[/thread] Folder/file compare and update tool

[qyron]

I know there is a specific name for such tool/function but my English is failing me in this moment and I can't recall the exact term I need.

What I do need to know is if there is some tool/command/whatever than can compare files between two folders and update/alert to which version is older. When I still used floppy disks in my teens I used a MS tool called Briefcase, if I remember it correctly, that would compare file versions between a given folder and another and update the folder whit the most recent copies after a prompt to user.

I'm back at using a thumb drive to carry files to work on when I'm away from my home computer and such tool would greatly ease the process of keeping altered documents up to date between working and backup folder.

Is there such a tool for Debian?

Thanks.

[marcetm]

You mean some kind of CVS?

[dilberts_left_nut]

rsync with appropriate switches?
Or with gui for you to inspect / choose - maybe meld, unison. krusader

[Cefiar]

Since you want both directions, I'd look at unison.

It does much the same as rsync, but updates in both directions based on timestamps, rules, etc.

It's not quite a "simple" tool, but it's quite comprehensive.

It's also command line, but I think that a few people have built gui interfaces that go around it. Can't recommend any as I've not used them.

[alan stone]

You might have a look here and here to see whether any fits your needs.

[Dai_trying]

Wouldn't diff do what you need? or maybe xxdiff or maybe kdiff (for kde). There are many file comparison utilities available, try apt-cache search diff for a long list of possibilities.

[qyron]

I'll take a look at the suggestions and reply better later but let me try to explain myself a bit, in the hope I'll add enough information to make (more) clear what I need.

I've started writing. Finally got my act together and admitted I want to become a career writer. To carry around my files and be able to work wherever I am, I partitioned a thumb drive and set up one partition with a liveCD distro, a partition for my working files/folders and a third just as a spare throw-in-all space. I still keep a copy of these files and folders in my home computer (because thumb drives have a tendency to be lost), on which I work directly sometimes, hence the "need" to find a tool that can help me keep synchronized the two "repositories".

If the suggestions you have already made are in this direction, thank you and I'll get back with this when I've tried all your suggestions.

[peer]

rsync would do.

You could also look at backupsoftware like luckybackup. I use this software for daily backups. You can also use this for synchronizing two directories (f.e: on pc and on usb).

There is also file sync software like freefilesync. I used this on windows machines at work to sync my usb disk. There is a debian package available.

Third option: use dropbox (or alternative) and work from the cloud