Mac OS X Quick Start

The server component can be run by locating and double clicking on its icon as described below.  The client component must be run from a Terminal Shell.  If you are using a purchased version of SyncDat, have your license code ready the first time you run each application.  No license code is needed for trial versions.

1. Extract SyncDat
SyncDat for Mac OS X may be distributed as a .dmg disk image, .tgz tar archive, or a .zip archive with "darwin" in the name.  For each computer where you wish to use SyncDat, download or copy the package file and double click on it to access its contents.  Inside, you will find a folder named "SyncDat" with subfolders named "Client Files" and "Server Files" that contain the executables and other files.  You can ignore the other files for now.

2. Run the Server
On the remote (server) computer, locate the servedat file (it has a Terminal icon) and double click on it.

A Terminal window should open and display the server version information along with the message "Serving files from: ./".  The server defaults to serving files from your home directory.  The window will display logs for each transaction.
 
In Quick Start mode, no username or password will be required to access the files in this folder unless you are logged in as root.
 
Only one instance of servedat may be running at a time.  If you receive an error that the UDP port is already in use, check whether you have already installed servedat or have it open in another terminal.

3. Synchronize Files
You are now ready to synchronize files between the server and client workstations.  syncdat is a command line utility, so you will need to open a Terminal window to use it.

To see a list of proposed changes without actually modifying either side, type:
syncdat -n localpath servername:pathname

To compare changes made to both directories since the last synchronization, type:
syncdat localpath servername:remotename

To mirror the remote files onto the local directory, type:
syncdat -r localpath servername:remotename

To mirror the local files onto the remote directory, type:
syncdat -l localpath servername:remotename
 
In Quick Start mode, clients are restricted to accessing only the home directory of the user running servedat, and its sub-folders (RestrictHome).  Absolute paths will be denied.

See the Setup chapter for more detailed installation options and instructions.

If the transfer speed is not what you expected, please refer to the Performance section for information about potential bottle-necks and performance tuning options.

If the client and server appear unable to communicate, verify that you are using the correct server address.  If they are not on the same local network and the server is behind a DHCP device, you will need to setup an NAT port map.  Also check the Windows Firewall settings.  See the Connectivity section for more information on firewalls.