Batch Scripting (Windows)

In order to facilitate using FreeFileSync and RealtimeSync in advanced synchronization scenarios, creating batch files is a good way to provide additional functionality. The following section will give some general hints for custom *.cmd and *.bat files.

Example: A simple locking facility – (Note: FreeFileSync already has a more powerful directory locking mechanism implemented that allows multiple writers in parallel)

:tryAgain
if not exist \\share\folder\lock (
  ::create the lock
  echo This is a lock file > \\share\folder\lock
  ::execute the synchronization batch job synchronously
  "C:\Program Files\FreeFileSync\FreeFileSync.exe" "C:\MySyncJob.ffs_batch"
  del \\share\folder\lock
) else (
  ::wait 5 seconds then try starting sync again:
  choice /C:AB /T:5 /D:A > NUL
  goto tryAgain
)

 

1. When starting a batch file from RealtimeSync be sure to make synchronous calls to FreeFileSync only. This will prevent RealtimeSync from detecting changes while synchronization is still in progress.

    

2. During execution of a Batch file a black console window is shown. You can hide this window by using the Visual Basic script "Invisible.vbs" located in the FreeFileSync installation directory.

   Usage:

   wscript C:\Program files\FreeFileSync\Invisible.vbs C:\MyBatchFile.cmd

   
    

3. FreeFileSync returns with an Errorlevel below zero if unresolved problems remain:

   "C:\Program Files\FreeFileSync\FreeFileSync.exe" "H:\Silent_Config.ffs_batch"
   if not errorlevel 0 (
     ::if something went wrong, add special treatment here
     echo Errors occurred during synchronization...
     pause
   )