NOTE: I have written about this topic before. However, this time I will describe the process from the viewpoint of a genealogist who wants to use two computers – perhaps a desktop and a laptop – and wants to have his or her latest genealogy databases stored on each with each being updated automatically whenever either one is changed. While I will describe the process using The Master Genealogist, the same methodology should work with any Windows genealogy program (Legacy Family Tree, RootsMagic, AncestralQuest, Family Tree Maker, Family Historian, etc.) or any Macintosh genealogy program (Reunion, Heredis, iFamily for Tiger, MacFamily Tree, Personal Ancestry Writer, etc.).
I have used at least two computers for years. At any given time, I always have a desktop computer and a laptop system. The manufacturers, model numbers, and operating systems have changed over the years, but I like the convenience of having both a large-screen desktop system on my desk with a nice, comfortable easy chair and also a laptop that I can throw into a briefcase and take with me anywhere.
For years, I used a Rube Goldberg approach to copying files from the laptop to the desktop and vice-versa. In the good old days, I used floppy disks, which were later replaced with CD-ROM disks. Then I moved to jump drives as I found them to be far more convenient. Later still, I switched to copying files across my in-home network. All these methods worked well, but I did have to remember to make the copies. I also had to remember which files to copy. I eventually wrote script files to automate the process.
When returning home late at night after a cross-country trip, the last thing I wanted to think about was copying files. I usually preferred to go to bed and get some sleep. I always thought that I would copy the files "later." A few days would go by, and then I would want to use my database, either on the laptop or the desktop system. I'd find myself asking, "When was the last time I copied the data? Where is my latest database?"
Of course, I could always boot up both systems and then look at the date/times shown on both databases. In fact, I have done that many times. This works well but certainly is not convenient. It also doesn't work very well when I am off traveling on the NEXT trip, far from my desktop system. I might wonder, "Did I copy the latest updates I made last week BACK to the laptop?"
More than once I found myself updating the older database! That results in a problem when merging the data together later. Then things became much more complicated when I added a third computer (on my desk at the office) and a fourth (the new desktop system).
In fact, I need a system that AUTOMATICALLY updates all my databases as soon as any one computer receives new information. I want a process that automatically copies the entire database to the other computer(s) within seconds. If one or more of the other computers happen to be powered off, such as when sitting in my laptop carrying bag, that computer should be updated without human intervention immediately the next time it is powered on and connected to the Internet.
Of course, I want this for other purposes as well as my genealogy database. In my case, I also want to synchronize word processing documents, my address book, expense spreadsheets, all my past newsletters, my MP3 music files, and more.
One advantage of all this is that I have the database and other files available whenever and wherever I want them. Another advantage is that I always have fresh backups: if my desktop system crashes, I can recover my data from the laptop and vice-versa. Having backups is a good thing. Having a process that makes backups automatically is even better.
If you search the Internet, you can find probably a dozen such programs that are designed to synchronize files between computers. Over the years, I have experimented with MS-DOS XCOPY, Windows XP and Vista Briefcase, Yahoo Briefcase (no longer available), Briefcase Plus for Windows, AJC Directory Synchronizer, SyncBackSE, Google Sync (which never worked with genealogy databases), Allway Sync, Karen's Replicator, and a number of other products. Most of them worked, but almost all of them required some manual intervention. In short, I had to remember to synchronize things. Even those that claimed to work automatically usually did so only with certain operating systems or in limited situations.
For instance, one of the automated backup programs that I tried will automatically make backups at a certain time of the day. If one of the computers, such as the laptop, happens to be powered off at that time, the program aborts with errors and then refuses to run again until I "fix" the problem. Some of the other programs will synchronize two computers but cannot handle more than two. Almost none of them handle multiple operating systems; most are Windows only or Macintosh only.
As I later moved into a multi-operating system, multi-computer environment, I needed something that was a "no brainer" and worked equally well on Windows, Macintosh, and iPhone. Some other operating systems would be nice to have also, although not critical. In short, it needs to be reliable and needs to work whether I remember it or not. If one computer is offline, the file copy needs to "queue up" and wait until the computer comes online again.
I have now settled on Dropbox. It works on Windows, Macintosh, Linux, and iPhone. Not only does Dropbox copy files to each computer, but it also creates still one more copy of every file I specify. The final copy is encrypted and stored off-site on Dropbox's servers. Should I ever have a disaster in my home (fire, flood, tornado, hurricane) that destroys all my computers, or if I am visiting a cousin and want to retrieve my data onto his or her computer, I can easily do so by logging onto www.Dropbox.com and retrieving whatever I want. I like the assurance of having an off-site backup copy in addition to my local copies.
I will describe how I use Dropbox. Your requirements may be slightly different.
In my case, I have multiple installations of The Master Genealogist (commonly called "TMG") genealogy program installed on multiple computers. Yes, the licensing for TMG allows this, provided that no two of those computers shall ever operate the software at the same time. Since I am the only user of this licensed copy of TMG, there isn't much chance of my using two or more copies simultaneously. I use TMG on a desktop PC running Windows 7, a laptop Mac running OS X.6 (Snow Leopard), and a desktop iMac that also is running OS X.6 (Snow Leopard).
