Howlers... sound off...

[mirtos]

Originally Posted by Thrantor

True enough... Mostly wondering because I'll likely use dropbox to keep my two machines in sync with the background database file(s).

Would there be any issues with this? Licensing etc? Like with Hero Labs, I've got 4 computers(maybe 3... I think the other one is) licenses for use. I use Dropbox to share the portfolios amongst all three(four). From the sounds though, Realm Works will be one initial upfront license and then, assuming cloud support, usage fees. So I should be able to share my RW files(until cloud sync works) by way of Dropbox?

this was answered on kickstarter, i think. we cant do this, its not designed in the same way, i dont think. the cloud support is for their cloud, not dropbox. we cant control the folders initially where it stores. on kickstarter they explained that it was definitely very different from the way hero lab works, and its not like portfolio files.

But unlike hero lab, realmswork's licenses is by user, but not by computer, but without the cloud, you wont be able to share campaigns between computers (well not easily, supposedly there is a way to export and reimport).

obviously im not an employee, am i remembering correctly rob?

[mirtos]

also, our email that we received (assuming we're all howlers here) told us that we could only install on one computer until the cloud. I assume this is for that very reason that you cant just copy "files" across?

[Thrantor]

Originally Posted by mirtos

also, our email that we received (assuming we're all howlers here) told us that we could only install on one computer until the cloud. I assume this is for that very reason that you cant just copy "files" across?

Meh... Files is files. Worst case you could install the entire thing to a dropbox drive. Even if they save to the user directory, that can be mapped to a dropbox folder.
I'll play around and submit bug reports and status reports about how I'm breaking my own stuff.
It'll be interesting.

[mirtos]

Originally Posted by Thrantor

Meh... Files is files. Worst case you could install the entire thing to a dropbox drive. Even if they save to the user directory, that can be mapped to a dropbox folder.
I'll play around and submit bug reports and status reports about how I'm breaking my own stuff.
It'll be interesting.

In theory you're right, but it might not be so simple... depending what type of database they are using. Speaking of which, i know you told us at some point Rob, but what sort of database is it running under locally? (I know its SQL Server on the cloud)

[rob]

@Thrantor's idea will work. The issue is that it will only work for a single user. The limitation is that GMs cannot use the technique to share material with *PLAYERS*. That will require our cloud. This is the issue that arose during Kickstarter.

Basically, you would perform a backup of the database to Dropbox from Computer1. Then you do a restore of the database from Dropbox onto Computer2. Then you reverse the process. It's clunky, but it would work until server syncing is online.

[mirtos]

Originally Posted by rob

@Thrantor's idea will work. The issue is that it will only work for a single user. The limitation is that GMs cannot use the technique to share material with *PLAYERS*. That will require our cloud. This is the issue that arose during Kickstarter.

Basically, you would perform a backup of the database to Dropbox from Computer1. Then you do a restore of the database from Dropbox onto Computer2. Then you reverse the process. It's clunky, but it would work until server syncing is online.

What if you installed the program on your dropbox directory? Would it require a restore/backup process?

[rob]

Originally Posted by mirtos

What if you installed the program on your dropbox directory? Would it require a restore/backup process?

You can't do that for a number of critical and technical reasons. The database *must* be installed on the local computer and not shared directly.

[mirtos]

Originally Posted by rob

You can't do that for a number of critical and technical reasons. The database *must* be installed on the local computer and not shared directly.

Rob, do you use dropbox? (I dont mean this sarcastically, im curious) Because im thinking there might be some confusion. Dropbox folders are local to the computer.

i just dont know how the database installation works. If for example the database was installed in c:\database (I dont know where it goes), and I were to copy that onto disk, put it in another computer and copy all the files onto the other computers local drive and make c:\database on the second computer exactly equal to the c:\database on the first, would i be able to start Realm Works on the second computer, or would that not work would i have to do a reindex every time i launched realmsworks?

[rob]

Originally Posted by mirtos

Rob, do you use dropbox? (I dont mean this sarcastically, im curious) Because im thinking there might be some confusion. Dropbox folders are local to the computer.

i just dont know how the database installation works. If for example the database was installed in c:\database (I dont know where it goes), and I were to copy that onto disk, put it in another computer and copy all the files onto the other computers local drive and make c:\database on the second computer exactly equal to the c:\database on the first, would i be able to start Realm Works on the second computer, or would that not work would i have to do a reindex every time i launched realmsworks?

I barely use Dropbox - mostly for sharing large files with others, which I then store elsewhere on my system. But I'm familiar with how it works.

If you truly share a database, you will run into all sorts of problems. The database is designed with a fundamental assumption that it won't be directly shared. So you could potentially do what you're trying to do and it would blow up badly for you - read: data loss. That's not something we currently plan on changing at any time in the foreseeable future, since there are some major technical issues involved.

[mirtos]

Makes sense. As an aside, can we control the local drive the database is installed on?