How to sync multiple Google Drive accounts concurrently
A new feature of Syncdocs is the ability to sync multiple Google Drive accounts at the same time. Previously you were limited to one account per sync.
Why would I want multiple accounts?
You might want to keep your work Google Apps and personal Google Drive accounts separate.
If you are running a backup server, you might want to sync everyone on your Google Apps domain to the server, but keep their Google Drive data synced to separate folders.
Perhaps you are a web-designer or consultant and work with various different customers at the same time, and need to keep their data in sync.
How to setup multiple account Syncing
Previously Syncdocs only let you sync one account at a time. You could switch accounts, but not use both concurrently.
To setup multiple Syncdocs, do the following.
1. You’ll need Syncdocs version 1.23 or later. If you don’t have it, download and install the latest version
2. In the Preferences -> Account Tab there are two new buttons, marked “Make Shortcut” and “Use Now”
3. Select the other account you want to use.
4. “Use Now” button runs that other account concurrently when you press the button.
5. “Make shortcut” button makes a shortcut. This shortcut runs the other account. The shortcut is put on your desktop, but you can move it where you want. The shortcut is shown below. It is given the title of your gmail account (“syncdocs.test” in this case) so you can distinguish it.
You’ll see a different colored shortcut icon on the taskbar for this other account.
You can have as many accounts running concurrently as you wish.
Things to watch out for with multiple accounts
Watch out for confusion with multiple accounts running at the same time.
Right click uploads are always the first account
The context menu items that are shown when you right click on a file in Windows explorer (like “View in Google Docs” ) are linked to the first (main) instance of Syncdocs that is run.
Identifying accounts
If you hover your cursor over the secondary taskbar icons it will show you the account name, and the name is also shown at the top of the menu:
The name of the account is also shown at the top of the status menu:
Hello Admin,
One more thing. When using multiple concurrent accounts as described above, the primary accounts files are copied to the secondary account. What is the method to keep work and personal account separate?
Thank you,
Ben
Hi Ben,
The easiest way to keep the accounts separate is to specify different sync folders.
You can do this either:
1. when you setup the the new account.
2. If you already have setup the account, go to the Syncdocs Preferences menu and change the folder that syncs.