Feature suggestion: easier folder configuration / central client management

[obma]

I want to suggest a table to configure the folders to be synchronised, instead of multi-page dialog as it is now. Instead of clicking through the dialog several times you would just have to check a checkbox beside the folders you want to synchronise. This would be easier, faster and more comfortable.

Sync	Folder	Local Folder	Ext
[x]	[-]Root	~/ownCloud	[ ]
[x]	-[-]FolderA	~/ownCloud/FolderA	[ ]
[x]	--FolderAA	~/ownCloud/FolderA/FolderAA	[ ]
[x]	--[+]FolderAB	~/ownCloud/FolderA/FolderAB	[ ]
[x]	-[-]FolderB	~/ownCloud/FolderB	[ ]
[ ]	--FolderBA	~/ownCloud/FolderB/FolderBA	[ ]
[x]	--[+]FolderBB	~/Music	[ ]
[ ]	-[-]FolderC	~/ownCloud/FolderC	[ ]
[x]	--[+]FolderCA	~/ownCloud/FolderC/FolderCA	[ ]
[ ]	--FolderCB	~/ownCloud/FolderC/FolderCB	[ ]
[ ]	--[+]FolderCC	~/ownCloud/FolderC/FolderCC	[ ]
[ ]	-[+]FolderD	~/ownCloud/FolderD	[ ]
[x]	-[+]FolderE	/meda/user/exthdd	[x]

The [+] annd [-] beside the folder-name should be a collapse/expand button to show/hide subfolders.

All files and folders underneath a checked folder will be synchronised (as in FolderA), but it should be possible to ignore (sub-)folders by unchecking them (FolderBA).
The default local path should be the same relative path as on the server, starting in the configured root (i.e. ~/ownCloud). The local path should be configurable through a dialog opened by clicking in the table cell (as in FolderBB). If a folder is synchronised while its parent-folder isn't, the path should stay the same as on the server (FolderCA) - therefore the parent folder (FolderC) needs to be read-only on the client, since creating a folder FolderCB or FolderCC in it would result in a conflict. I think this would make orientation easier, since all paths (except for those overwritten - like FolderBB => ~/Music) are the same as they are on the server/web-interface.
Another feature I want to suggest is an "ext-flag" for each folder. Setting/Checking it would say, that the local path lays on an external drive and should only be synchronised when the drive is connected (so that the folder is not deleted on the server when the external drive is not connected).

Another thing I want to suggest: client management on the server/web interface
The client should be registered to the server with a name (default: hostname, changeable on client and server). The sync-settings (sync/ignore) are stored on/synchronised with the server. Similiar to the share-button there should be a sync-button, where you can check the clients the folder should be synchronised with. On the settings page should be a list of all registered clients, where each client could be renamed and for each client can be set whether new folders on the server should be synchronised or ignored on default (see example below).

ClientA	New folders on the servers are [synchronised] on default.
ClientB	New folders on the servers are [not synchronised] on default.
ClientC	New folders on the servers are [not synchronised] on default.

New folder FolderX created on ClientC and uploaded to the server will be synchronised to ClientA, but not to ClientB.

I hope it is understandable what I mean, if not: please ask me.

[dragotin]

@jancborchardt please

[jancborchardt]

We really need to go step by step on this. And the next step is to have selective sync: #100

When we have that we can see what else we need and how we can polish further. I really don’t want to start with a lot of overhead and an intricate system, if it would actually only be used by (or useful for) a handful of people.

As for the other »client mgmt on the server« idea: Yeah, we should probably have that, albeit in a simpler way. See owncloud/core#6120 for that.

[obma]

Sounds good. I just wanted to share my ideas with you. I cant contribute code, but I thought at least I can contribute some ideas.

I think it should be easy to split up these ideas in steps.
As you already mentioned, first would be the selective sync. You have to say that you already have a selective sync (folder profiles), but its configuration is not that easy, and you have to add new folders from the server manually by adding a new folder profile (first step: adopt the folder-profile configuration in a table or something similiar; second step: add a config option how to handle new folders - default sync/ignore). The sync-subfolders without their parents, external-drive-sync ideas could be next steps in later future. I think the last and hardest step would be the mgmt on server - since the server is involved.

[jancborchardt]

@obma yeah, thank you for your suggestions – I’m closing this for now as a duplicate of #100 (selective sync). We’ll look further as soon as we got that.