Configuration

Most users can use the Setup Wizard and never touch this file.

If you do want to edit it directly, the runtime config is stored in the app's local data folder as config.json.

Basic Shape

{
  "drive": {},
  "app": {},
  "cache": {},
  "compare": {},
  "jobs": []
}

The Important Parts

drive: where the USB is expected to appear when you are using manual or legacy path setup
app: sync behavior and watch settings
cache: shared shadow-cache defaults
jobs: which USB folders map to which local folders, and whether each job uses cache or direct mode

The current wizard writes absolute USB source paths into jobs[].source and derives the drive root from them. Relative source paths still work in hand-edited configs when drive.letter or drive.path is set.

`drive`

Field	Type	Default	Notes
`letter`	string or null	platform default in generated template	Windows-only drive letter such as `E` or `S`; mainly useful for manual configs
`path`	string or null	platform default in generated template on macOS/Linux	Absolute mounted USB path; mainly useful for manual configs
`eject_after_sync`	bool	`true`	Ejects the drive after a successful pull or push sync

`app`

Field	Type	Default	Notes
`sync_on_insert`	bool	`true`	Runs a USB-to-PC sync when the configured drive appears
`sync_while_mounted`	bool	`true`	Watches the USB for live changes while mounted
`auto_sync_to_usb`	bool	`false`	Watches local targets and pushes changes back to the USB
`poll_interval_seconds`	integer	`2`	Used for drive detection and config reload checks, clamped to `1..60`

`cache`

Field	Type	Default	Notes
`root`	string or null	app-managed path	Optional custom location for the shadow cache root
`shadow_copy`	bool	`true`	Compatibility flag; current behavior is controlled per job by `jobs[].use_shadow_cache`
`clear_shadow_on_eject`	bool	template writes `false`	Deletes shadow-cache folders when the drive is removed or after an ejecting sync; set this explicitly in older configs

`compare`

Field	Type	Default	Notes
`hash_on_metadata_change`	bool	`true`	Uses hashing when metadata indicates a file may have changed

`jobs`

Each job maps one USB source folder to one absolute PC target path.

Field	Type	Default	Notes
`name`	string	none	Must be unique
`source`	string	none	Absolute USB path preferred; relative path still works for manual/legacy configs
`target`	string	none	Absolute local folder path
`mirror_deletes`	bool	`true`	Follows source-side deletes for the active sync direction
`use_shadow_cache`	bool	`true`	When `true`, the job stages through a per-job cache folder; when `false`, it syncs directly
`shadow_root`	string or null	none	Optional per-job cache root; overrides `cache.root` for that job

Rules

All jobs must point at the same mounted USB drive or mount root.
source should be an absolute USB folder path when created by the wizard.
Relative source values must stay inside the configured USB drive.
target must be an absolute local path.
On Windows, drive.letter is only required if you rely on relative source paths.
On macOS and Linux, drive.path is only required if you rely on relative source paths.
Duplicate job names are rejected.
Relative cache roots are resolved under the app data folder.

Example

{
  "drive": {
    "letter": "S",
    "eject_after_sync": false
  },
  "app": {
    "sync_on_insert": true,
    "sync_while_mounted": true,
    "auto_sync_to_usb": false,
    "poll_interval_seconds": 2
  },
  "cache": {
    "root": null,
    "shadow_copy": true,
    "clear_shadow_on_eject": false
  },
  "compare": {
    "hash_on_metadata_change": true
  },
  "jobs": [
    {
      "name": "ExampleType",
      "source": "S:\\MVA\\Example Folder On USB",
      "target": "C:\\Users\\user\\Documents\\ExampleFolder",
      "mirror_deletes": true,
      "use_shadow_cache": true,
      "shadow_root": null
    }
  ]
}