSync performs a full analysis of the folder structure.
This option should only be used if files in the folder and its subfolders are modified exclusively by GoodSync.
Note:
Incorrect use of this option may lead to data inconsistency or data loss. Intended for advanced users only.
Encrypt File Bodies (unchecked by default)
If enabled, file contents are encrypted before being uploaded to the selected Left or Right folder.
Encryption uses AES with a 256-bit key and chained file blocks. A random salt is applied so that encrypting the same file multiple times produces different encrypted outputs.
The encrypted file size increases by exactly 32 bytes.
Encrypt File Name (unchecked by default)
If enabled, file names within the sync folder are encrypted before being uploaded.
Encryption uses AES with a 256-bit key.
For information about the "Use GS Account" option, see: https://help.goodsync.com
General
In the General tab, you can configure options related to job direction.
The Job Type determines how changes are propagated between the Left and Right folders.
Backup Left to Right (default)
Changes are propagated only from the Left folder to the Right folder.
Synchronize 2-Way
Changes are propagated in both directions between the Left and Right folders, keeping the contents identical on both sides.
Backup Right to Left (1-way)
Changes are propagated only from the Right folder to the Left folder.
Propagate Deletions (enabled by default)
If enabled, deletions made on one side of the job are also applied to the other side.
If disabled, deletions are not propagated, and only file changes are transferred.
Note:
This option applies only to one-way jobs.
Create Left/Right Sync Folders if They Are Not Found (disabled by default)
If enabled, GoodSync automatically creates the left and right sync folders if they do not already exist.
If disabled, Analyze will return an error if the specified sync folders are not found.
Move Mode: Delete Source File after Copy
After a file is copied from the source to the destination, the original source file is deleted.
This effectively moves the file from source to destination.
If the source folder becomes empty as a result, it may also be removed.
This option is intended for advanced users.
Move Mode: Delete Empty Folders after Copy
After Move Mode deletes source files, any folders that become empty are also removed.
This option is intended for advanced users.
Filters
The Filters tab allows you to create inclusion and exclusion filters for full control over what data syncs and what does not.
Exclude (empty by default)
Files and folders that match an exclusion filter are excluded from synchronization.
Include (empty by default)
If this field is not empty, only files and folders that match an inclusion filter - and do not match any exclusion filters - are included in synchronization.
Note:
Exclusion filters always take priority over inclusion filters.
Exclude Empty Folders (unchecked by default)
If enabled, folders that are empty or contain only empty folders are excluded.
A folder is considered empty if it contains no files or if it contains only files that were excluded by filters.
Exclude Hidden Files and Folders (enabled by default)
Excludes files and folders that have the Hidden attribute.
Exclude System Files and Folders (enabled by default)
Excludes files and folders that have the System attribute.
For details about filter syntax and creating specific filters, see:
https://help.goodsync.com/hc/en-us/articles/115003939392-Job-Options#filters
Auto
Scheduling, conflict resolution, and sync triggers can be configured under the Auto tab.
Do Not Sync if Changed Files Exceed (50% by default)
In two-way sync mode, automated sync will not run if more than the specified percentage of files have changed.
A large number of changes may indicate an abnormal event that requires user attention, such as ransomware activity.
Wait for Locks to Clear (enabled by default)
If enabled, automated jobs wait for lock files to clear before proceeding instead of producing an error.
Timetable (formerly Job Automation - AUTO): Visit more about the Timetable tab here
Analyze
Symbolic Links and Junctions:
Ignore
Symbolic links are ignored and not copied.
Copy As Is (Default)
The symbolic link itself is copied to the destination, preserving the link exactly as it exists on the source.
Drill Down
The target file or folder referenced by the symbolic link is copied to the destination instead of the link itself.
Platform Notes:
Windows
A symbolic link identifies whether it points to a file or a folder.
Linux / Unix
A symbolic link does not identify whether it points to a file or folder, so GoodSync must follow the link to determine the target
Analyze:
Detect File and Folder Moves and Renames (enabled by default)
If enabled, GoodSync detects when files or folders are moved or renamed and performs the operation accordingly, instead of treating it as a deletion followed by a new copy.
Folder moves are detected when all files within a folder are moved to the same destination folder.
Note:
If a folder contains two or more files that have identical file size and modification time, GoodSync may not be able to detect renames or moves for those files or their parent folders.
Estimate Disk Space Required for Sync (enabled by default)
If enabled, GoodSync calculates how much free disk space is required to complete the Sync operation.
Compare Checksums of All Files (slow) (unchecked by default)
If enabled, GoodSync compares the MD5 checksum of all files on both the Left and Right sides. If the MD5 checksum differs while the file size and modification time are the same, GoodSync reports a conflict. After Sync, GoodSync also verifies that the checksum of the copied file matches on both sides.
If disabled, GoodSync determines file changes based only on differences in file size or modification time.
Copy File Creation Time (unchecked by default)
If enabled, GoodSync copies the Creation Time of the file or folder in addition to the Modification Time.
