Friso256
Level 1 (0 points)

Q: synchronising files between macs without using iCloud

I would like to synchronise files of two users as well as a shared user folder between my iMac and my macbook air on a daily basis. But I do not want to use iCloud. Is that possible and how can I do that?

imac

Posted on Jan 31, 2016 8:36 AM

by Duane,Solvedanswer
Duane Duane
Level 10 (124,018 points)
A:

There really is no way to sync the files between two Macs without making a backup of one and restoring that backup on the other.

 

You can use a cloud service to seemlessly share files. The files do not reside on either Mac though.

You can use a shared email account and access it from both Macs using IMAP. That will allow both Macs to see the same emails.

Posted on Jan 31, 2016 12:16 PM

Close
Friso256

Q: synchronising files between macs without using iCloud

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

  • by Duane,

    Duane Duane Jan 31, 2016 8:54 AM in response to Friso256
    Level 10 (124,018 points)
    Jan 31, 2016 8:54 AM in response to Friso256

    You can use an external drive or flash drive.

    1. Copy the files from the 1st Mac to the drive.
    2. Disconnect the drive from the first Mac
    3. Connect the drive to the 2nd Mac
    4. Copy the files from the drive to the 2nd Mac.

     

    You can use a network drive if both Macs are on the network.

    1. Copy the files from the 1st Mac to the drive.
    2. Copy the files from the drive to the 2nd Mac.

     

    You can use a Dropbox, or Box, or any another cloud based file server

    1. Copy the files from the 1st Mac to the service.
    2. Copy the files from the service to the 2nd Mac.

  • by Friso256,

    Friso256 Friso256 Jan 31, 2016 11:48 AM in response to Duane
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 31, 2016 11:48 AM in response to Duane

    Dear Duane,

    Thanks for your answer. I probably was not clear enough in my original question. I was wondering whether there would be a tool to do this automatically on a daily basis. I have a network drive and I have time machine (both imac and macbook run their back-ups on the same time machine and are on the same wifi network provided by the time machine.

     

    About the manual processes you described in your answer: If I do that under my user name, will my wife not have user right issues when accessing the files when she is logged in? (at least I remember having all sorts of user rights trouble when doing this kind of stuff manually in the past.

  • by Duane,Solvedanswer

    Duane Duane Jan 31, 2016 12:16 PM in response to Friso256
    Level 10 (124,018 points)
    Jan 31, 2016 12:16 PM in response to Friso256

    There really is no way to sync the files between two Macs without making a backup of one and restoring that backup on the other.

     

    You can use a cloud service to seemlessly share files. The files do not reside on either Mac though.

    You can use a shared email account and access it from both Macs using IMAP. That will allow both Macs to see the same emails.

  • by Lanny,

    Lanny Lanny Jan 31, 2016 12:47 PM in response to Friso256
    Level 5 (7,900 points)
    Desktops
    Jan 31, 2016 12:47 PM in response to Friso256

    Dropbox

  • by Friso256,

    Friso256 Friso256 Jan 31, 2016 1:31 PM in response to Duane
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 31, 2016 1:31 PM in response to Duane

    Thanks, so this settles it then. I don't like cloud, so I guess I'll do the manual sync as you recommended. Thanks!

  • by actionmarker,

    actionmarker actionmarker Jan 31, 2016 1:38 PM in response to Friso256
    Level 4 (1,883 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jan 31, 2016 1:38 PM in response to Friso256

    Have a look at Chronosync.

    http://www.econtechnologies.com/chronosync/overview.html

     

    I use it to keep my files on two macs synchronised.