Sync Documents folder across several computers -- how to initialize on second computer

I Have a Question
1

What I want to do

On my existing computer (let’s call it machine 1) I have the Documents folder synced to cloud storage, using the Sync to odrive feature. I am setting up a second computer (say machine 2), and would like the corresponding Documents folder to also be synced to the same cloud storage folder, which will also sync machines 1 and 2. My question is, how do I initiate syncing on the second machine?

What I have found

I have found a number of articles (here, here, and here), but none seems to address the first-time initialization.

How I think I can do it

  • Method A: copy the data from the Documents folder of machine 1 to the Documents folder of machine 2 (say, using an external drive, or through the web client of the cloud storage provider), and then use Sync to odrive to link the folder on machine 2 to the same cloud storage location.
  • Method B: link the Documents folder on machine 2 to the cloud storage location of the Documents folder of machine 1

Method B requires the least effort, but it’s unclear to me whether it will result in copying files from the cloud storage to machine 2, or wiping the cloud storage folder (and eventually the Documents folder on machine 1), in an effort to replicate the structure of the Documents folder on machine 2 (i.e. an empty folder).

2

Hi @george,
Good questions.

When you initialize a “sync to odrive” folder, it does a merge of the local and remote folders.

So, if the local folder is empty, it will just display all of the content from the cloud. It will not delete everything in the cloud to match the empty local folder.

If there is already content in the folder the merge takes place, with local files taking priority if they are named the same, but have different content.

In summary, your Method B should do what you need.