OneDrive and the Data Directory.

[Skyjoos]

I have an Ultimate licence and run FG on multiple machines for DMing. I have my main workstation where I do most of my work but as I primarily use FG to manage classic D&D in an all sitting around the table approach and not over the internet I have laptops, both a Surface (my go to machine) and a Mac Book (my new machine).

I have been sharing the Data Directory over OneDrive to hook up each machine to my campaigns and while this does work it also needs me to update FG each time I swap to a new host. Not sure why I need to do this but it in my *brief* investigation it seems to be re-downloading all my paid for content, PHB, DMG, MM, modules etc. I'm not complaining but this does take an age each swap and I was wondering if there was a better way to manage the Data Directory in this capacity?

Maybe a USB Drive or something?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[damned]

Skyjoos you most likely have two installations of Fantasy Grounds... check and you might find that is the cause of the redownloading.
If you leave OneDrive Sync on while using Fantasy Grounds you will likely experience data corruption at some point in time. Either pause OneDrive while using FG or look for another solution.

[dulux-oz]

Hi Skyjobs,

First of all, the general consensus is DON'T run FG from any type of cloud drive - there have been many reports of corrupted data.

It's OK to store a backup-copy of the data directory on a cloud drive, but don't run FG from one.

If you are running FG around the table then simply connect the laptops, etc to your local LAN, as FG is designed to do.

Feel free to ask any further questions :)

Cheers

[Skyjoos]

Thanks for your responses.

@Damned. If you mean multiple installations being one on each machine then yes. There is only one instance on each machine though. I'll try pausing OD when running FG to see if that helps. I've had the odd issue here an there with log files etc but nothing a back up didn't fix. The 'look for another solution' comment is exactly why I am here. Is a USB drive a good way to go?

@Dulux-oz. I did read the cloud drive advise and expect it is good advise but have to say in over a year of doing this I've had very little trouble with it other than the re-sync each time I swap host and I do keep backups. With regards to the LAN connection thing I need to run as a DM on a laptop when I run games but my workstation where I put the sessions together on is in my office across the house so it's not practical to run from there, unless I missing something. Plus I run away games as well so I need my ultimate licence and hence my campaigns to be mobile.

[dulux-oz]

Well, what I do is copy my data directory from my main PC to my laptop (& back again) via a backup on one of my servers with the Free File Synch app - but I run FG from the data directory on the same machine that the exe lives.

If you don't have a LAN then you could do the same thing with a USB Drive - but I wouldn't run FG from the USB Drive, but copy the data from the USB Drive to the local Hard Drive (& back again, as required).

That help any?

[Trenloe]

Strong recommendation - do *not* use any type of cloud sync on your live FG data. Just because you haven’t noticed any issues up until now doesn’t mean that you aren’t actually having issues or that you won’t have a major data loss in future.

In terms of redownloading content - do you have the same license key and the same FG login setup on each of your FG installations?

[Skyjoos]

Trenloe, thanks for the response.

Yup, same licence and login on each machine.

[Trenloe]

Yup, same licence and login on each machine.
When you copy across data (manually via a backup or USB drive), don't copy the vault directory or any of its contents.

[Skyjoos]

Thanks for the tips. I'll give the copy sync approach a go.

[ChazRambone]

Yeah I learned my lesson the hard way with this... totally corrupted the game I was DM'ing.

Been using SyncToy to just sync campaigns/characters/extensions/modules/portraits/tokens folders on both computers to my onedrive and have had great results.