If disabled, only the Modification Time is copied.
Copy Attributes (on Mac: Copy Permissions)
If enabled, GoodSync copies file and folder attributes such as ReadOnly, Hidden, and System during transfer.
If disabled, copied files are assigned the Normal attribute.
Copy Owner (unchecked by default)
If enabled, GoodSync copies the file or folder owner during transfer.
If disabled, the current owner of the destination system is assigned.
Copy ACL (unchecked by default)
If enabled, GoodSync copies the Access Control List (ACL) for the file or folder.
If disabled, copied files receive an empty ACL.
Note:
GoodSync can copy from locked files, but cannot copy to locked files.
Locked files must be on a local disk; network-mounted locked files are not supported.
Do not Sync files that changed between Analyze and Sync (unchecked by default)
If enabled, GoodSync retries syncing the file immediately if it changes after Analyze or during Sync.
If disabled, such files will be synced, reflecting their changed state on both the source and destination
Uber-Unlocked Mode (unchecked by default)
If enabled, source files may be moved or deleted during upload because GoodSync does not lock them during transfer.
If disabled, the operating system upload mode is used, which prevents files from being moved or deleted during transfer.
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Recycled/History
Save deleted/replaced files, last version only (enabled by default)
If enabled, GoodSync saves the previous version of any modified file in the _gsdata_\_saved_ folder on the side of the job where the replacement occurs. Deleted files are also stored in this folder for recovery.
If disabled, replaced, or deleted files are permanently removed.
Only the most recent previous version of the file (the version immediately before the current one) is retained.
Note: The _gsdata_ folder is hidden. To view it in Windows Explorer, enable the Show Hidden Files option.
Cleanup _saved_ folder after this many days (enabled by default, 30 days)
If enabled, files stored in the _gsdata_\_saved_ folder are automatically removed after the specified number of days.
If disabled, files in the _gsdata_\_saved_ folder are kept indefinitely.
Save deleted/replaced files, multiple versions (disabled by default)
If enabled, GoodSync saves a version of the file every time it is modified. These versions are stored in the _gsdata_\_history_ folder on the side of the job where the replacement occurs.
A timestamp is added to the file name before the extension so multiple versions can be preserved. The original folder structure is also maintained.
Deleted files are also stored in this folder for recovery.
Note: This option cannot be used together with the "Save deleted/replaced files, last version only" option.
Cleanup _history_ folder after this many days (disabled by default, 30 days)
If enabled, files stored in the _gsdata_\_history_ folder are automatically removed after the specified number of days.
If disabled, files in the _gsdata_\_history_ folder are kept indefinitely.
Speed/Limits
Run Parallel Threads in Sync (Default 3)
If enabled, Sync runs using multiple parallel threads. This can improve transfer speed when working with remote servers that have high latency.
If disabled, or set to 0 or 1, Sync runs in a single sequential thread.
When this option typically does not help:
Uploading a small number of large files to servers such as GSTP, S3, or FTP, where bandwidth is already fully utilized.
Total Seconds for Reconnect Attempts (Default 120 seconds)
Specifies the total number of seconds allowed for reconnection attempts when the file system disconnects or returns connection errors.
If file operations continue to fail after this retry period, the file system is considered disconnected, and the job fails.
File Copy Speed Limit in KBytes/sec (0 by default)
If set to a value greater than 0, GoodSync limits the file copy speed to the specified number of KBytes per second.
When the average copy speed exceeds the defined limit, GoodSync pauses the job for one second until the average speed falls below the configured threshold.
Max Time To Run, Min (Default 0)
If checked and not zero, the limit duration of this job will run to the specified number of minutes.
Errors/Conflicts
Automatically Resolve Conflicts
If a file is changed on both sides before a scheduled two-way sync, a conflict occurs.
Conflicts can be resolved automatically using the following options:
Do Not Copy (default)
Leaves the conflict unresolved.
Left to Right
Propagates the change from the left side to the right.
Right to Left
Propagates the change from the right side to the left.
Newer File Wins
Keeps the file with the most recent modification time.
Stop Sync
Stops the sync when a conflict is detected.
Conflict Resolution: Rename Losing File, Not Delete
If enabled, the file that loses the conflict is not deleted. Instead, it is renamed using the following format: FileName (Conflicted Copy from COMPUTER on DATE).ext
Scripts
The Scripts tab may be used to call a program, script, or email alert during a certain phase of a job run.
Pre-Analyze:
If this option is not empty, the specified action is performed just before Analyze begins.
If the program returns a non-zero return code or fails, Analyze will not start.
If the program returns a zero return code, Analyze will proceed.
Analyze no Sync:
If this option is not empty, the specified action is performed after Analyze finishes.
The action is triggered only if Analyze completes with No Changes.
Post Sync:
If this option is not empty, the specified action is performed after Sync completes.
Note: More on Scripts/Emails click here
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