[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by obmob

Ok... i need some help

On of my sites has around 500 entries every file is on my server they are sorted within folders, one folder for one category, I have never used LDM synch.

Is it possible to enable this feature? If so, how should i prepare my files and folders?

Thanks Andrew

There's a set of things to think about:
a) LDM can construct a category/subcategory/entry structure that reflects your directory/subdirectory/file structure, or just sync a single directory
b) The directories need to be somewhere within the spaced specified by the settings of LDM's *local_file_root* and *local_file_root_prefix* settings
c) The sync will *only* locate files that have recognised mimetypes in your vb attachments table, but you can tell it to restrict the list further, e.g. only pdfs or mp3 or whatever
d) While a category is set to sync with a directory, the 'Add Entries' command is not available. However, once you've done the synchronisation, you can turn it off, and the category become a normal category again (and keeps the entries created by syncing) which accepts new entries.
d) When LDM syncs files, it gives the entries descriptions based on the contents of the /links_scantext template (I've just noticed that there's a small bug in the code - nothing serious). You can either change the contents of the template or use different templates per catgeory.

So:

Create a category

Towards the bottom of the Add Category form, find the "Synchronise With" box and point to the required directory. For example, if you want to sync with http: // yoursite / yourfiles / yoursyncdir and *local_file_root* is off and *local_file_root_prefix* is blank, you would point to /yourfiles / yoursyncdir. If *local_file_root* is off and *local_file_root_prefix* is set to /yourfiles, then you would point to /yoursyncdir

Now go to the Control Settings tab on the Add Category form

Turn on sync_enabled.

Turn on sync_populate_categories if you want LDM to create subcategories for subdirectories

Set another parameters if you want - you'll find a page about syncing in the online wiki

Click Submit to create the category.

LDM will automatically fill the category/subcategories a bit at a time, each time the category is visited, and once it has finished the job, it will recheck periodically for new files/loss of old files. As admin you'll find a button towards the top right of the category display which you can use to over-ride the automatic scanning.