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Using drive label instead of drive letter

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eyalrbs
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Using drive label instead of drive letter

Hi,

I'm trying to create a sync between folders on my portable HD and my USB flash drive.
I want to overcome the problem of drive letters changing when I plug them on different computers.
Toucan is installed on the HD, so I'm using the @drive@ variable for this drive.
But I'm looking for a way to make the program uniquely identify the flash drive, although its letter might change.

I though of using the drive label, instead of the drive letter, but I don't know how.

Help and any ideas will be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

Steve Lamerton
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So

is the problem that the drive letters of both drives are changing?

eyalrbs
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yes

But mainly that the letter of the flash drive is changing.
I want to be able to make the sync without dependency on the computer.
So at different computers I get different letters for the drives.
For the HD, where I run Toucan from, it's not a problem because I can use the @drive@ variable.
But for the flash drive I have to use it's letter, which is not constant.
I though that maybe it would be possible to use the drive's label instead...
For example, for the HD, I can write a path of a folder in the form: "@drive@\FolderName".
For the flash drive it has to be: "G:\FolderName", which is no good if "G" isn't constant.

Thanks again.

eson
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Default driveletter for any

Default driveletter for any external drive is the first available letter, in alphabetical order, at the moment you connect the unit... in your case apparently G:\!
Therefor the best workaround is to change driveletter for your flashdrive, to any letter that is not likely to be used as default! Ex. P:\ for "Portable". Your system will then remember that driveletter the next time you connect your flashdrive!
To change driveletter... go to "Disk Management" and check out contextmenu for desired unit!

eyalrbs
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thanks, but

The problem is not that the letter is changing on the same computer, but that it's changing among different computers...

jamcomm
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You can't!

You can't! Simple as that!

However, you can do something simple like setting up a DOS batch file to use the "subst" command to give your drive another, consistent drive letter.

eyalrbs
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It's possible

But then I'd have to run the batch file from the flash drive every time...
I was looking for something simpler.

Maybe as a side note for the developer:
It would be nice to add an option to uniquely identify a drive by other characteristics than drive letter, for example by drive label, serial number, a hidden file in the root folder, or something like that...

Steve Lamerton
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Yes

I agree, this would be useful to add, possibly using the drive label I think, I shall try to add something Smile

eyalrbs
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Great!

I'm looking forward to it Smile

Thanks!

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