IFTTT

[Fred Claus]

Does anyone here use IFTTT? I had a thought and I wanted to see if it would work with IFTTT.

For fathers day my daughter gave me a lifetime 2TB of storage on a fairly new service called IceDrive. Turns out her friend from college knows the founder of the company (Tom I think his name is. They are from Cardiff) so she was able to get me an account so I figured "Heck, for free let's check it out." I've been looking at these options for the past month now, so heck what great timing.

The way IceDrive works is you can upload files to the web like you can with services like Dropbox or Onedrive. Desktop however, Icedrive acts as a network drive on your computer. Storing the files in the cloud and not actually on your PC and showing them as another drive in Explorer.

I never like to trust any one cloud storage company with the only copy of my file. I love to have either an external or internal hard drive copy. You never know what could happen to the cloud storage. With this company being fairly new, and my testing the service out I want to be even extra careful.

So what I want to do is say if I save a document in a particular spot in my "Documents" folder, also share a copy with the documents folder I created on icedrive. In turn, if I edit the icedrive copy (say from another computer), save that edited copy to the particular folder in Documents on my computer's hard drive.

Is that something that can be done with either IFTTT or another program or simple code anyone knows about?

 

[Mick]

You could probably manage this with Free File Sync. I haven't tried it in this particular scenario but from what I know, I think it might handle this.

 

[Moltuae]

You can also do this with Robocopy. I use it on numerous systems to synchronise backup sets across multiple locations. Just create a batch file to run in the background on a schedule at whatever interval you require. Something like ...

SET SourcePath=B:\Backups
SET DestPath=X:\Backups
SET TimeStamp=%date:~0,2%-%date:~3,2%-%date:~6,4%_%time:~0,2%-%time:~3,2%-%time:~6,2%
SET TimeStamp=%TimeStamp: =%
SET LogFile=C:\BackupLogs\Backup-%TimeStamp%.log

robocopy %SourcePath% %DestPath% /MIR /FFT /Z /W:5 /tee /J /MT:64 /np /log+:%LogFile%

 

[Fred Claus]

Robocopy sounds great. The first time the file will be written. The second time though. Will a second copy of the file be written or will it overwrite the first copy?

 

[Moltuae]

Robocopy sounds great. The first time the file will be written. The second time though. Will a second copy of the file be written or will it overwrite the first copy?

Depending on the options you use, Robocopy will compare the source and destination, copying only new files (if that's what you require). It can even continue copying where it left off with partially copied files (if 'restartable mode' is specified), which is useful for copying large files.

Robocopy /? will give you all the available options:

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   ROBOCOPY     ::     Robust File Copy for Windows                           
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

              Usage :: ROBOCOPY source destination [file [file]...] [options]

             source :: Source Directory (drive:\path or \\server\share\path).
        destination :: Destination Dir  (drive:\path or \\server\share\path).
               file :: File(s) to copy  (names/wildcards: default is "*.*").

::
:: Copy options :
::
                 /S :: copy Subdirectories, but not empty ones.
                 /E :: copy subdirectories, including Empty ones.
             /LEV:n :: only copy the top n LEVels of the source directory tree.

                 /Z :: copy files in restartable mode.
                 /B :: copy files in Backup mode.
                /ZB :: use restartable mode; if access denied use Backup mode.
                 /J :: copy using unbuffered I/O (recommended for large files).
            /EFSRAW :: copy all encrypted files in EFS RAW mode.

  /COPY:copyflag[s] :: what to COPY for files (default is /COPY:DAT).
                       (copyflags : D=Data, A=Attributes, T=Timestamps).
                       (S=Security=NTFS ACLs, O=Owner info, U=aUditing info).

 
               /SEC :: copy files with SECurity (equivalent to /COPY:DATS).
           /COPYALL :: COPY ALL file info (equivalent to /COPY:DATSOU).
            /NOCOPY :: COPY NO file info (useful with /PURGE).
            /SECFIX :: FIX file SECurity on all files, even skipped files.
            /TIMFIX :: FIX file TIMes on all files, even skipped files.

