Schedule a Batch Job


  1. Create a new batch job via FreeFileSync's main dialog:
    Menu->Advanced->Create batch job
     

  2. If the batch job shall run without user interaction or as part of an unattended batch script, make sure that no popup dialog stops the progress:
    Disable checkbox "Show progress dialog" to avoid blocking while showing the result after synchronization. Alternatively you can select the "On completion" action "Close progress dialog" located in synchronization settings. Note: Even if the progress dialog is not shown at the beginning, a user can make it visible during synchronization by double-clicking the FreeFileSync systray icon.

     

  3. In order to prevent error or warning popup messages from stopping progress, set "Error handling" to either "Ignore errors" or "Exit instantly".

     

  4. Setup your operating system's scheduler

    1. Windows 7 Task Scheduler:

      • Go to Start and enter "taskschd.msc"

      • Create a new basic task and follow the wizard.

      • Make "Program/script" point to the location of FreeFileSync.exe and specify the ffs_batch file under "Add arguments".

    Note
    Beginning with Windows Vista the "Program/script" always needs to be a path to "FreeFileSync.exe" even if ffs_batch file associations are set!     Else the task will return with error code 0xC1, "%1 is not a valid Win32 application" if a ffs_batch file is entered directly.


     

    1. Windows XP Scheduled Tasks:

      • Go to Start → Control Panel → Scheduled Tasks and select "Add Scheduled Task".

      • Follow the wizard and select FreeFileSync.exe as program to run.

      • Enter "Run:" as: <FreeFileSync installation directory>\FreeFileSync.exe <job name>.ffs_batch

         

    2. Ubuntu Linux Gnome-schedule:

      • Install Gnome-schedule, if necessary: sudo apt-get install gnome-schedule