I’m currently syncing my DT3 databases across 2 Macs, 1x iPhone and 1x iPad. The sync is done via iCloud and I keep full local copies of the databases on each device. In general, this works well.
However, the one area of potential concern is that now have a large iCloud DT3 sync store that doesn’t seem to reduce in size. Its manageable for now, but as the storage consumption growth rate is quite fast, I expect to run out to disk space in 3-4 months. As such, I wanted to clarify my understanding on iCloud synching.
I’ve searched through the forum and read the docs on iCloud sync but can’t find a definitive answer.
With iCloud sync, is a full copy of the database kept in the iCloud sync store locally on the Macs?
If so, then this does mean that I’ll have two copies on the databases on each Mac?
To reduce storage utilisation, I could choose to just sync index folders. However, the docs indicate that DTG doesn’t support synching of indexed folders so that’s wouldn’t solve my use case.
iCloud sync stores indeed create temporary local files for uploading, they’re usually removed after uploading.
Not necessarily. iCloud files downloaded by the synchronization are immediately removed again as they’re not required afterwards anymore. Only the upload (see above) needs temporarily local mirrors but this affects more or less only the computer or device which uploads a complete database for the first time via iCloud.
But there’s a trick to remove all unnecessary local mirrors immediately by verifying the sync store thoroughly, just in case that the automatic removal (see above) failed or that iCloud decided to downloaded data on its again.
Thanks … I’ve been doing tests on the 10 or so databases I have being synched. Indeed, for all but one DB, the iCloud sync store gradually reduces to almost nothing. However, with the largest DB I have (8GB), the sync store doesn’t reduce and hovers anywhere from 200mb to 8gb (Varies on the two Macs as well). Can’t figure out why.
I note with interest the trick you mention above involving removing unnecessary local mirrors. Would you please elaborate?