             /PURGE :: delete dest files/dirs that no longer exist in source.
               /MIR :: MIRror a directory tree (equivalent to /E plus /PURGE).

               /MOV :: MOVe files (delete from source after copying).
              /MOVE :: MOVE files AND dirs (delete from source after copying).

     /A+:[RASHCNET] :: add the given Attributes to copied files.
     /A-:[RASHCNET] :: remove the given Attributes from copied files.

            /CREATE :: CREATE directory tree and zero-length files only.
               /FAT :: create destination files using 8.3 FAT file names only.
               /256 :: turn off very long path (> 256 characters) support.

             /MON:n :: MONitor source; run again when more than n changes seen.
             /MOT:m :: MOnitor source; run again in m minutes Time, if changed.

      /RH:hhmm-hhmm :: Run Hours - times when new copies may be started.
                /PF :: check run hours on a Per File (not per pass) basis.

             /IPG:n :: Inter-Packet Gap (ms), to free bandwidth on slow lines.

                /SL :: copy symbolic links versus the target.

            /MT[:n] :: Do multi-threaded copies with n threads (default 8).
                       n must be at least 1 and not greater than 128.
                       This option is incompatible with the /IPG and /EFSRAW options.
                       Redirect output using /LOG option for better performance.

 /DCOPY:copyflag[s] :: what to COPY for directories (default is /DCOPY:DA).
                       (copyflags : D=Data, A=Attributes, T=Timestamps).

           /NODCOPY :: COPY NO directory info (by default /DCOPY:DA is done).

         /NOOFFLOAD :: copy files without using the Windows Copy Offload mechanism.

::
:: File Selection Options :
::
                 /A :: copy only files with the Archive attribute set.
                 /M :: copy only files with the Archive attribute and reset it.
    /IA:[RASHCNETO] :: Include only files with any of the given Attributes set.
    /XA:[RASHCNETO] :: eXclude files with any of the given Attributes set.

 /XF file [file]... :: eXclude Files matching given names/paths/wildcards.
 /XD dirs [dirs]... :: eXclude Directories matching given names/paths.

                /XC :: eXclude Changed files.
                /XN :: eXclude Newer files.
                /XO :: eXclude Older files.
                /XX :: eXclude eXtra files and directories.
                /XL :: eXclude Lonely files and directories.
                /IS :: Include Same files.
                /IT :: Include Tweaked files.

             /MAX:n :: MAXimum file size - exclude files bigger than n bytes.
             /MIN:n :: MINimum file size - exclude files smaller than n bytes.

          /MAXAGE:n :: MAXimum file AGE - exclude files older than n days/date.
          /MINAGE:n :: MINimum file AGE - exclude files newer than n days/date.
          /MAXLAD:n :: MAXimum Last Access Date - exclude files unused since n.
          /MINLAD:n :: MINimum Last Access Date - exclude files used since n.
                       (If n < 1900 then n = n days, else n = YYYYMMDD date).

                /XJ :: eXclude Junction points and symbolic links. (normally included by default).

               /FFT :: assume FAT File Times (2-second granularity).
               /DST :: compensate for one-hour DST time differences.

               /XJD :: eXclude Junction points and symbolic links for Directories.
               /XJF :: eXclude symbolic links for Files.

                /IM :: Include Modified files (differing change times).
::
:: Retry Options :
::
               /R:n :: number of Retries on failed copies: default 1 million.
               /W:n :: Wait time between retries: default is 30 seconds.

               /REG :: Save /R:n and /W:n in the Registry as default settings.

               /TBD :: wait for sharenames To Be Defined (retry error 67).

::
:: Logging Options :
::
                 /L :: List only - don't copy, timestamp or delete any files.
                 /X :: report all eXtra files, not just those selected.
                 /V :: produce Verbose output, showing skipped files.
                /TS :: include source file Time Stamps in the output.
                /FP :: include Full Pathname of files in the output.
             /BYTES :: Print sizes as bytes.

                /NS :: No Size - don't log file sizes.
                /NC :: No Class - don't log file classes.
               /NFL :: No File List - don't log file names.
               /NDL :: No Directory List - don't log directory names.

