Frequently Asked Questions - Project Sync

Why can't you sync a space?

Syncing a whole space removes the control of what should and shouldn't be synced from a space manager. By requiring the extra folder-share step, space managers retain control of their files and remain gatekeepers of what can leave the space.

Restricting syncing to single folders on a per-project basis reduces the chance of a large number of people syncing a lot of files they will never use.

Similarly, by retaining control of what can be synced, we allow a space manager to control access to large files like raw audio and video, to prevent them being synced.

Finally, syncing a whole space would make your files more prone to editing, deletion and removal. If you have approval processes or you need to control and track the downloading of some files, we recommend that you don't put them into a synced folder. 

Instead, we highly recommend that you use the syncer on a project-by-project basis with folders of files that are being worked on and shared with just the team who need to work on them.

How can I stop my file being synced by someone?

The simple answer is—don't share it with them.

If you do share it with them in a Folder Share or shared Collection, then don't give them download permission. That will also prevent them from putting it in a synced Collection.

Why can't you add files to a Collection on my desktop?

You can't upload into a collection as files can't be stored in Collections. Collections are like playlists— they are just a list that points to files in other places in Chorus (we call these references). To add a file into a Collection you need to upload it into Chorus first and then drop it into the Collection.

Why can't I edit a file in a Collection on my desktop?

Collections don't store original files—they store a reference to a file. Each reference to a file in a collection gets replaced every time the original file is edited. Files in collections are saved on your desktop as read-only to prevent them being edited.

Why can't you edit a derivative?

A derivative is similar to a file in a Collection. It is a reference to a file with some instructions about what file format it should be converted to and how to crop it when it is downloaded. Derivative files are saved on your desktop as read-only to prevent them being edited.

Can Smart Collections Sync?

Yes. Syncing Smart Collections is a great feature and works in the same way as syncing Collections (the contents are read-only).

A smart collection is, essentially, a saved search. As such they have the potential to sync a large number of files—possibly every file in a site! They update every time a matching file is added to Chorus or edited. While we realise that has interesting uses, it could also generate a huge amount of unwanted syncs and consume a lot of network bandwidth, so we advise careful planning.

Can you change the location of the Chorus folder on the desktop side?

No, we don't support that at the moment. Let us know if this is a feature you need!

Can you sync more than one folder?

You can put as many folders as you like into your Chorus folder, but we don't support having more than one folder.

What happens if I delete a file on my desktop?

It goes into your Recycle Bin in Chorus.

Note that if you delete a file in your Sync folder it will get deleted in Chorus - and then deleted in everyone else's sync folder.You can go to the Recycle Bin to recover files, but because of the way the deletion rapidly affects more than one user, it is still something with the potential to be disruptive.

If I move something out of the Sync folder, will it still get synced?

• If you move something out of the Sync folder in Chorus, it will no longer by synced and it will be removed from your desktop Sync folder.
• Moving a shared folder out of your Sync folder in Chorus won't necessarily stop it being synced by someone else—you need to stop sharing it with them for that to happen.
• Moving a folder out of a shared folder in Chorus will remove it from the share, so it will disappear for everyone else.
• If you remove something from your Sync folder on your computer it will be removed from Chorus. It will be removed from everyone else's Sync folder, too.

What happens if two people edit the same file at the same time?

If two people edit the same time, it will result in two revisions with different content in them. There is no way for Chorus to merge files, especially in view of the many complex and proprietary file formats that might be involved, so we have to leave it up to you and your team member to fix it.

We recommend you download each revision and manually merge the two changes. If one of the change was minor, it could be re-done.

Why can't you lock a file to prevent simultaneous edits?

It is not possible to know if a file is already open on another person's desktop. Even if Project Sync locked a file, then you made your changes and saved the file before unlocking it again, another user could save and write over your changes. We are considering ways to provide some kind of locking, but it will not be fool-proof. In the meantime, revisions are an effective safeguard against losing content through simultaneous edits.

What does Project Sync do if a file is marked as expired, or embargoed in Chorus?

When a file has expired, or is embargoed, it will no longer sync. Additionally, Project Sync will remove local copies of the file from desktop Sync folders.

Can I use a Request-Use Workflow with Project Sync?

