Storing a Project on a Flash Drive

[Paul M 0]

I am considering storing a project on a flash drive so that I can work on it using either my desktop or laptop computer. Is there official guidance/recommendations for doing this. If not, does anyone have any guidance?

 

Thank you.

[Robert Jacobs 0]

I am considering storing a project on a flash drive so that I can work on it using either my desktop or laptop computer. Is there official guidance/recommendations for doing this. If not, does anyone have any guidance?

 

Thank you.

 

I don't know about "official" -- but for what it's worth, you can do it if the flash drive always takes the same drive letter when it is inserted into each machine; moreover, the drive letter of the flash drive must be the same on both machines.

 

I worry about flash drives -- losing them, stepping on them or having them hit by cosmic rays. It's a better idea to keep the project on both machines, updating them with batch files to and from the flash drive as required. The directory structures have to be identical on each machine, and of course one must remember to update the flash drive whenever changes have been made to the project.

 

This has the advantage that one's data exists in three separate places -- the two machines and the transfer flash drive. It has the disadvantage that one must be scrupulous about using only one machine at a time and updating the flash drive every time one has opened the project, even when data doesn't seem to have changed.

 

The TMG help file offers a very clear description of TMG's directory structures to which you'll want to attend.

 

I use "robocopy" for the file transfers; it gives much finer control of the copy process and allows one to exclude directories or files which ought not be copied. Here's the TMG section of my batch file for copying from my desktop to the flash drive:

 

REM TMG

 

%SystemRoot%\system32\robocopy d:\TMG i:\TMG /MIR /XO /XD d:\tmg\UserProgramData d:\tmg\logs d:\tmg\backups /XF "Last VFI.log" /XA:SH /DST /R:5 /W:2 /LOG+:\work\leap_down.log /TS /NP /NJS

 

The robocopy help will explain the various switches (in a command prompt type "robocopy /?"). Although I keep TMG's UserProgramData directory on my d: drive it should not be synchronized with the laptop. The /XD switch excludes it from the copy process.

 

All good wishes.

 

 

formerprof

Edited November 18, 2009 by formerprof

[Michael Hannah 0]

Not sure what you mean. If you wish to actually have your project's data files only on your flash drive and not on your hard drive, then you should very carefully read the Data File Storage topic in the TMG Help. Be sure to also follow the links to more advanced topics at the bottom of that first discussion. You may have difficulties if your flash drive is not recognized/assigned as the same drive letter on both machines.

 

On the other hand, many of us do the following, which has proven to be reliable. Perform a backup to the hard drive on our desktop, copy the SQZ file to the flash drive, put the flash drive in the laptop, copy the SQZ file to the hard drive on the laptop, restore the project. Reverse when you finish on the laptop. It actually takes longer to say than to do. And you are producing backups on a regular basis which is a good thing.

 

Hope this gives you ideas,

[robmoff 0]

I use a passport dive, an 8GB hard drive, for my project data. It is usually drive G on my main pc, drive K on the pc at work, and drive E on my laptop: problems=0.

The layouts are stored locally, and are all different, I did nothing to achievethis happy result.

The reports and are also local to each machine, saves b******g about with drive letters, and is no real inconvenience for me.

 

For back-up purposes I do a back-up onto one of the local machines every so often, and therefore always have three reasonably up-to date ones to choose from, (well if I am being accurate, two; I don't use the laptop much, just visits to family members and record offices!)

 

BTW I am still on ver. 6, and don't know if v7 is significantly different.

Edited November 18, 2009 by robmoff

[Paul M 0]

I just started a new project, kind of in the feasibility study stage. I initially created the project on a flash drive. I have gone from desktop to laptop with no problems that I have noticed. I backup to the hard drive on the desktop, which in turn is backed up.

 

It is just so easy to grab the flash drive and laptop and take off for the library or wherever, I am thinking of trying it with other projects. So, like you, I've had no problems. But, I am wondering if there is one lurking out there waiting to get me.

 

Thanks for you input.

