BTSync: How to connect desktop and mobile to your FreeNAS plugin

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diedrichg

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Dec 4, 2012
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I'm writing this short guide because I've been absolutely frustrated with the unintuitiveness with the latest versions of BTSync (specifically the new gui in the FreeNAS BTSync plugin). In this scenario I will direct you in adding a folder to backup that contains a KeePass database file (feel free to substitute your own backup source scenario). This file will then be synced to your desktop and Android with the FreeNAS plugin as the master repository.

It may seem pretty simple to set the FreeNAS BTSync plugin as the master read/write but the GUI, for all three platforms, is not intuitive and I've spent several hours trying to get it right on all three platforms. I just wanted to save you some time if you've had troubles too.

This guide assumes you've already installed the BTSync plugin in FreeNAS and have properly set up your storage locations. I will not provide that support here as it has been covered ad nauseam in the rest of the forums.

Versions used
FreeNAS BTSync plugin: 1.4.91 Beta
Issue: GUI does not provide a QR code to scan for the backup​
Windows Desktop: 1.4.93 Beta
Issue: You are fooled into clicking a big blue button to add your backup rather than entering your read/write key elsewhere.​
Android: 1.4.50.0
Issue: You fooled by the gui to scan a QR code that doesn't exist in the plugin's gui and it isn't intuitive to find the right place to enter your read/write key.​

What to backup
KeePass database file located in the BTSync jail: /media/diedrich/KeePass

First, start in your FreeNAS BTSync gui
  1. Click the Add Folder icon in the top right
  2. Navigate to your KeePass directory /media/diedrich/KeePass
  3. Once created - at the end of the line there are three vertical dots giving some menu options. Click this and select "Copy Read & Write key".
  4. Copy the key
  5. Email yourself the key or send it through Dropbox in a text file or whatever method you can use to get it to your Android device. Just be sure to delete the email from your trash folder and your text file from the online storage.
  6. On your Android device copy the Read/Write key

Second, run your BitTorrent Sync desktop client
(This is where the gui becomes unintuitive. Instead of clicking the big giant blue button that says "Add folder", you will...)
  1. Click the gear cog at the top right
  2. Click "Enter a key"
  3. Paste the key and select Next
  4. Select your destination folder (C:\Users\diedrich\KeePass)

Third, run your Android app
(Here is yet another unintuitive workflow for a gui.)
  1. Create a new folder on your external SD card called KeePass
  2. Tap the icon that looks like a folder with a + on the top-right
  3. I recently learned that Firefox was the culprit (it may work fine on your machine), but Chrome and IE worked as expected and you have a "Share" button at the far right of the file line. Steps 4 and 5 below may not be relevant if you found the QR code in this step. (You would now think that you should scan a QR code, right - wrong? Well, I don't see any QR codes in the FreeNAS BitTorrent Sync gui to scan. It used to be there before they redesigned the gui, now it's not anywhere to be found.)
  4. Instead - tap "Enter a key" at the bottom of the pop-up window
  5. Paste the key you copied from the first set of steps
  6. Tap "Select folder"
  7. Tap: SD card>KeePass and tap "Choose folder"
  8. Tap Add folder

That's it! It's not that difficult at all once you learn the proper places in the gui to place your Read/Write keys. I apologize if this is remedial elementary information but if it helps even one person then it was worth the 30 minutes to write all this!
 
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9C1 Newbee

Patron
Joined
Oct 9, 2012
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485
Thank you for taking the time to write this up. Might be better placed in the "How To" section though.
 
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