Using Google Drive Sync for Preferences

[Keven]

I just installed the latest update for Alfred. Usually there aren't any problems, but now almost all my workflows were deleted, as well as all of my snippets. There is hours of work into these. I had a synced backup folder. I don't know if Alfred synced the deleted list of workflows.

 

How do I get back my workflows? 

 

 

Edited June 21, 2017 by Vero
Title edited to be less dramatic as it isn't an Alfred issue - Google Drive may not be sufficiently reliable for syncing live preferences

[Vero]

@Keven Alfred doesn't change or modify your preferences on update.

 

Do you use any app cleaners on your Mac? These can be over-zealous, where they perceive an update as the user uninstalling a piece of software, resulting in moving all associated preferences to Trash.

 

Also, where and how do you sync your preferences, as I recall you asked questions about syncing a little while ago? If your preferences were unavailable (e.g. because Dropbox files weren't available), it's possible that Alfred created a new set of preferences, but it should be fairly straightforward to recover the existing ones.

 

Cheers,
Vero

 

[Keven]

Everything is back to normal!  

 

Somehow, Google Drive was syncing only a few workflows and had unchecked all the rest. Rechecking all the workflows and files fixed everything.  

[Keven]

Is the 'Alfred.alfredpreferences' file in 'Library/Application Support/Alfred 3' the latest file with all workflows and settings? If I want to do a manual backup, backing this up would be the best way to do it?

[Keven]

And also, with similar experience with the syncing of software like iTunes (where an empty iTunes library wipes out your iPod/iPhone if you have the sync checked on)...

 

If all the workflows are somehow deleted from Alfred, for whatever reason, will Alfred sync the new version of the settings/workflows—the new version being the one with no more workflows—to the synced backup, and therefore completely wiping clean the backup as well?

[Vero]

@Keven Glad everything's back to normal.

 

Alfred doesn't sync to another folder, it moves your preferences to the location you set, so if you're using Dropbox or another syncing service, that'll be the location of the most current one.

 

It's worth noting that we recommend Dropbox for syncing because it's proven its reliability over the years. I'm not very familiar with Google Drive's sync service, but if it doesn't sync as efficiently, is selective with what is synced or doesn't deal with conflicts as smoothly, you may see weird behaviour with your preferences.

 

Cheers,
Vero

 

 

[Keven]

1 minute ago, Vero said:

@Keven Glad everything's back to normal.

 

Alfred doesn't sync to another folder, it moves your preferences to the location you set, so if you're using Dropbox or another syncing service, that'll be the location of the most current one.

 

It's worth noting that we recommend Dropbox for syncing because it's proven its reliability over the years. I'm not very familiar with Google Drive's sync service, but if it doesn't sync as efficiently, is selective with what is synced or doesn't deal with conflicts as smoothly, you may see weird behaviour with your preferences.

 

Cheers,
Vero

 

I accidently turned on syncing for all of my Drive folders in the Google Drive app, and then reclicking/re-syncing the Alfred backup folder only selected a few subfolders.

 

I'll keep it as is (with Alfred and syncing back to normal) and instead will always do a manual backup when I make changes to my workflows. I don't trust automatic backups. They are useful, but in conjunction with manual backups, and as a secondary backup. Too much of a risk that something goes wrong and then you find out the automatic backup broke a few months back—similar to the scare I just had.

 

So the main Alfred settings/workflow file is directly in the synced backup folder? It's the main settings backup file? What is the Alfred prefereneces file in the 'Library/Application Support/Alfred 3' folder?

[Andrew]

@Keven the .alfredpreferences package within the Alfred 3 application support folder will be one left there at the point of setting up sync. Alfred doesn't delete this in case the initial relocation of the preferences goes horribly wrong. It's fine for you to delete this file if you have your sync folder set elsewhere.