 

 

 

 

 

I use a passport dive, an 8GB hard drive, for my project data. It is usually drive G on my main pc, drive K on the pc at work, and drive E on my laptop: problems=0.

The layouts are stored locally, and are all different, I did nothing to achievethis happy result.

The reports and are also local to each machine, saves b******g about with drive letters, and is no real inconvenience for me.

 

For back-up purposes I do a back-up onto one of the local machines every so often, and therefore always have three reasonably up-to date ones to choose from, (well if I am being accurate, two; I don't use the laptop much, just visits to family members and record offices!)

 

BTW I am still on ver. 6, and don't know if v7 is significantly different.

[Paul M 0]

Michael,

 

Thank you. I searched in help for "flash drive" finding nothing. Never thought to look for data storage. I found it and will read it.

 

Thanks again.

 

 

 

 

Not sure what you mean. If you wish to actually have your project's data files only on your flash drive and not on your hard drive, then you should very carefully read the Data File Storage topic in the TMG Help. Be sure to also follow the links to more advanced topics at the bottom of that first discussion. You may have difficulties if your flash drive is not recognized/assigned as the same drive letter on both machines.

 

On the other hand, many of us do the following, which has proven to be reliable. Perform a backup to the hard drive on our desktop, copy the SQZ file to the flash drive, put the flash drive in the laptop, copy the SQZ file to the hard drive on the laptop, restore the project. Reverse when you finish on the laptop. It actually takes longer to say than to do. And you are producing backups on a regular basis which is a good thing.

 

Hope this gives you ideas,

[Paul M 0]

Thanks for your reply.

 

I'm with you on finding flash drives worrisome. I just bought a couple of 8 GB flash drives for $18 each. So, besides the worry of losing them, I figure anything that cheap has to have something wrong with it.

 

I suppose your procedure is secure, quick and easy. However, I really like being able to just grab the flash drive and laptop and be on my way in two seconds.

 

Thanks again.

 

 

 

 

 

I am considering storing a project on a flash drive so that I can work on it using either my desktop or laptop computer. Is there official guidance/recommendations for doing this. If not, does anyone have any guidance?

 

Thank you.

 

I don't know about "official" -- but for what it's worth, you can do it if the flash drive always takes the same drive letter when it is inserted into each machine; moreover, the drive letter of the flash drive must be the same on both machines.

 

I worry about flash drives -- losing them, stepping on them or having them hit by cosmic rays. It's a better idea to keep the project on both machines, updating them with batch files to and from the flash drive as required. The directory structures have to be identical on each machine, and of course one must remember to update the flash drive whenever changes have been made to the project.

 

This has the advantage that one's data exists in three separate places -- the two machines and the transfer flash drive. It has the disadvantage that one must be scrupulous about using only one machine at a time and updating the flash drive every time one has opened the project, even when data doesn't seem to have changed.

 

The TMG help file offers a very clear description of TMG's directory structures to which you'll want to attend.

 

I use "robocopy" for the file transfers; it gives much finer control of the copy process and allows one to exclude directories or files which ought not be copied. Here's the TMG section of my batch file for copying from my desktop to the flash drive:

 

REM TMG

 

%SystemRoot%\system32\robocopy d:\TMG i:\TMG /MIR /XO /XD d:\tmg\UserProgramData d:\tmg\logs d:\tmg\backups /XF "Last VFI.log" /XA:SH /DST /R:5 /W:2 /LOG+ :\work\leap_down.log /TS /NP /NJS

 

The robocopy help will explain the various switches (in a command prompt type "robocopy /?"). Although I keep TMG's UserProgramData directory on my d: drive it should not be synchronized with the laptop. The /XD switch excludes it from the copy process.

 

All good wishes.

 

 

formerprof

[Michael Hannah 0]

... However, I really like being able to just grab the flash drive and laptop and be on my way in two seconds.

If you discipline yourself to always do a backup when you quit TMG and copy it to the flash drive, then you can just grab and be on your way.