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Clear Ideas Sync App

The Clear Ideas Sync App is an application for Windows and Mac that runs in the background to facilitate synchronization between local files and the Clear Ideas App. It enables you to work with your Clear Ideas content directly from your computer's file system while keeping everything synchronized with the cloud.

Overview

The Sync App provides bidirectional synchronization between your local computer and Clear Ideas:

  • Cloud to Local: Files uploaded or modified in Clear Ideas are automatically downloaded to your local computer
  • Local to Cloud: Files added or modified on your local computer are automatically uploaded to Clear Ideas
  • Background Operation: Synchronization happens automatically in the background without interrupting your work
  • Version Control: File versions are maintained, allowing you to access previous versions if needed

1. Site Selection and Access

Users with administrative access (Owner or Admin role) can select which sites to sync locally using the Clear Ideas web application.

Enabling Local Sync for a Site

  1. Navigate to the site you want to sync locally
  2. Look for the local sync icon in the site information area
  3. Click the icon to toggle local sync on or off

Local Sync Enabled: The icon appears in green/success color when local sync is enabled for the site. Clicking it will disable sync for that site.

Local Sync Not Enabled: The icon appears in gray/secondary color when local sync is not enabled. Clicking it will enable sync for that site.

Permissions: Only site owners and administrators can enable or disable local sync. Regular users cannot change this setting.

Multiple Sites: You can enable local sync for multiple sites. Each site syncs independently to its own folder on your local computer.

2. Synchronization Process

The Clear Ideas Sync App periodically reconciles content between the cloud-based Clear Ideas App and your local computer.

How Synchronization Works

Automatic Sync: The app checks for changes periodically and syncs automatically:

  • New Content: Files uploaded to Clear Ideas are downloaded to your local sync folder
  • Modified Content: Changes made in Clear Ideas are synced to your local files
  • Local Changes: Files added or modified on your computer are uploaded to Clear Ideas
  • Conflict Resolution: If the same file is modified in both places, the Sync App handles conflicts according to configured rules

Sync Frequency: The app syncs regularly in the background. The exact frequency depends on the app configuration and system resources.

Bidirectional: Synchronization works both ways—changes flow from cloud to local and local to cloud seamlessly.

Folder Structure

When you enable local sync for a site, the Sync App creates a folder structure on your local computer that mirrors the site's organization:

  • Site Folder: A folder named after your site
  • Subfolders: Site folders and subfolders are replicated locally
  • Files: All files are synchronized to their corresponding local folders

3. Sync Control

Users have options to control synchronization behavior:

Pause Synchronization

  • Temporary Pause: Pause syncing temporarily without disabling it permanently
  • Resume: Resume syncing when ready
  • Use Case: Useful when you want to make many local changes without triggering uploads immediately

Disable Automatic Syncing

  • Manual Mode: Disable automatic syncing and sync manually when needed
  • Manual Sync: Trigger a sync manually through the Sync App interface
  • Use Case: For users who prefer to control exactly when synchronization occurs

Sync Status

The Sync App provides status information:

  • Sync Progress: See which files are being synced
  • Sync Errors: View any errors that occurred during synchronization
  • Last Sync: See when the last successful sync completed

4. Versioning

The Sync App maintains file versions to preserve history:

Version Management

  • New Versions: When a file is modified, a new version is created rather than overwriting the old one
  • Version Access: Previous versions can be accessed when viewing file properties in the Clear Ideas App
  • Default Display: By default, the most recent version is displayed to users who have access to a site
  • Version History: View version history, timestamps, and restore previous versions if needed

Benefits: Versioning ensures you can recover previous versions of files if needed and provides an audit trail of changes.

5. Automatic Updates

The Clear Ideas Sync App includes automatic updates:

  • Update Notifications: You'll be notified when updates are available
  • Automatic Installation: Updates can be installed automatically (configurable)
  • Latest Features: Stay current with the latest features and improvements
  • Security Updates: Receive important security updates automatically

Update Settings: Configure update preferences in the Sync App settings to control how updates are handled.

Downloading and Installing the Clear Ideas Sync App

The Clear Ideas Sync App can be downloaded here.

Installation Steps

  1. Download: Download the installer for your operating system (Windows or Mac)
  2. Run Installer: Execute the installer and follow the setup wizard
  3. Sign In: Sign in with your Clear Ideas account credentials
  4. Configure: Set up sync preferences and select initial sites to sync
  5. Start Syncing: The app begins syncing enabled sites automatically

System Requirements

  • Windows: Windows 10 or later
  • Mac: macOS 10.15 (Catalina) or later
  • Internet Connection: Required for synchronization
  • Disk Space: Sufficient disk space for synced files

Best Practices

Selective Sync: Only enable sync for sites you actively work with locally to conserve disk space and bandwidth.

Monitor Disk Space: Keep track of local disk space, especially when syncing large sites.

Network Considerations: Be aware of bandwidth usage, especially when syncing large files or many sites.

Version Management: Regularly review and clean up old versions if disk space is a concern.

Backup: While the Sync App provides cloud backup, consider additional local backups for critical files.

Troubleshooting

Sync Not Working: Check your internet connection and ensure you're signed in to the Sync App.

Files Not Syncing: Verify that local sync is enabled for the site in the web application.

Conflicts: Review conflict resolution settings and manually resolve conflicts if needed.

Disk Space: Ensure you have sufficient disk space for synced files.

Permissions: Verify you have write permissions to the sync folder location.