NOTE: Yes, I really do run TMG, a Windows program, on two Macintosh systems. The process is rather simple and works well. I'll write about that in a future article.
I’ll also point out that all my computers are most always connected to the Internet. In order for Dropbox to work, each device you want to synchronize needs Internet access before Dropbox can move files onto its hard drive.
What I am about to describe is a one-time setup. Starting with The Master Genealogist installed on all three computers, I installed Dropbox on all three. Each Dropbox installation created a folder named “Dropbox” inside the “My Documents” of the installed computer. Next, I used one of my computers to run The Master Genealogist and opened the latest version of my database. Everything looked normal. I then clicked on FILE and then on COPY PROJECT. (In some other genealogy programs, the command will be SAVE AS... .) For the new file location, I specified the new Dropbox folder as follows:
\My Documents\Dropbox\The Master Genealogist v7\Eastman\
NOTE: The best location on your PC might be slightly different.
That completes my setup routine. Since I had specified to store the new database under \My Documents\Dropbox\, all files I placed there were automatically copied to the Dropbox folders on the other computers. Dropbox mirrors, or "replicates," all files you place in the Dropbox folder. All the files and folders under \Dropbox on all of your computers will be mirror images of each other.
I then went to another computer, opened The Master Genealogist, clicked on FILE and then on OPEN PROJECT. I then specified the software to open the following on the second computer:
\My Documents\Dropbox\The Master Genealogist v7\Eastman\
The latest version of my genealogy database immediately appeared on the second computer. I made a few updates, then saved the data as normal (back to the same location: \My Documents\Dropbox\The Master Genealogist v7\Eastman\ ). All the data was quickly copied to the first and third computers.
I later went to the third computer and repeated the action. Still later, I went back to the first computer and fired up the TMG software. It immediately opened the latest version of my database, as stored in \My Documents\Dropbox\The Master Genealogist v7\Eastman\.
From now on, all three computers will default to \My Documents\Dropbox\The Master Genealogist v7\Eastman\ until I change that location, which I don't expect to change.
To be sure, the copying of files happens immediately only if the other computers are operating and are connected to the Internet. If one of my computers is powered off, such as the laptop which often sits in the closet in its carrying bag for days at a time, it will be updated the next time the system is booted up and an Internet connection is made. The process is automatic and usually completes before the system finishes booting up. In this situation, it is impossible for me to be using an old database.
There are two scenarios, however, that could cause problems.
First, when traveling, I do not always have an Internet connection available. It is possible to boot the laptop and become operational without receiving the latest version of the database. In such a case, I could be updating an older database. When I do later make a connection, the two versions would both show as "new" versions, and the Dropbox software would not know how to handle that. A pop-up window would appear with an error message and then would ask what to do: overwrite the local database with the remote, overwrite the remote database with the local, or do nothing. In any case, some manual "catch up" work would be required.
I almost always have an Internet connection available, either by wi-fi or with a 3G cellular data wireless connection, so the problem has never happened to me. However, it is a potential problem that can be handled easily if you stop to think about it each time you load your genealogy program.
The second risky scenario is if two people are working on the same data at the same time, using two different computers. For instance, if I am updating my genealogy database at the county courthouse with my laptop computer at the same time that someone else is using my desktop computer at home to update the database, things could become badly scrambled. Most genealogy programs are not designed for multiple simultaneous users. In my case, nobody else ever uses any of my computers, so there is no risk. However, if you share any of your computers with anyone else, you need to make sure the two of you are not updating the same file at the same time. You can both READ files simultaneously, but don't try to make simultaneous UPDATES.
In short, Dropbox works well to keep multiple computers in sync. (The maximum number is not specified, but I suspect it will handle more than what any private user will ever want to use.) It works equally well on Windows, Macintosh, Linux, and iPhone. Admittedly, I have not yet been able to install The Master Genealogist on the iPhone. However, I have used Dropbox to synchronize GEDCOM files as well as word processing documents, spreadsheets, text files, and PDF files, all of which are useable on the iPhone.
NOTE: when installed on Windows, Macintosh, or Linux, Dropbox copies ALL the designated files to the local computer's hard drive. It works differently on the iPhone, however. The iPhone has limited storage space, but it also has an “always on” wireless data connection. The iPhone version will download files as you, the user, ask for them. All of your files are available, but you will have to request them one at a time. Files are never copied to the iPhone until the user requests each file.
The cost for all of this? Zero for the software and zero for up to two gigabytes of storage space on the Dropbox servers. That should be sufficient for genealogy databases of tens of thousands of people, unless you have a lot of photos or multimedia files in your scrapbook (assuming the scrapbook files are also being saved to the Dropbox folder). More storage space is available for a modest fee.
Dropbox for Windows, Macintosh, Linux, and iPhone is available at http://www.Dropbox.com.
