Syncing between Mac and MacBook

[lucasalvi]

Hi, how can I do to sync all my books on Mac (bookpedia 5.4.2) with the new downloaded (5.4.2) om my old MacBook?

[Conor]

Hi,

See your email for a detailed solution.

Conor

[Lost Highway]

Hi Conor,

I would be interested in a solution for the same problem too.

Cu Highway

[Conor]

Should have posted the info from the email here for other users. It basically comes down to keeping the data in a automatically synchronized folder, like iCloud or Dropbox. Here is the original email to Luca with the info, replace any "Book" with any other Pedia name if using the others Pedias.

If you need to keep in sync all the time and not just every once in a while, then use a shared cloud drive. If you don't already have Dropbox, it's a free cloud service up to 2 gigabytes, more than enough for Bookpedia (If you are not already a user, do sign up via this link as I wee a 500 megabyte bonus on my own personal account: https://db.tt/URfYFkw.)

The way it works is once Dropbox is installed and without Bookpedia running you move the data folder from ~/Library/Applications Support/Bookpedia to the new Dropbox folder (hold down the option key and click on the Finder "Go" menu and select "Library" to show the library folder). Once the folder has been moved you double click on the "Database.bookpd" file in that folder to tell launch Bookpedia and read the data from this new location. Bookpedia will remember the preference and you can launch it as normal from then on.

Dropbox will then sync information from one computer to the other automatically. On the second computer also double click the same "Database.bookpd" in Dropbox to load that shared data folder, once it's been completely synced.

Since you are never at both computers simultaneously you should have no merge conflicts. Although if using Dropbox tries to resolve conflicts and keeps version of the file automatically. Do quit Bookpedia after using it, as it does a lot of caching for speed and it might not reflect the latest changes if left open. By quitting Bookpedia you make sure that it is not catching any information the next time you come back to the computer.

The above setup will keep both your Mac's in sync without having to use Pocketpedia as a go between. Since both your Mac's will be up to date due to Dropbox, you can sync Pocketpedia with either Mac and has the added advantage you only need to sync Pocketpedia once, to have all three devices with the latest information.

[Lost Highway]

Hi Conor,

at first I would like to thank you for your quick answer and your explanation. At the end it seems like a lot of work for me. So I made a .cdpedia backup on a stick and put the datas on my laptop. It works well, BUT all datas from the counter are lost (how often I played a cd) and I have to change all rows again manually (1st row: interpret; 2nd row title and so on). It's ok if you do it ones a year but if you want to work with the datas every week its a lot of work. Do you have any solution for this problem? TX 4 your help.

CU Highway

[Conor]

Thanks for the info. I will look at the date issue with the .cdpedia.

But even better do the same but with the data folder ~/Library/Application Support/CDpedia. Copy that to a stick and then move it into the same folder "Application Support" on the other computer. Copy while CDpedia is not running.

To open your home Library folder, hold down the option key on your Mac and use the Finder "Go" menu and select the "Library" command.

What you are then doing is then moving the data as is, and there needs to be no import.

[Lost Highway]

Hi Connor,

thanks for the info. I have to check how I can handle all the infos.
I'm not a computer specialist and I would prefer an easier way to put the data from one mac to another.

There is another fault I've found: When I do it in the way I did - I'm loosing all the informations I wrote in a "private" field
like "steht unter" - the place where I stored the record. The row is available but empty.

Do you think that there will be a better solution (more simple) in the future.
As far as I remember you where thinking about a "simple" cloud solution (one year ago).
That would be great and really helpful.

By the way: Here's an idea for the next CDpedia version. Have you thought about the possibility to
use the average sales prizes from discogs? Than you always would know what the value of your collection is.
Only an idea.

Best regards
Highway

[Conor]

You can even copy the folder to the USB stick and double click the "Database.cdpd" file to launch from the stick. It would mean you always need to plug in the stick, but might be more convenient in your use case.

I do recommend the Dropbox sign up and installation. It's a few steps, but then it's all automatic and like magic. Plus very useful folder for other documents apart from your Pedia information.

