Incorrect NAS share names on browse

[RadicalDad]

I had set up SFFS on Windows, then we went and bought Macs. I have tried to set up the identical profile on the Mac, but it isn't handling the NAS share name (right side) correctly. I pick up the folder names using the browse dialog, but SFFS enters the name in the filename window incorrectly. Oddly, this is happening in some places in the profile, but not others. What is really odd is that I can see in the initial run of the profile, it is using the wrong share name at the top of the preview screen, but seems to be working. (I haven't yet let the profile run fully - I've only gone as far as previewing the potential sync, then quit.) However, no matter what I try, the deleted folders dialog doesn't work. When running the profile, I get the error message saying "The option to move deleted files into a folder is turned of for one or both sides because the folder setting is not appropriate." Through testing I have determined its the right path to the NAS (It would be nice if the error message would specify which path its complaining about). I even tried using a text editor on the profile file to get rid of the faulty names, but they just keep coming back.

All of the error paths look like the following.

Correct path (as I knew it in Windows): \\nas-xxx\Bruce\folder

Faulty path name: /Volumes/Bruce-1/folder

The problem is the "-1" being appended to the correct share name.

I've also tried entering in a fully qualified name "Mac-style" in the form smb://nas-xxx/Bruce/folder but the program likes that in some places, not in others. I'm not sure whats with the Mac "Volumes" thing but that creates a little problem for me. Currently I've got two NAS machines on site (//nas-xxx and //nas-yyy) with mostly identical share names. One of them will move offsite once we have sync between the NAS units and the computers working. The generic "/Volumes" name doesn't let me verify which NAS I've typed in. Is this a Mac thing? The fanbois told me Macs were so perfect... ha.

(The second NAS has never been accessed by the Mac in question, FWIW.)

Thanks,
--Bruce Morris

[superflexible]

/Volumes/Bruce-1 is a mount point. It is correct. It is not incorrect. It has nothing to do with the name of the share. Mac OS chooses any name for the mount point that is deems appropriate. You cannot expect it to have much relation to the smb path. You may see the server name or the share name in the mount point name, but you cannot rely on it.

Pretty much all Unix or Linux based systems use mount points to make additional drives available in the file system. However, the Mac OS Finder hides them from the user so you rarely see them. Our software does not hide them.

One problem with mount points is that they can change. You can't expect the same network volume to be always mounted in the same mount point.

So, to make sure that the program will find the network volume and its correct mount point, please go to the tab sheet "Job" in the profile and click on "Mount Volumes...". There you can specify the smb path, and the program will make sure that the network volume is mounted and will use the correct mount point.

I will reply about the "folder for deleted files" in a separate post.

[RadicalDad]

Well isn't this confusing. Actually, your explanation makes sense. I've worked a little bit in Linux so I get that mount points are what the OS wants the name to be and has nothing to do with the actual share name. That also explains why some places in the profile work with the fully qualified "smb://" syntax and others want the Mac syntax. Thanks. I had put the fully qualified syntax in the "mount volumes" dialog.

Will be waiting for your response on the deleted files folder.

Thanks

[superflexible]

Thanks. I just tried the folder for deleted files. In the above sample, you could specify it like this:

/Volumes/Bruce-1/Deleted Files

But when the mount point changes, you would have a problem. So, as an alternative, you can specify:

$RIGHTPATH/Deleted Files

Which resolves to the folder "Deleted Files" as a subfolder of the right-hand profile path.

[RadicalDad]

Does $RIGHTPATH refer to the file name in the top (right side) of the profile dialog box? In my profile, that has the "/volume" syntax so it is a mount point. Would have the same issues with mount points, unless there is another syntax which can be used in that box. Or does $RIGHTPATH refer to what is specified in the Mount Volumes box on the Job tab sheet? That is a fully qualified SMB path.

On the Job tab, there is a check box for "verify right hand side volume name. When checked, I keep getting warnings that the right hand path must be "Bruce" - except that it IS Bruce. The warning dialog displays the path I've got right above what it expects. They are identical. And sometimes that seems to prevent the profile from running in unattended mode. I unchecked it and all is happy now. How would I properly use that check box? Is it even worth it? I'm using SFFS with real time sync (assuming it tests OK with the NAS). That means it does a sync on boot which will connect the share specified on the Job tab sheet. Is it possible that another share could get in the way? As in, do Macs have the ability to make persistent connections (like Windows) except that they might get out of order so that my mount point would be confused? At this point I don't anticipate any other network drives that would be used on a regular basis, but I suppose it would be wise anticipate different scenarios that might happen in the future.

I was also getting some flakey performance from my 1 week old Mac. The error message I mentioned in the OP isn't consistent, it craps out in the middle of the file copying, MS Office installed with corruption, and the machine turned itself on while closed in my bag. Not having any of these problems on the other machine we bought. Must be a bad motherboard. Its going back for replacement.

Thanks.

[superflexible]

Does $RIGHTPATH refer to the file name in the top (right side) of the profile dialog box? In my profile, that has the "/volume" syntax so it is a mount point.

Yes it refers to that, but this mount point is aumatically updated at run time (on the fly).

Would have the same issues with mount points

No, it is updated automatically.

There is a check box for "verify right hand side volume name"

Oops, I think you shouldn't use that. I should probably remove that checkbox from the Mac version. It is more useful on Windows computers.

Is it possible that another share could get in the way? As in, do Macs have the ability to make persistent connections (like Windows) except that they might get out of order so that my mount point would be confused?

Yes, exactly that can happen. As I mentioned, the mount point can change. But if you specify the smb path with the "Mount Volumes" checkbox, it should automatically adjust.