Mounting SMB shares in Mac BC

[slideaway]

I've run into an issue where the way we have our servers at work configured has created a bit of a headache pertaining to multiple servers.

In the Windows version of BC I could access a server by using

\\pubweb6.example.local\GlobalTemplates\

On the Mac side I have to mount this pubweb6 server using Connect To Server in Finder, which then enables me to access this server using this path.

/Volumes/GlobalTemplates/

This is all well and good, but unfortunately I have to mount all 6 of these servers, all of which have the same name when mounted as a volume in Finder. Ideally I'd like to be able to just use the SMB path, which is what I used to access the server through Finder, like this

smb://pubweb6.example.local/GlobalTemplates/

But when I try to use an SMB path it won't connect. Does anyone know if you can connect via an SMB url, or does a share have to be mounted in the OS to work properly?

[Aaron]

Hello,

In general, the location does need to be bound to a location (Volume). Where in Finder do you go to enter "smb://" as the location?

[slideaway]

Hello,

In general, the location does need to be bound to a location (Volume). Where in Finder do you go to enter "smb://" as the location?

Hit Command+K and put in the address.

[Zoë]

The next beta will support mounting smb://, cifs://, and afs:// servers automatically. The base folders will still transition to /Volumes/xyz paths after the load, so let us know how it works for you.

[Dan Richardson]

Did this support ever happen? I can't figure out how to get to my NAS without mounting it in OSX first.

[Aaron]

Hello,

You should be able to type into the Folder Compare base folder path with "smb://servername/",etc which should then connect to the server. It uses the same syntax as Finder's "Connect to Server". Are you testing with 4.0.7?

The Browse dialog would need the destination to be bound first.

[Dan Richardson]

Excellent, that works. Thanks.

[Dan Richardson]

That displays the top level directories, but then Beyond Compare 4.07 locks up. Folder Sync does not proceed. Menu bar Stop light blinks but is unresponsive. Have to Force Quit. Trying afp instead of smb doesn't work at all.

[Aaron]

Thanks. What type of device are you connecting to? Did AFP work better for you?

If it helps, the smb:// syntax supports smb://server/folder/ to navigate directly to a smaller subfolder rather than the top level. However, I would expect the top level to also work fine for a standard smb server. Sometimes we see issues with NAS devices that don't quite support the protocol fully, or that they need firmware or driver updates.

[Dan Richardson]

Specifying a lower level folder didn't work either. Same thing, I see that first level of directories and the rotating blue progress ball cursor, but nothing else happens.

I'm syncing a Drobo B800fs NAS to a QNAP TS869L NAS. I want the Drobo to be a mirror of the QNAP. Comparisons give me different results, depending if I'm using rsync from one of the devices, or using SMB or AFP from outside, or if I'm using FreeFileSync or Forklift or an older Beyond Compare PC or current Beyond Compare Mac. Differences are mostly in the hidden files, although most times I find yet another large file that's simply incomplete on one side. I'm a reluctant IT guy. I do audio work, and I need to archive everything. It's about 10TB right now.

In the middle of running these experiments, I upgraded the Mac to 10.10.4, so that's another factor. They did a bunch of work on networking.

[Aaron]

Hello,

Do you see differences between displays if you use our Suppress Filters toggle to find files that might be hidden by set filters?

Do both NAS devices have the same issue connecting on SMB? Or if you load only one side or the other (leave the other side blank), is either able to load well?

[Dan Richardson]

Neither side will load at all by itself. This is true even if the smb shares already mounted on the Mac.

Checking for filter stuff will have to come later. I just had it crash after 12 hours of comparing the two machines.

[Aaron]

Hello,

With your 10 TB, how many files are in these folders? The Folder Compare's memory limits are bound by the total number of files scanning, and not the size of the files. Are you hitting an out of memory crash?

[Dan Richardson]

Hello,

With your 10 TB, how many files are in these folders? The Folder Compare's memory limits are bound by the total number of files scanning, and not the size of the files. Are you hitting an out of memory crash?

I don't know ow many files. It's crashed twice when pulling down a menu while it was doing a sync compare. Help menu once, don't remember which the other time. The top directory only lockup happens even on a small subdirectory, though. Interestingly, Folder Sync locks up, but Folder Compare works with smb:// addressing.

[Dan Richardson]

Also, Folder Compare works with afp:// addressing, as long as I use the IP address.