                /NP :: No Progress - don't display percentage copied.
               /ETA :: show Estimated Time of Arrival of copied files.

          /LOG:file :: output status to LOG file (overwrite existing log).
         /LOG+:file :: output status to LOG file (append to existing log).

       /UNILOG:file :: output status to LOG file as UNICODE (overwrite existing log).
      /UNILOG+:file :: output status to LOG file as UNICODE (append to existing log).

               /TEE :: output to console window, as well as the log file.

               /NJH :: No Job Header.
               /NJS :: No Job Summary.

           /UNICODE :: output status as UNICODE.

::
:: Job Options :
::
       /JOB:jobname :: take parameters from the named JOB file.
      /SAVE:jobname :: SAVE parameters to the named job file
              /QUIT :: QUIT after processing command line (to view parameters).
              /NOSD :: NO Source Directory is specified.
              /NODD :: NO Destination Directory is specified.
                /IF :: Include the following Files.

::
:: Remarks :
::
       Using /PURGE or /MIR on the root directory of the volume formerly caused
       robocopy to apply the requested operation on files inside the System
       Volume Information directory as well. This is no longer the case; if
       either is specified, robocopy will skip any files or directories with that
       name in the top-level source and destination directories of the copy session.

       The modified files classification applies only when both source
       and destination filesystems support change timestamps (e.g., NTFS)
       and the source and destination files have different change times but are
       otherwise the same. These files are not copied by default; specify /IM
       to include them.

 

[britechguy]

ROBOCOPY is an absolutely amazing tool, and you can't really call it a "little tool" given how much it can do and all its options. I haven't used it in ages now, but when it was something I needed there was really nothing else like it.

 

[Fred Claus]

ROBOCOPY is an absolutely amazing tool, and you can't really call it a "little tool" given how much it can do and all its options. I haven't used it in ages now, but when it was something I needed there was really nothing else like it.

Thanks Britech and others. I will have to look into Robocopy. Never heard of it before (Then again, I don't do any sort of programming myself). I will have to look it up.

 

[Porthos]

Just a thought or at least a reminder. If the cloud server/drive does not have a versioning feature it will not protect from ransomware encryption.

 

[Fred Claus]

Just a thought or at least a reminder. If the cloud server/drive does not have a versioning feature it will not protect from ransomware encryption.

Good Point, thanks.

One question though. Lets say I want to do this for my Documents, and Pictures folders. Can I write one script to do both folders or do I have to have each folder in a different script?

 

[Moltuae]

One question though. Lets say I want to do this for my Documents, and Pictures folders. Can I write one script to do both folders or do I have to have each folder in a different script?

It can be one script if you prefer, just add a Robocopy command for each source/destination pair. If you haven't used Robocopy before, I'd recommend opening up a command window and experimenting with the options (using test folders of course). There's nothing to install or set up; it's already part of Windows.

 

[britechguy]

Just a thought or at least a reminder. If the cloud server/drive does not have a versioning feature it will not protect from ransomware encryption.

True, if you remain constantly connected to it. But I doubt most would except just before taking a backup or snagging files with ROBOCOPY, and promptly disconnecting afterward.

These days, in the age of ransomware, it's best practice to treat any backup media, physical or cloud, as something one should not have an active connection to unless one is in the process of doing a backup or recovery.

 

[Porthos]

True, if you remain constantly connected to it. But I doubt most would except just before taking a backup or snagging files with ROBOCOPY, and promptly disconnecting afterward.

Great if you are not running it on a schedule to be automated.

In this instance, this backup service stays connected as a system drive in Windows Explorer.

Icedrive acts as a network drive on your computer. Storing the files in the cloud and not actually on your PC and showing them as another drive in Explorer.

 

[britechguy]

Great if you are not running it on a schedule to be automated.

I'd be putting in the "login" as the first portion of the script using ROBOCOPY later on, and the "logout" as the last.

I'd have to imagine there exist command line options to connect/disconnect from that cloud storage, which is precisely what I'd do, on demand.