git-annex/doc/tips/Crude_Windows_Sync.mdwn

Here's a workaround to start syncing folders on Windows right now. It's a bit command line heavy, so you might need to set this up for your users. But I would much rather do this than use some other syncing solution and then have to migrate.

(1) Create a remote server git annex repository with the assistant on Linux or Mac.

(2) [Install git](http://git-scm.com/) on the Windows machine.

(3) [Install git-annex for Windows](http://git-annex.branchable.com/install/Windows/) on the Windows machine. Don't forget to run the installer as administrator.

(4) Run _Git Bash_ from the system menu, and run these commands to clone your repository.

    ssh-keygen
    cat .ssh/id_rsa.pub | ssh username@my-server.com "cat >> ~/.ssh/authorized_keys"
    git clone username@my-server.com:/path/to/annex
    cd annex
    git annex init

(5) Create a script that will trigger a full sync

    echo '
    #!/bin/bash
    git annex sync
    git annex get *
    git annex add .
    git annex sync
    git annex copy * --to origin  
    ' > sync.sh
    chmod +x sync.sh
    ./sync.sh

(6) Copy the "Git Bash" shortcut from your windows menu to your desktop, and change the link target to:

    C:\Program Files\Git\bin\sh.exe" --login -i "annex/sync.sh"

Now ask your users to run this shortcut before and after they change files. You can also put it into the "autostart" folder to sync at boot.