Robocopy copy Documents doesn't do what I say

[John Redd Walker]

I'm trying to set up a dual backup for data files, with a local disk backup
which Dropbox will pick up and sync to the cloud as files are added or
changed.

I want to have a folder called Dropbox on an external drive. I want to use
k:\Dropbox\Documents (or music, videos, pictures, quickbooks) as the target
in Robocopy and I code k:\Dropbox\Documents as the target folder.

But Robocopy is too clever, knowing it's a special folder, and all I get is
a file called Documents on the K drive. This makes my Dropbox idea of an
automated local and cloud backup unusable.

Any idea how to create that Documents (or other) folder UNDER the one that
I specify instead of in the root directory? or just not create the
Documents folder at all, just its contents?

This is the command I'm using...

robocopy "C:\Users\William\Documents" "J:\Dropbox" /e /xo /xj /dcopy:t

 

[Desk Rabbit]

I'm trying to set up a dual backup for data files, with a local disk backup
which Dropbox will pick up and sync to the cloud as files are added or
changed.

I want to have a folder called Dropbox on an external drive. I want to use
k:\Dropbox\Documents (or music, videos, pictures, quickbooks) as the target
in Robocopy and I code k:\Dropbox\Documents as the target folder.

But Robocopy is too clever, knowing it's a special folder, and all I get is
a file called Documents on the K drive. This makes my Dropbox idea of an
automated local and cloud backup unusable.

Any idea how to create that Documents (or other) folder UNDER the one that
I specify instead of in the root directory? or just not create the
Documents folder at all, just its contents?

This is the command I'm using...

robocopy "C:\Users\William\Documents" "J:\Dropbox" /e /xo /xj /dcopy:t

Use this: http://www.2brightsparks.com/syncback/

 

[Daniel47]

I'm trying to set up a dual backup for data files, with a local disk backup
which Dropbox will pick up and sync to the cloud as files are added or
changed.

I want to have a folder called Dropbox on an external drive. I want to use
k:\Dropbox\Documents (or music, videos, pictures, quickbooks) as the target
in Robocopy and I code k:\Dropbox\Documents as the target folder.

But Robocopy is too clever, knowing it's a special folder, and all I get is
a file called Documents on the K drive. This makes my Dropbox idea of an
automated local and cloud backup unusable.

Any idea how to create that Documents (or other) folder UNDER the one that
I specify instead of in the root directory? or just not create the
Documents folder at all, just its contents?

This is the command I'm using...

robocopy "C:\Users\William\Documents" "J:\Dropbox" /e /xo /xj /dcopy:t

John, did you try.....

robocopy "C:\Users\William\Documents" "J:\Dropbox\Documents" /e /xo /xj
/dcopy:t

and I note that in your writing you say you want to copy K:\ but your
link is to J:\!!

Daniel

 

[Char Jackson]

I'm trying to set up a dual backup for data files, with a local disk backup
which Dropbox will pick up and sync to the cloud as files are added or
changed.

I want to have a folder called Dropbox on an external drive. I want to use
k:\Dropbox\Documents (or music, videos, pictures, quickbooks) as the target
in Robocopy and I code k:\Dropbox\Documents as the target folder.

But Robocopy is too clever, knowing it's a special folder, and all I get is
a file called Documents on the K drive. This makes my Dropbox idea of an
automated local and cloud backup unusable.

Any idea how to create that Documents (or other) folder UNDER the one that
I specify instead of in the root directory? or just not create the
Documents folder at all, just its contents?

This is the command I'm using...

robocopy "C:\Users\William\Documents" "J:\Dropbox" /e /xo /xj /dcopy:t

I'm not familiar with robocopy's syntax requirements but it appears to me
that your filespec is ambiguous, and maybe robocopy agrees with me and
defaults to treating the ambiguity as a file versus a folder:

k:\Dropbox\Documents <--looks like it could be a file or folder
k:\Dropbox\Documents\ <--looks like a folder spec (trailing slash)

One of the following might even be required as a target:
k:\Dropbox\Documents\* or k:\Dropbox\Documents\*.*

 

[Gene E. Bloch]

I'm not familiar with robocopy's syntax requirements but it appears to me
that your filespec is ambiguous, and maybe robocopy agrees with me and
defaults to treating the ambiguity as a file versus a folder:

k:\Dropbox\Documents <--looks like it could be a file or folder
k:\Dropbox\Documents\ <--looks like a folder spec (trailing slash)

One of the following might even be required as a target:
k:\Dropbox\Documents\* or k:\Dropbox\Documents\*.*

I haven't used robocopy for a long time, but now that you've tweaked my
memory with the above, I think you're on to something.

 

[John Redd Walker]

Use this: http://www.2brightsparks.com/syncback/

Will check this one out.

Yes, k and j are just typos, used them only for examples, and the original
was from another computer.

The extra slashes and asterisks sound interesting. will try them at
starbucks this morning.

Thanks to all

 

[John Redd Walker]

Nope, the slashes and *.* kick out as no destination message. Oddly, I
tested the same command on my laptop and it worked fine. It seems to
create the DOCUMENTS folder with the icon on some computers and not
others with the same command. so frustrating, since it could be such a
great tool. I use it as a quick backup with the new/changed files option
for lots of people to a flash drive and it has saved them many times.

Does syncback duplicate the folders or is it a proprietary backup
format? That's the thing I like about robocopy, that the backup is
immediately accessible without loading any backup programs, which tend
to be notorious for incompatibility with older versions.

 

[Philip Herlihy]

....
Nope, the slashes and *.* kick out as no destination message. Oddly, I
tested the same command on my laptop and it worked fine. It seems to
create the DOCUMENTS folder with the icon on some computers and not
others with the same command. so frustrating, since it could be such a
great tool. I use it as a quick backup with the new/changed files option
for lots of people to a flash drive and it has saved them many times.

I read that there are bugs in the implementation of Robocopy in Vista
(and later?) so I started using the version downloadable as part of the
Windows Server 2003 resource kit. In any script, make sure you
explicitly invoke the version you want to use by prepending its path.

 

[Philip Herlihy]

I read that there are bugs in the implementation of Robocopy in Vista
(and later?) so I started using the version downloadable as part of the
Windows Server 2003 resource kit. In any script, make sure you
explicitly invoke the version you want to use by prepending its path.

That's the Windows Server 2003 Resource Kit Tools, to be more accurate -
meant to include a link:
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=17657