Answer Line: Synchronize Important Folders on Two Computers

What's the best way to transport files between my work and home computers? I want a simple way to copy all of the files I've worked on during the day so I can bring them home--and of course, return them to work afterward.

Parvez Sopariwala, Grand Rapids, Michigan

Microsoft windows has a tool for this called Briefcase. Unfortunately, Briefcase has so many flaws, it's really not worth using. Just one example: If you create the file on your work computer, Briefcase doesn't want you to copy it to your home computer's hard drive. Instead, you're supposed to access it exclusively from your removable media--not a particularly fast or efficient way to work.

There are at least two better solutions: one involves shareware, and the other uses an old DOS command that's still available (even in Windows XP). Both work with hard drives as well as with Zip drives, CD-RW (via packet-writing software such as Roxio's DirectCD), and other removable media.

First, the shareware way: GeloSoft's Synchromagic Home ($20 registration fee) or Synchromagic Pro ($30, formerly known as Synchronix). Though the Home version is easier to use than the Pro version, the Pro edition adds the very nice Tsk Wizard, which simplifies setting up a repeatable synchronization task (see FIGURE 1). You can download a trial version of either.

Synchromagic Pro also lets you set up a task to run a particular program before or after the syncing, sync only files within a particular date range, exclude particular folders or extensions, and shut down the computer when it's all over. The program can use FTP to sync files over the Internet, and it even works as a backup utility.

Now the no-cost method: Right-click a blank space on the desktop or in Windows Explorer's right pane and select New, Shortcut. In the text box on the first page of the Create Shortcut wizard, enter xcopy " import folder name\*.*" x:\transfer /d /y /s, where import folder name is the location (including drive) and name of the folder you want synced with the other computer, and x is the drive letter of your removable medium. For instance, if you want to share the contents of "C:\My Documents" via your E: drive, enter xcopy "C:\My Documents\*.*" e:\transfer /d /y /s. Be careful to get the quotation marks, forward and back slashes, and spaces right.

After entering the import file's location, click Next. Name the shortcut Export and then click Next (to be prompted to choose an icon for the shortcut) or Finish. In Windows 98 and Me, right-click the shortcut and select Properties. Click the Program tab, check C lose on exit, and click OK.

Now creating the second shortcut is easy. Select the first one and press Ctrl-C, then Ctrl-V. This will create a new shortcut called Copy of Export. Right-click it and select Properties. Click the Shortcut tab and reverse the two paths so that the one to the transfer folder on your removable medium comes before the one to the hard-drive folder. For instance, change the example above to xcopy e:\transfer "C:\My Documents\*.*" /d /y /s. Click OK, and then rename the new shortcut Import.

Remember to create both of these shortcuts on your home and work computers, set to the different folder locations and drive letters for your removable media.

At the end of the workday, put a disk in the drive and click your Export shortcut. When you get home, boot the other computer, put the disk in the drive, and click your Import shortcut. Reverse the process to move files from your home machine to your work machine.