sync photo's between phones and PC

#1

Hi there! In my quest to use Google services less and less I started to use syncthing for sharing photo’s with my wife.

The setup that I have now is as follow:

One Odroid server with syncting installed. And on this device I have a folder that is synced with our android phones camera folder and with a PC with a large HHD. I have the folder on the Odroid server set with IgnoreDelete. In this setup when I or my wife take a photo I get the photo as well. And this works visa versa ofcourse. Also it gets synced with the PC. But ofcourse if one of us takes a photo that I or my wife is not intressed in we can simply delete it. But becouse of the IgoreDelete option on the Odroid server it does not get deleted on the other phone or on the Odroid server or on the PC.

This also creates problems. Which I dont know how to fix or configure.

  1. The reason I have the sync on the PC was the thought that I could archive some photos from time to time. In normal sync it would free up space on the phones and odroid server as well. But becouse of the ignoredelete on the server folder it keeps them and no freed up space on the phones. Is there a config that still removes photos when removed from the PC folder?

  2. When I and my wife delete the same photo on both our phones it there is still a copy on the Odroid server and on the PC. Is there a configuration that delete a photo that is deleted on both phones?

PS sorry for my bad english. And thank you for your responses.

#2

It’s not possible to do what you asking for as ignore deletes is per folder not per device.

This is mostly an issue because you merge the folders together. If you had them separate you’d have more control, could use send only on your phone, ignore deletes on the server, and receive only on your wife’s phone.

#3

Hi thanks for your reply. The config your suggesting. In that case my wife gets photos taken by me but not the other way around.

Or do you mean what you suggested send only on your phone, ignore deletes on the server, and receive only on your wife’s phone.

And this times 2 and each there own folder on the server?

#4

Yes

#5

But then Iam left with files that I delete on my server. Because of the ignore delete. Then the server gets full of unwanted photos and videos.

How about this.

I create two folders on the server. One for my phone camara folder and one for my wife. Both 100% in sync.

My 100% in sync folder I share with my wife, but set it on her phone to receive mode only. changes made in my 100% folder for exapmle a new photo will be send to my wife and her folder will sync with her folder on the server.

Or does this create a problem when I delete some photos on my device and gets deleted also on my wife devices?

Can you make a ignoredelete option in the android app?

#6

The option is available via the web ui.

#7

No thats not what I mean. I mean a Ignore option on the folder on the android device.

#8

There is still access to the web ui on android. It’s not user friendly, but life never is.

#9

Ah yes I see now. Thanks.

Okay so I did the following. I created two folder on the server. One for my photos and one for my wife. These are linked to the phones. My folder to my phone and wife folder to her phone. Alway 100% in sync.

Then I created a link between the two phones. So phone A syncs camera folder on phone B. But on both phones I have set this link to ignore delete. Ofcourse syncthing gets a bit confused and says there are files not syncronized. Becouse of the action of me deleting somting but does not get deleted on the other phone.

Then each seperate folder on the server gets syncronized with the PC. Creating dubble files ofcourse. That side is niet perfect. But when i manualy cut and paste them in the same folder windows will skip the ones we already have in archive. But becouse the folders are in sync with the folders on the server and on the phones the phones will clear up as well.

Do you think that the setting of IgnoreDelete on both phones between them would give errors over time? Or does the list of unsynced files just get bigger en biggen until syncthing says my phone is up to sync at 1%.

#10

Yes, ignoreDeletes will just screw up in sync status more and more over time.

#11

Do you think this is a problem?

#12

It’s just a visual thing. I it does not affect the operation, but does hinder visibility, but this is because you are using syncthing in an unconventional way, which is not really bidirectional continous sync that it’s intended for.

#13

Yes I thought so. But there are no good alternatives. The good thing about syncthing is that the files are stored localy on the phone and on the server. And this increases the user experience.

I used nextcloud for photo’s but thats just verry slow. Even on a Odroid, plus upload speeds are not that great of my Internet connection. So the user experience is not so great.

Than there is piwigo. But have not tried that yet.

Anyway I have decided that we are goging with the coventional sync. Just one folder thats in sync with the other folder.

I use Simple Galler Pro and this one has a trashcan. So If I do delete somthing that my parter realy wantted. We can get ik back very easy.

Thanks for you reply’s

#14

There is versioning in syncthing too, which can act as a trashcan I guess.