Noodlesoft Forums

I have a complex file transfer process I am trying to set up, but this is the basic problem I need solved (I need to solve it on Windows and Mac... but for now Mac...)

1. I want to copy files/folders from target to destination but I don't want the destination file scanned at all, because it will ALWAYS be empty (my setup requires the destination files to be deleted/moved into other software immediately).

2. I therefore want to be able to define a time period - so say, everything created or modified TODAY, and I want all THAT STUFF copied to the destination REGARDLESS of what's there already (it will be always empty/blank).

3. My problem with sync, backup, copy softwares I've tried is that they ALL want to compare the target and destination folders which creates the problem as they will subsequently just copy everything from target to destination, and I ONLY want the new files/folders copied.

4. Can Hazel do this?

You should be able to. The copy action just copies files over. You can set it to replace any files with the same name that already exist at the destination, if necessary.

The problem with that approach is it would copy everything over again (there is a LOT of data), and I am trying to set up a system wide automated 'blind copy' of only NEW files.

(I am constructing a complex automated file moving system to work with a database program called DevonThink...)

I was able to make this work with Limagito (a similar file mover on Windows) through the use of a 'file memory' feature which apparently keeps an intermediate record of what already was copied over, so that way when the data is deleted at the destination immediately after transfer (as it must be in my system), the software still 'thinks' that it is there, and doesn't attempt to copy it again (which would create tens of thousands of duplicates...).

I'm trying to figure out how to make this work with Hazel... I haven't been able to figure it out so far...

A few problems I've noted already:

1. I use "Date last modified is in the last hour, copy to destination"

ASIDE from the problem mentioned above involving the blank/empty destination, is that Hazel copies the entire folder that contains the new/modified file! Is there a way to just specify the file for copy and NOT the containing folders entire contents? I have the 'copy directory structure' unchecked, so was surprised by this..

Thanks!

After some testing, as you said I don't think the 'blank destination' is a prblem, since the program isn't using any sync functions - so it's literally just copying things based on the rule on a time basis.

BUT I do still need to solve the problem where it's copying over the entire containing folder instead of JUST the NEW file.

Thanks

It seems you set up your rules to match the folder and not the files within (which ends up copying the folder). Check out the sticky article at the top of this forum on going into sub-folders. Also, I'm guessing that you'll probably want to check the option in the Copy action to copy over the folder structure.