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Using drive label instead of drive letter

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August 7, 2009 - 4:01pm
#1
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!

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August 8, 2009 - 2:44am
Steve Lamerton
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So

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

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August 8, 2009 - 3:51am
(Reply to #2)
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.

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August 8, 2009 - 5:36am
(Reply to #3)
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!

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August 8, 2009 - 5:46am
(Reply to #4)
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...

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August 8, 2009 - 7:32am
(Reply to #5)
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.

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August 8, 2009 - 8:53am
(Reply to #6)
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...

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August 10, 2009 - 9:24am
(Reply to #7)
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

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August 11, 2009 - 6:45am
(Reply to #8)
eyalrbs
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Great!

I'm looking forward to it Smile

Thanks!

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