I feel really stupid, but there is something I just don’t understand about synchronization from one computer to the other. Here’s my setup: I have Scrivener 2 running on both my iMac and my new Macbook Air (yay!). I have followed the video tutorial instructions for syncing with Dropbox but I can’t figure out to get the original iMac project into my MBA. When I view the sync folder in Dropbox everything is there but I can’t seem to bring it into my MBA – the files are “ghosted” and refuse to be opened, imported, or anything else. Doubtless I have missed something obvious; unfortunately it just isn’t obvious to me.
Well, first of all, let’s eliminate any notions of using the sync features to keep two projects up to date. That is not what they are intended for; rather they are meant to parcel out a bit of material for on-the-go work, or to a colleague for remote editing. They are not meant to keep two distinct project files up to date with each other.
The only acceptable way to do this is to copy the project file to a transfer device and move it from one computer to the next. Beyond that, the mechanism is flexible. You can use Dropbox to move files around, flash drives, mobile USB hard drives, whatever you prefer.
So if you are using the [b]Open...[/b] command in Scrivener, and trying to open a spread of RTF files from your sync folder settings on the first computer, yeah—that won’t work. I recommending using the [b]File/Back Up/Back Up To...[/b] command to produce a zipped copy on Dropbox, and then copying that zip file to your Air and decompressing it. Work on the project file; and when finished just repeat the above steps to get it back to your home station.
One solution might be to use AirDisk if you have an Airport Extreme router. It would allow you to keep project files on an external USB hard drive (connected to the router), that is then accessible to any computer with internet access and permission to use the drive. Your project(s) would not have to be stored on either computer (although you could always keep backups there).
I haven’t personally tried this as I have not had time to set mine up (been busy trying to write a novel), but that’s how it works in principle. I think it also works on a less-expensive Airport Express router, which has a USB port.
but that’s how it works in principle. I think it also works on a less-expensive Airport Express router, which has a USB port.