Windows 7 : Working with Network Files Offline (part 5) - Synchronizing Your Offline Files

Synchronizing Your Offline Files

When you reconnect to the network, Windows 7 automatically synchronizes the files. This means that Windows 7 does two things: First, it updates your local copy of an offline folder by creating copies of any new or changed files in the shared network folder. Second, it updates the shared network folder with the files you changed while you were offline. This synchronization occurs automatically when you log on to the network and when you log off the network. You can also synchronize the offline files yourself. You have four choices:

• Open the shared network folder and select Sync, Sync Offline Files in This Folder in the Task pane.

• Open the Sync Center, click View Sync Partnerships, double-click Offline Files, select the offline folder, and click Sync.

• Open the Sync Center, click View Sync Partnerships, double-click Offline Files, and click Sync All.

• Right-click the Sync Center icon in the notification area, and click Sync All.

You can also set up a synchronization schedule, either based on a time or on one or more events, as described in the next two sections.

Scheduling a Synchronization by Time

If you want synchronization to occur automatically, and you know when you want it to occur, follow these steps to set up a time-based sync schedule:

1.	In the Sync Center, click View Sync Partnerships.
2.	Select Offline Files.
3.	Click Schedule. The Offline Files Sync Schedule dialog box appears.
4.	If you haven’t already created a sync schedule, click Create a New Sync Schedule; otherwise, skip to step 5.
5.	Leave the check box activated beside each folder you want to include in the synchronization, and click Next.
6.	Click At a Scheduled Time to display the dialog box shown in Figure 8. Figure 8. Use this dialog box to set up a basic sync schedule.
7.	Use the Start On controls to specify the date and time when you want synchronization to begin.
8.	Use the Repeat Every controls to specify the numbers of minutes, hours, days, weeks, or months you want to occur between synchronizations.
9.	Click More Options to see the More Scheduling Options dialog box with the following options): Start Sync Only If: The Computer Is Awake— Leave this check box activated to ensure that the synchronization occurs only if the computer isn’t in Standby or Hibernate mode. Start Sync Only If: The Computer Has Been Idle for at Least X Minutes/Hours— Activate this check box to tell Windows 7 to synchronize only when you’re not using your computer. Use the spin box to set the amount of idle time that must occur before the sync begins. Start Sync Only If: The Computer Is Running on External Power— Activate this check box to avoid running the synchronization when your portable computer is running on batteries. Stop Sync If: The Computer Wakes Up from Being Idle— Activate this check box to have Windows 7 abandon the sync if you start using your computer. Stop Sync If: The Computer Is No Longer Running on External Power— Activate this check box to have Windows 7 stop the sync if you switch your portable computer to battery power.
10.	Click OK.
11.	Click Next.
12.	Type a name for the schedule.
13.	Click Save Schedule.

Scheduling a Synchronization by Event

If you want the synchronization to occur automatically, and you know when you want the synchronization to occur, follow these steps to set up a time-based sync schedule:

1.	In the Sync Center, click View Sync Partnerships.
2.	Select Offline Files.
3.	Click Schedule. The Offline Files Sync Schedule dialog box appears.
4.	If you haven’t already created a sync schedule, click Create a New Sync Schedule; otherwise, skip to step 5.
5.	Leave the check box activated beside each folder you want to include in the synchronization, and click Next.
6.	Click When an Event Occurs to display the dialog box shown in Figure 9. Figure 9. Use this dialog box to synchronize offline files based on one or more events.
7.	Specify the events or actions that trigger the sync by activating one or more of the following check boxes: I Log On to My Computer— Activate this check box to start the sync when you log on. My Computer Is Idle for X Minutes/Hours— Activate this check box to start the sync when your computer has been idle for the number of minutes or hours that you specify. I Lock Windows— Activate this check box to start the sync when you lock your computer. I Unlock Windows— Activate this check box to start the sync when you unlock your computer.
8.	Click More Options to see the More Scheduling Options dialog box (described in the previous section), select your options, and then click OK.
9.	Click Next.
10.	Type a name for the schedule.
11.	Click Save Schedule.