We do have plans for iCloud, but the bugs (although few and rare) are the kind that lead to full data loss. Hence been holding back.

Actually speaking of iCloud, if you are running the latest macOS 10.11, you can use the iCloud folder to put your data and sync to both computer automatically.

[Lost Highway]

Please don't laugh. But I'm really not a specialist for things like that.

Normally I have a button like "save" or "save under" in a program like words or excel (or call it pages or numbers).
But I don't have something like that in CDpedia. The only thing I can do
is to export my datas. That's all. But what is the file I have to copy and send to the iCloud folder?
The **.cdpedia file or the safety copy (the second button)? I'm really confused.

But the idea with the iCloud folder sounds really good to me.

Best regards
Highway

[Conor]

I understand it's daunting, as it's outside the program and not a simple menu command.

Do you use the iCloud folder own your Mac? If that is on let me know and I can give you a step by step to setting that up, that might get you ready to go.

[Lost Highway]

Do you use the iCloud folder own your Mac?

What does that mean?
I don't understand the question.

But I'm really thankful for your help.

[Lost Highway]

Oh! Do you ask if I use the icloud folder on my Mac?
The answer is no, but I think I know where I could find it.
(I handle everything with "icloud" directly).
So when I change something in my notice app or in my calendar for example -
everything is changing on my Macbook too.

Was that the question?

[FineWine]

Do you use the iCloud folder own your Mac?

What does that mean?
I don't understand the question.

But I'm really thankful for your help.

I think Conor might be referring to your iCloud Drive Folder which should be listed in the left hand "SideBar" in Finder. If it is not there go into Finder Preferences, select the SideBar Tab and place a tick in the iCloud Drive box. It will now appear in the Finder SideBar.

For more about iCloud Drive see this easy to read and understand Apple Support document

In previous macOS's it was called Mobile Documents in the Finder Sidebar and in reality it still is within the System folder nomenclature. It can be located here: ~/Library/Mobile Documents. (The tilde symbol is a shortcut for your user folder.) If you now double click on that folder it will take you directly to the iCloud Drive folder which by default will already have Pages and Preview subfolders inside it.

(I handle everything with "icloud" directly).
So when I change something in my notice app or in my calendar for example -
everything is changing on my Macbook too.

Was that the question?

Yes you are quite correct BUT you must switch this facility on so that it behaves exactly like your Calendar, Reminder and Contacts App's. To do this you must go into your macOS System Preferences on all your machines, select the iCloud Preference (third row down) and make sure there is a tick in the box next to the iCloud Drive entry. Now your mac's will communicate directly and automatically with your iCloud account which then communicates directly with your other Mac's and/or mobile devices to disseminate the new or modified information.

Hope this info is of some help.

Cheers

[Lost Highway]

Hi FineWine,
yes, when I open the finder I can find a folder called "iCloud Drive".

Yes I put a few documents from "numbers" into this iCloud-Folder and it worked well.
I'm not sure where I can find my "real" CDpedia document with all my datas.
At first I've tried to make a copy from the export button called "Sicherheitskopie - Safety copy" as a zip file
and put it on a stick, but I was not able to open this file on my Macbook.
The second try was to make copies from .cdpedia as a XML format and I was able
to open them on my Macbook but some datas were missing and it is a lot of work to repair
all the datas - AND you must make copies folder after folder.....

I would like to put the datas on my Macbook with a buttom click or a fingersnip... Haha
You know what I mean?

CU Highway

[FineWine]

Hi FineWine,
yes, when I open the finder I can find a folder called "iCloud Drive".

Oh good. Sorry I just edited my previous post with some added info.

I'm not sure where I can find my "real" CDpedia document with all my datas.

Your CDpedia data can be found here: ~/Library/Application Support/CDpedia contained in the Database.cdpd file. As conor previously stated you must copy this file over to the same folder structure on your other machine. If your Library folder is NOT showing in Finder it needs to be made visible. Select View in the Finder menu bar then select View Options. Now place a Tick in the Show Library Folder.

As conor said in his last post he can give you a step by step instructions to setting your iCloud Drive up. Which he will do when he reads these posts.

Cheers