Restoring is used to revert back to or retrieve an older version of a file. There are three different ways you can do this in ChronoSync: within the Analyze panel, within the Archive panel, and by fully restoring a backup.
ChronoSync can maintain an archive of older and deleted files but it must first be activated in the Setup panel by checking "Archive replaced files".
Archive settings are located in the Options panel under "Archive Handling". Adjust the settings to your needs and don't forget to factor in that the archived files will take up extra space on your hard drive.
Restore from the Analyze Panel
If, for whatever reason, you need to restore files from one target to another, you can do this from the Analyze panel. The Analyze panel is a parallel list of all the files on both targets.
Select a file or files and then control click. Choose "Restore From…" to copy it to the opposite target. If it is a bi-directional synchronization then you will be able to restore from both the left or right target. You can also "Open with Finder" to view the file without restoring it.
Multiple files may be selected by holding down either the SHIFT key or COMMAND key when selecting with your mouse.
There are two restore options: "Restore only items synchronized by this document when checked" will only restore files that were copied by that current ChronoSync document. "Replace existing items when checked" will overwrite existing files and, if unchecked, will only copy files over that have no counterpart.
If a Folder is selected and restored, then all the files and folders contained within will be restored too. So be aware of the contents of a folder before restoring it.
Hint: You can always mount the destination target and restore files without ChronoSync using Finder. That's because ChronoSync stores all the files on both targets the same way your Mac does.
Restore from the Archive Panel
If you need to restore older or deleted files, you can do this from the Archive panel. The Archive panel is a list of all the older and deleted files and folders of the selected target. The Archive panel shows multiple versions of each file, once archived. This is denoted by v0001, v0002 and so on. You can control the amount of duplicates in the Archive Handling options, within the Options panel.
Select a file or files and then control click. Choose "Restore" and a window appears with three options. You can also "Open with Finder" to view the file without restoring it.
Multiple files may be selected by holding down either the SHIFT key or COMMAND key when selecting with your mouse.
When restoring, you can replace the file on either target or you may also "restore to a specific folder" on any hard drive. The latter would be used when you want to work with an older version of a file but you don't necessarily want that to become the current version of a file.
If the file already exists on the target, a drop down window will appear. "Replace" will restore the file by copying over the existing file. "Skip" will not restore the file. "Abort" will end the restore.
If a Folder is selected and restored, then all the files and folders contained within will be restored too. So be aware of the contents of a folder before restoring it.
Restore from a backup
If you use ChronoSync to maintain a backup and need to restore from the most recent backup then you would not use the Archive panel.
To restore a few files or folders
To restore a few files or folders, use the Analyze panel as mentioned above or simply mount the destination target and drag the files or folders to the location you want.
To restore an entire backup
To restore an entire backup, you will need to set up a ChronoSync document with the operation set to "Backup". This will copy the files from the backup to the new location. ChronoSync will add the files to the new location, it will not merge the files with any existing files. If you are not restoring to an empty folder or volume and are instead attempting to merge two sets of data, then contact support before proceeding. This ChronoSync document will only be used one time to restore your backup.
To restore a bootable backup
Follow the tip Creating a Bootable Backup and copy the backed up bootable volume to another volume. The new volume should be a blank partition or HD. If not then contact support before proceeding. This ChronoSync document will only be used one time to restore your bootable backup.
That's it! The flexibility and ease of using ChronoSync has so many advantages. If you have any problems while using our products, contact us by using our support form. If you wish to share a tip with us, post it on our comment form. Happy Syncing!