No. Once a folder is being synced by someone they have full access to all the files. We are thinking about how his might work and what workflows we could add to add an approval step before allowing folders to by synced.

Is Project Sync a Work-In-Progress tool?

Yes, we think so. Project Sync integrates seamlessly with desktop apps like Creative Suite and Microsoft Office by integrating seamlessly with the file system. Collaboration is as easy as hitting save. By putting your work files directly where you need them—on your desktop—Project Sync enables work-in-progress.

Is Project Sync a personal backup tool?

Provided the volume and data and the number of personal files you want to backup is fairly modest, this should be fine. However, for large or complex backups, a dedicated backup tool is preferable. Project Sync is also great for sharing files between locations. It can sync important files between your office PC and your laptop so you always have the right file in the right place when you need it.

Is Project Sync a team backup tool?

Chorus is great for keeping your team's files backed up. However, we suggest that you should think of Chorus as the place where the files live and Sync folder as a place to temporarily share them. If you keep all of your team's files in one shared folder that everyone syncs, it puts your files at greater risk of accidental editing or deletion. It also has the potential to generate a lot of unwanted syncing as everyone edits their files.

Is Project Sync an archival Tool?

We don't recommend using Project Sync as an archival tool. Project Sync doesn't compress files in transit over the network, and nor does it store them compressed. This makes it easy to use with desktop apps, but inefficient to use for archiving.

We also don't currently offer a Linux version of Project Sync, which might lessen the attractiveness of this as a solution.

Is Project Sync suitable for video editing work?

Raw video files are very big. We don't recommend you edit video files in the Sync folder, as uploading raw video can be very slow and use a lot of bandwidth. This is especially true if you are working in a shared folder as, currently, each time you hit save the whole file will be uploaded and sent out to each team-member with the folder.

To work with video files, we recommend using a separate folder for the raw video and project files and periodically export to the Sync folder to share with your team. As the exported video will be compressed, it should sync a lot faster than the raw video and project files. You may also find it preferable to use a smaller resolution for your previews and render your final file at full resolution.

Once you have finished editing, you can always move the folder with raw video and project files into your Sync folder for backup.

Should I avoid syncing large files?

It's important to be careful. Only sync large files if you are sure that everyone needs to have access to them on their desktop. Remember that once you sync a large file into a shared folder, everyone who shares the folder will receive a copy.

We have tested Project Sync uploading a variety of large files. However, be aware of the network speed of where you are working—especially when working at home or on domestic broadband which often has upload speeds much slower than download speeds.

Is Project Sync compatible with Creative Cloud, Microsoft Office, Sketch...?

Yes. We've tested these products, and many others, too.


Please let us know if you find any incompatibilities. Some apps create temporary files in the background either as constant backups or as part of their normal save procedure. These should work fine but we would be interested if you encounter any of these strange looking files. On macOS, some apps store their files as a bundle—essentially a folder with multiple files in them. These should work fine with Project Sync but they might look a little odd in Chorus.

Some of these apps, especially video and audio apps and Adobe InDesign, also allow you to store some of the files (usually large raw audio and video files) outside of the bundle on separate hard drives. These won't sync properly, as all the files need to be in the Sync folder to sync to Chorus. If you are affected by this, there is usually an option to gather all the files and embed the in the project bundle which we suggest you do, if you'd like to sync a bundle-based project.

I put some files in my folder, but the sync to Chorus is going very slowly. Why?

Project Sync sends data to Chorus at the same speed that your browser does. There are two main possible reasons for slow uploads.

• One possibility is that there is a sync backlog. Click on the Project Sync icon if your toolbar (macOS) or task bar (Windows), and you should be able to see what is holding the sync up. Usually, it will be a large file blocking the sync.
• Another possibility is that your broadband is slow. Most broadband packages have significantly faster download speeds than upload speeds, for example.

Often it will be a combination of both.

Can I close the lid of my laptop during a sync?

Yes, it should just continue next time you open the lid. Please let us know if it doesn’t.

How do I stop Project Sync sending me desktop notifications?

You can control notifications inside Project Sync itself.

Click the 'Bell' icon in the Project Sync tool to switch off notification sounds. Click again to full disable notifications (speech bubble icon).
Click again to restore notifications.

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