![]() Other apps are just self-contained and don’t offer any specific locations for resources.įor the apps that are auto-synced, there is no work to be done. Some apps allow you to specify a location for its database or library under that app’s preferences, or by holding the Option key while opening the app, like a photo gallery app or other database-powered apps. Some desktop apps have a web interface, like a to-do list or Spotify, and syncing is automatic. There are a few different ways of syncing apps. It’s important that this will be the final resting place for all synced app data, since modifying the location or name will render the syncing process obsolete and require re-synced apps. Under Sync, I have an Apps folder that contains a folder for each app whose settings and resources I sync. ![]() In the Shared folder, I set my Sync folder to contain all files I sync across all my Macs. At the top level, I have a Shared folder that contains all files I share with others or sync to other computers. Since Dropbox keeps watch over one main folder, everything lives inside my Dropbox folder. The first thing you want to do is set up your preferred folder structure for syncing files across computers. Note: be aware that this article is written for Mac-to-Mac syncing and has not been tested on Mac-to-Windows or Windows-to-Windows, so I suggest taking precautions if you are not the technical type. ![]() Set Up Your First App to Sync Information Tread lightly here, this is where apps store most of their information, and accidentally deleting or moving something can have adverse effects. You’ll need to access your Application Support folder, found in ~/Library/Application Support/ on a Mac (on a PC, it’s the AppData folder).You’ll need to download and install SymbolicLinker if you’re on a Mac. If you’re on Windows, this article may help you get set up.Editing, moving, or deleting a symlink won’t have any adverse effect on the original file, much like an alias or shortcut. A symlink is similar to an alias or shortcut in that it opens the file it’s pointing to, but the computer (and therefore all apps) doesn’t recognize them as two entities, but rather one. To us, it’s essentially the same as clicking the real file, folder, or app-but to the computer, they’re two separate entities. We’ve all made shortcuts to a file or an app before. You’ll need to generate symlinks. A symlink, or symbolic link, is similar to an alias or shortcut, but different.You may need a paid account for your cloud service if you choose to use it as a backup solution. You’ll need a cloud storage solution. I’ll use Dropbox as an example since that’s the most popular.With the help of one of these services, you can set up a seamless cross-computer syncing workflow and a set-it-and-forget-it computer backup that will also be easily accessible from your phone or any computer. With cloud storage services like Dropbox, Box, Google Drive, or others, self-contained computing can be-and should be-a thing of the past. If your hard drive failed right now, how much information would you lose? If you got a new computer, how long would it take you to get all your apps up to par with your workflow? When was the last time you wanted to show a photo on your phone to a friend only to realize you backed it up and deleted it to free-up space?
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