Synchronize folders
Make two folders match: mirror one onto the other, or copy new files in both directions. DeltaView shows every step it will take before it changes anything.
DANGER
Synchronizing overwrites and deletes files on disk. It cannot be undone: deleted files do not go to a wastebasket. Read the preview, and keep a backup of anything you cannot recreate.
The three modes
| Mode | What it does | Deletes? |
|---|---|---|
| Mirror left → right | Makes the right folder match the left: copies new and changed files, deletes what exists only on the right. | Yes, on the right |
| Mirror right → left | Makes the left folder match the right: copies new and changed files, deletes what exists only on the left. | Yes, on the left |
| Two-way | Copies new files both ways. Where a file differs, the newer one wins. | No |
In Two-way mode, a file whose two versions have the same modification time, or an unknown one, is skipped and listed as skipped.
Synchronize
Select Synchronize… in the toolbar, or press Ctrl + Shift + Y.
The Synchronize folders dialog opens.
Choose a mode.
Under Apply to, choose Everything, or Selected to limit the run to the rows you selected in the tree.
Read the preview. It totals what will be copied, overwritten and deleted, with sizes, and lists each step: Copy to, Create on, Overwrite or Delete on, with the side.
If the plan overwrites or deletes files, tick the box that begins "I understand that …".
The box states how many files will be overwritten and deleted.
Select Synchronize.
A progress dialog counts the steps. Stop ends the run. Steps already done stay done.
When the run ends, DeltaView reports how many entries were copied, overwritten and deleted. If any step failed, a dialog lists each failure with its reason.
Things to know
- Ignored entries are left alone on both sides. Check the ignore rules before a mirror if you expect ignored files to be copied.
- A side that is read-only cannot be changed. Archives are always read-only, so you can mirror from an archive but not to one. If both sides are read-only, Synchronize… is unavailable.
- If the folders already match in the chosen direction, the dialog says "Nothing to do".
- Where one side has a file and the other has a folder with the same name, that entry is skipped.