[cubieuk]

[Post removed]

[althekiller]

This sounds like a job better suited for the underlying OS. cron + rsync or similar. Of course you're SOL on Xbox, but a script could still do it. Regardless, I don't really see this kind of mechanism making its way into XBMC core.

[Gamester17]

I don't really see this kind of mechanism making its way into XBMC core.

I disagree, I would very much like to see it in XBMC as an optional feature built-in, especially for Xbox and Apple TV, ...as being able to sync certain shares/folders to the local harddrive would be great for when one takes the Xbox/ATV to friends for a party. Also to sync files with a removable USB-drive or portable MP3-player. Could also be a good solution to keep a friend or family members Xbox (or XBMC Live setup) updated with media files over the internet, having it sync the files in the background when the remote source is online, and not having to fuss if the remote connection goes down as the only the files fully copied to the local harddrive would be entered into the XBMC video/music library.

I have previously suggested something similar to Boxee (which is based on XBMC):
http://getsatisfaction.com/boxee/topics/...arch_boxee

RSYNC file synchronization with portable MP3 players and over the network (à la iTunes to iPod / AppleTV)

I like to suggest that Boxee implement remote replication support.

Since Boxee installed on the Apple TV, on a HTPC, or similar set-top-box type setup almost always have at least the option to add an internal harddrive and be able to directly download video/audio files to that harddrive from the internet, and also be able to play files directly of portable MP3-players and network-shares. How about implementing a feature similar to iTunes synchronization, the way iTunes user can select which files and folder (or playlists/podcasts) to sync onto their iPod or Apple TV box, but Boxee could take it one step futher and have the user be be able to chose to either use Boxee or the MP3-players/network-shares as the master on a file/folder basis. Data files could be be backed up to Boxee with real-time synchronization or schedule backup from multiple computers (and NAS products) in remote locations.

This would enable users to for example use Boxee as their main docking-station for their MP3-player (or portable video/media-player) and synchronize it on-demand in the living-room.

This would also enable it to function as a sort of backup feature, to always keep an up-to-date copy of the media content of your Boxee 'box' on a network-share, (or vice verse if you will as well, I can imagine that many people would love to keep two copies of some media that they usually store on their computer, such a digital-camera photos/pictures, and this would enable them to have one copy on their Boxee 'box').

You could also have an option to automatically keep two Boxee 'boxes' synchronized, if you own two in the same house.

In addition this would enable users to do what I sometimes do, and that is take their Boxee 'box' (and the media stored on it) along to a party.

As for the technical aspect of this, I'm not sure if there is a better open source utility than rsync for it?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rsync
http://rsync.samba.org

Maybe a advanced options could be included as well like for example the ability to define full path to rsync local and remote to allow weekly backups, etc.

rsync -a --delete /mnt/D1/Daily/ /mnt/D1/Weekly/

PS! FYI; something related but not quite the same was brainstormed about here:
http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=50404

[jmarshall]

It's not a job for core XBMC at all. I have no problem with a script doing so, however.