Keep Dropbox Folder Up-to-date by Automating File Copying or Zipping
Internet file storage with cloud services like Dropbox has many advantages. These sites provide a means for home PC users and small businesses to backup their critical data files. Copying important data files to Dropbox can supplement the regular local backup. Cloud services can provide a form of disaster backup for priceless data. Furthermore, file sharing between computers, tablets and smartphones is another critical reason to employ cloud services.
Some Considerations - Transfter Time and Privacy
Transfering many files to the Internet may tie up some broadband connections, slowing Internet surfing for long periods of time. On the one hand some fast corporate networks may be unaffected but many home users and small businesses have DSL or cable network connections which may show signs of slowness. Furthermore, the computer must remain on until the data is transfered. For large data backups this may be hours. Compressing or zipping the data will reduce the time for transmission.
Another issue to consider is privacy and confidentiality. Once your data leaves your computer sensitive data may be visible to prying eyes. Cloud services do encrypt the data during transfer. However, once the data arrives in the cloud it might be wise to keep it encrypted so no hacker or cloud service employee can access your data. So encyripting the data before it departs your computer is a good idea.
Encrypting Confidential Data
If your Dropbox includes sensitive files you could encrypt those files so they are protected from the moment transmission begins. Files can be encypted in various ways. Software like BitLocker will encrypt an entire disk. TrueCrypt creates a virtual encrypted drive on the hard disk. A more selective approach is provided by "You Can Automate Repetitive File Management Suite". With the Suite you create an encrypted zip file to protect sensitive data and compress the data so it takes up less space, reducing the Dropbox disk cost. This approach has the added advantage of reducing synchronization upload time and freeing up bandwidth for Internet surfing or social media. Encryption is a optional feature of the zipping. Follow the compress procedure outlined below but enter a password. This password is utilized in the encryption process. Be sure not to forget the password as it is needed to extract the encrypted files. Keep in mind, like any password, the use of more characters and the use of at least some upper case letters, numbers and punctuation stregthens the password against hacking.
Copying files to the Local Dropbox Synchronization Folder
Dropbox synchronizes or transfers files from your Dropbox folder to www.dropbox.com (and vice versa). Folders and files to be backed up or synchronized, must be copied to the Dropbox folder. Of course, to avoid copying folders you could use a subfolder under the Dropbox folder as the only location for the files. When this is not suitable or practical you must copy the files to the Dropbox folder. The free "You Can Automate Repetitive File Mangement Suite" provides a means to automate the file copying in Windows Explorer. As you copy the folder or files in Windows Explorer turn on the "You Can Record" recorder. As you copy the Recorder creates a job which later can replay (i.e. rerdo) what you copied in Windows Explorer with one or two clicks. How to record in Windows Explorer:
- Download and install "You Can Automate Repetitive File Mangement Suite".
- Open Windows Explorer. The "You Can Toolbar" will be visible near the top.
- Right click on any file in the open folder pane. Click You Can Record and More which expands the menu. Click start recording.
- You are asked for the job file name. Enter it and click start recording button to the left of the name.
- Open a folder and select the file(s) or folder(s) to be copied as normal.
- Right click on the selection. Click You Can Record and More, on the expanded menu click Copy.
- Scroll the navigation pane to see Dropbox. Usually the folder is listed near the top of the navigation pane under Favorites.
- Right click on Dropbox or one of its subfolders. Click You Can Record and More; on the expanded menu click paste.
- Continue to copy/paste more folders and files.
- When finished copying right click anywhere. Click You Can Record and More; on the expanded menu click end recording
View a copy file example.
Replay the Recording
By default a desktop icon can be added; click this icon. I prefered to not include a desktop icon and configured the software to bypass automatically creating an icon. You Can author provides a taskbar icon to run recorded jobs. Click the icon and double click the name of the job.
The You Can Author Editor and You Can Record and More are part of a repetitive file management suite. All of the Suite is free except there is a limit on the number of new recordings and jobs you can create.
Advanced users may find it faster to use the You Can Author Editor. In the Editor fill in the copy file/folder sentence. There are many options which may prove helpful to speed the copy process.
Compressing of Files for Faster Transmission and Lower Storage Quota
Compressing or zipping files reduces the size of the file, sometimes as much as 50%. Smaller files are transferred more quickly and occupy less disk space which may reduce disk quota charges. Creating a zip file in Windows Explorer is easy. To zip files in "You Can Record" is similar to copy procedure above:
- Download and install "You Can Automate Repetitive File Mangement Suite".
- Open Windows Explorer. The "You Can Toolbar" will be visible near the top.
- Right click on any file in the open folder pane. Click You Can Record and More which expands the menu. Click start recording.
- You are asked for the job file name. Enter it and click start recording button to the left of the name.
- Open a folder and select the file(s) or folder(s) to be zipped.
- Right click on the selection. Click You Can Record and More, on the expanded menu click Zip latest file or folder selections.
- Enter the full zip file name and, optionally, a password to encrypt the files.
- Continue to zip more folders and files.
- When finished zipping right click anywhere. Click You Can Record and More; on the expanded menu click end recording.
It's a good idea to avoid large zip files as one file changed within the zip requires the whole zip file to be transfered which may tie up the broadband connection longer than necessary. More zipping tips such as how to zip groups of files at the same time.
Other Features of You Can Automate
If you do much file management there are other features offered in the Suite to automate file management:
- A Windows Explorer toolbar to reopen bookmarked folders and even reopen dual folders for comparison in dual side by side Explorer windows.
- Record file copy, rename, delete, application or document opens.
- Copy and rename files at the same time.
- Additional file rename features such as appending a date to an existing file name.
