You can direct Pathagoras to mirror 'satellite' installations to a 'master' set-up. It is accomplished simply by moving the Pathagoras startup/setup files of a user designated as the 'administrator' to a 'Mirror Folder.' Then, any 'satellite" (meaning anyone other than the adminstrator) user can tell Pathagoras to use that mirror folder for the files that control their startup/setup instructions.

   The 'Mirror Folder' can be any folder that all relevant users can access. It can be on a local network or any other shared location -- including DropBox, OneDrive, etc. The administrator chooses and names the folder. There are no naming requirements, but we do recommend something containing "Pathagoras" or perhaps "Pathagoras Share" or "Pathagoras Mirror". (Note- while a satellite user can point to only one mirror folder at a time, a large office might have several 'administrators' and mirror folders. So the Estate Planning group could establish a mirror folder for its purposes; the Corporate law section could establish its own mirror folder, the Family Law section . . . etc. 'Satellite' members of the relevant section would point to the appropriate mirror folder.)

   Administrator Setup:

   Display the Mirroring setup screen: Pathagoras Features | Utilities and Settings | Network | Mirroring.

   1. When the screen is displayed, indicate the 'Mirror Folder'. You can navigating to the folder via the '. . . ' button, or you can manually type a folder name into the text box (1). Press the Save button that will appear to lock in the selection.

   2. As the designated 'administrator', you will check the 'Repoint and Move' option (2). Your settings will be the 'master' settings which others will be able to use. If you are an 'end-user' and want just to use the files in the 'mirror' location, check the 'Repoint (only)' option (3). Your settings will 'mirror' the master settings set by the administrator.

   3. Press the green 'Apply' button to lock in your new settings

   If you want to restrict who may make future changes to your setups, add Passwording features.

 

Click to enlarge.

    Other Users

Display the Mirroring setup screen: Pathagoras Features | Utilities and Settings | Network | Mirroring.

   1. When the screen is displayed, type in or navigate to the 'Mirror Folder' as provided by the Administrator. See (1) above.. Press the Save button that will appear to lock in the selection.

   2. Check the 'This is a User's computer' option (2). Pathagoras will no look in the 'Mirror Folder' to obtain it settings and therefore will 'mirror' the master settings set by the administrator.

   3. Press the green 'Apply' button to lock in your new settings.

  Notes:

   1. Once the the Administrator has set up the 'Mirror Folder', the Administrator is an end-user for all other purposes.

   2. Mirroring (this page) and Sharing (via a Common Profiles Path) are similar concepts and they are not mutually exclusive. Nevertheless, the 'better practice' is to choose one or the other. The consistency will promote easier training of new users.

   2. Mirroring is optional and quite flexible. For offices with more than 3 installations, you can set X number users to a 'Mirror Path' and the third can work totally independently 'outside' the mirror. Or you can set X number to one 'Mirror Path'and X other users to a different 'Mirror Path'.

   3. Limits: Actually, there are none. So long as you can point to the same folder, you can mirror via that folder.

   4. Frequently different users will point to the network server as with different letter. That is not a problem for Pathagoras. So long as you know you are pointing to the same physical or virtual location (even on a Dropbox folder), you can mirror.

   5. Mirroring as discussed above is totally separate from sharing documents and Instant Database records.It's not an all or nothing thing.

  Warning: The pointers that are going to be shared (especially Books and DropDown Lists) must point to locations that all can reach. Warnings provided elsewhere that pointing a Book or List to your C:\ drive, will make it impossible for others to see or link to it, still pertain. (The exception, of course, is if you have set up a 'DropBox Parent' converter for 'C:\' drive references to a DropBox or OneDrive (etc.) folder. This is discussed in the below paragraph and its links.)

  "What if my Dropbox folder is addresses as 'C:\Users\myname\Dropbox\Pathagoras documents"? That's a C:| drive. Can I share files on Dropbox?" Yes. Pathagoras has created a unique method that allow you the exception to the run in the above Warning. You can create a 'universal' pointer (we call it the 'DropBox Parent') that allows file sharing services such as DropBox to be 'mirrored'. When set up, Pathagoras will make the appropriate conversion so that all always point to the proper location. See DropBox Parent page for more.

  IORAD square Try our IORAD Step-by-Step Tutorial on How to Set Up Mirroring.