Share, back up and synchronise files easily

Go to the Syncplicity website at www.syncplicity.com and click the Sign up button at the top of the page. As mentioned, there are three different types of account available ­ two of which involve a subscription fee ­ but we’re interested in the free version for now so click the Sign up Now button beneath the ‘2GB Free’ label. Enter the requested details and click Sign up and a download link will be displayed. Click the link and save the setup file to the Windows Desktop.

Double-click the file Syncplicity_Setup.exe, which has been downloaded to the Desktop. When the ‘Welcome to Syncplicity’ screen appears, the current computer needs to be registered with the program’s online server. Enter the email address and password you used when creating an account, type a suitable name to help identify the current computer and then click Next. Now select the option labelled ‘Let me pick folders to synchronize and backup’ before clicking Next again ­ this option provides greater control over what is synchronised.

The next screen that is displayed provides links to information about the capabilities of Syncplicity -­ click the ‘Learn more’ links to access the relevant web pages, and then click Next to continue. The final screen provides access to a tour of the program and after accessing this, click Finish to complete the process. The Folder Synchronization & Sharing screen that appears can be used to select a number of common folders to be included in the synchronisation set -­ just tick the boxes next to the folders you’re interested in.

It is also possible to opt to include folders that are not listed by default ­ ideal if files have been stored in custom folders. Click the ‘Add a new folder’ link at the left-hand side or bottom of the Syncplicity window, select a folder and click OK. Folders can be renamed for the purposes of the program by first selecting it and then clicking the ‘Change label’ link to the right of the window. Choose between backing up a folder or synchronising its contents by clicking the ‘Backup only’ or ‘Fully synchronize’ link to toggle between the two options.

Syncplicity makes it possible to share files with others, regardless of whether or not they are using the program themselves. Select a folder from the list and click the ‘Share it with someone’ link to the right. Enter an email address and choose whether the other person should be allowed to edit files or just view them before clicking OK. Additional contacts can be added to sharing by clicking the ‘Add someone’ link, individuals removed by clicking the red cross next to their email address, and sharing cancelled by clicking the ‘Make it private’ link.

Files that have been synchronised using Syncplicity can then be accessed from any computer with an internet connection. Go to http://my.syncplicity.com, click the Login button, enter your email address and password and a list of synchronised files and folders will be displayed. Used at its most basic level, the web interface can be used to download files ready for editing on another computer by right-clicking its icon and selecting the Download option. Alternatively, double-click a file to choose a download location.

Once a file has been edited and saved on another computer, it will need to be uploaded so that it can be synchronised with the original PC. Click the Upload button in the My Syncplicity toolbar and then click the green ‘+’ button. Navigate to and select a file, click open and repeat the process for any other files that are needed. When the upload list has been compiled, click the Upload button to make the transfer. The same technique can be used to upload newly created files as necessary.

If there are two computers that you work with on a regular basis, it makes sense to automatically synchronise files between them. We have already looked at how to set up Syncplicity to synchronise files between one computer and an online account, but by installing the same software on another computer, any changes to files can be automatically mirrored. After installation, move to the Account tab of your online Syncplicity account and selecting Computers to view a list of all the computers involved in synchronisation.

When working with another computer to access files that have been synchronised with your online account, it is possible that the software required to edit certain types of file are not installed. Fortunately, Syncplicity includes online software that can be used to view and edit a range of documents including images and Office files. Open supported files online by clicking the Syncplicity icon that appears above file icons and select the ‘Preview in Scribd iPaper’ option. To edit files select ‘Edit in Zoho’ or ‘Edit in Picnik’ instead.

Image editing is taken care of by the online tool Picnik. This handy application can be used to resize, crop and enhance images using a range of simple tools. A selection of standard image-editing options are available on the Edit tab, while moving to the Create section provides access to more advanced options such as applying special effects -­ some are free while others require an upgrade to a premium version of the product. After making changes, click the Save Back To Syncplicity button in the upper right of the screen.

In addition to image editing with Picnik, Syncplicity also includes Zoho, an online office suite. The program is compatible with Microsoft Office and is capable of opening files that have been created in Excel, Word and Powerpoint as well as PDF documents. The suite is virtually indistinguishable from a standard office suite and all the standard features are available. After editing and adding text, adjusting formatting and adding images, click the Save button in the upper left of the Zoho window to return to Syncplicity’s file explorer.

Whenever files are edited, there is no need to worry about making and saving unwanted changes -­ Syncplicity automatically saves a copy of the original file along with the edited version. To access the various versions of a file that have been saved, click the Syncplicity icon which appears over a file icon and select Show Revisions from the menu that appears. You can then make a selection from the list that is displayed, and choose which version of the file should be downloaded.

By default, Syncplicity is supplied with Zoho, Scribd and Picnik pre-installed, but there are a couple of other applications available. Move to the Applications tab of the online interface and links to Google Docs and Facebook will be displayed. Click the link next to either of these applications to add them to Syncplicity. The Facebook application can be used to manage photos that have been uploaded to the social network, while Google Docs is an alternative to Zoho.

We have already mentioned how Syncplicity can be used to select folders that should be synchronised with online storage, but this can also be achieved through Windows. Right-click a folder, select Syncplicity from the menu that is displayed and click ‘Add to Syncplicity’. Individual files can be shared with others by right-clicking and selecting Syncplicity followed by ‘Create a shareable link’. The link that is provided can then be emailed to contacts to enable them to download a copy of the file.