Auto synchronization options

[bmac]

It certainly would be nice if there were more auto synchronization options in CompanionLink for Outlook. For example, how about
- synchronize when Outlook is started
- synchronize with Outlook is closed

[DJOCTO]

bmac, what sync method are you suing?

This is done with DejaCloud sync. But more important, many people are on Exchange, and so their data can change outside of Outlook.

[bmac]

Thanks. I am using Dejacloud but I did not realize that it would do an automatic synchronization when Outlook starts. I have it set for "push".

One thing I do not want with CompanionLink is to have it do a synchronization when Windows starts. For that reason, I do not include CompanionLink in the startup folder.

Bill

[DJOCTO]

bmac, what is your reason for not having it automatically start?

It will automatically wait about a minute after the computer starts before it starts checking stuff... I've wondered about making this timer a user control so people can push it to 10 minutes for things like slow network connections etc.

[bmac]

My desktop PC and tablet/laptop (surface Pro 3) share an Outlook PST file with the use of dropbox. My desktop PC also starts up in the morning by itself so if CompanionLink is scheduled to synchronize at Windows startup then that will cause a problem with the Outlook PST file on the desktop machine. For example, if I happen to be out of my office and using the Microsoft Surface Pro 3 with Outlook open the fact that CompanionLink opened the desktop Outlook PST file to synchronize will cause that file to be "conflicted" within dropbox.

It makes more sense to have an option to run synchronization automatically when Outlook is opened (not when Windows starts) on the machine. Similarly, just to be sure that CompanionLink has captured all changes to Outlook during the session, it would be nice to have an option to run synchronization when Outlook is closed.

Bill

[DJOCTO]

Ok. That's a good reason. We've had a few requests for better dropbox support for OL PST files. Let me think about what we can do here.

[bmac]

I certainly would be interested in any developments as it pertains to sharing Outlook PST files. One thing that possibly would help is for you to provide the means of sharing the XML configuration files on DropBox so the two computers sharing the PST file can also share the configuration database.

[bmac]

I was wondering how this effort was progressing. One other item I notice, or I think I have noticed, is that if I am working on the laptop within Outlook and the Outlook PST file saves an update, then CompanionLink on the desktop notices that a change has been made to PST file and updates the PST file to the Dejacloud. CompanionLink on the desktop was configured to update using DejaCloud push sync. Shouldn't this only work if I am actually using the desktop with CompanionLink loaded?

To circumvent this, I have changed CompanionLink's configuration only synchronize manually.

That's why I think it would also be helpful to have the CompanionLink configuration settings also include:
- synchronize when Outlook starts
- synchronize when Outlook is closed

And these two items would not start unless Outlook is actually starting our closing.

Bill

[bmac]

Any status on the potential to save the XML synchronization file on a cloud such as dropbox such that a desktop and a laptop could share a PST file with CompanionLink without causing duplications and other errors? As stated in this thread, my PST file resides locally but is synchronized to dropbox. If I need to travel to a meeting and use my laptop, the desktop Outlook is closed and allowed to synchronize to the cloud such that when I open up Outlook on the laptop, the PST file is up-to-date. I would like any synchronization configuration information which I believe is stored in an XML file to also be available to the laptop.

[DJOCTO]

bmac, the Outlook system is complex. We do not sync with Outlook data files. We sync with Outlook Objects which are part of the Windows environment. So we are dependent on Microsoft API's for knowing when data is updated. The world has moved a long way since old Palm Desktop.

Most importantly, Outlook is commonly synchronized to Exchange, and so the data is already distributed. That's why CL runs when your computer is booted, to pick up changes to your local Outlook that are coming down from an Exchange server.

It is complex to add the option for changable local data files, in an environment that already has distributed data and an API that prevents us from accessing that data directly. I'm keeping open to the possibilities and tracking the number of requests we've had for this.