Portal :: Managing your Items

If you want to make a change to the files or applications that Portal has been told to sync, all you need to do is flip the main Portal window (by clicking on the little in the corner). Doing so brings up the Options menu, giving you full access to all of preferences you could want. Clicking Done flips the window back around so you can add more files, or start a sync.

Visit
MyDreamApp.com

Vote for Portal

i

Selecting the Apps option, brings up a listing of all the applications that Portal has been told to sync. You can browse the list by using the keyboard arrow keys, or by hovering your mouse over the arrows at either side of the stripe.

For any given application, you are given a listing of all available information as well as any custom settings you can adjust. For Firefox, you might be able to selectively sync bookmarks, themes, or your extensions.

From the Sync Rules options, you can adjust the sync schedule (have the file sync every chance it gets, or limit it to once a week, or anything else you’d like). You can also see how many Macs this particular application is set to be synced to. Clicking on the Mac icon reveals which Macs these are, and gives you the option of selecting new ones. Clicking the small Mac icon again, hides the checklist.

At any point while browsing the options, you can click Done to flip the window over and add a new file or application. Changes are always saved automatically, and a smart Undo function keeps you from making any silly mistakes.

Selecting the Files option, as you’d expect, brings up the list of files. Interaction here is very similar to that in the Applications listing, with the exception of the File Group feature. This option allows you to group files that will share similar sync settings (such as all the files associated with a project at work, or those for a school paper). File Groups appear in the stripe, just like regular files, but have the added option of looking inside them. When you do so, you can still see where you are from the location reminder next to the Done button.

Selecting the Macs option, displays a list of all the Macs that Portal knows about (and has been introduced to) as well as any Macs it can detect using Bonjour.

For new Macs, you can see the network name assigned by that Mac’s owner, the version of Mac OS X being run, and if Portal has been installed or not (if not, you can still set up the rest of the options and assign files, but when you first try to sync with this Mac, you will be given the option of transferring Portal first and installing it prior to the sync).

From there you can give the Mac a custom name so you can remember it, as well as identify the type of Mac it is (so its icon is appropriate). You can also assign the Mac a location, such as Home or Work (or simply Bonjour for your friends’ Macs). This makes it easier to sort the list of Macs in the stripe. Finally, you can also assign Macs to Groups, just like for files. Mac Groups are a great way to sync files to multiple computers in a classroom or workgroup environment.

For Macs that have already been set up, you have the added options of browsing the associated files, applications and graphics for that particular Mac. When doing so, the list of items will be limited to those that are preset to be synced to the Mac you selected (this will be indicated in the location reminder by the Done button).

The animations that run during the sync can be customized to be as flashy or as discrete as you want. Have the full screen Wormhole only show up when you’re syncing more than 50 files, 20 MB, or whenever you’re syncing with your home iMac. You decide. You can even alternate between multiple styles, such as using a small progress bar for syncing files at work, and the kart racing style when at home. Even the graphics themselves can be customized, such as varying the length of time they run or how large they are when they do.

At any point while you are editing the settings for your files, applications or Macs, you will have the additional option of running a search (just click on the little magnifying glass in the bottom left corner). Clicking on the button will drop down a search bar where you can type in your query. If you are in the File view, your search will be limited to files, and if you are in the Apps view your search will be limited to applications. Search results will appear in the stripe, ordered according to relevance, with all other files or apps being hidden. Hit the small X at the right end of the search bar to return the view to normal, with all items listed.

Portal will also be aware of which applications do not sync appropriately. If you add one of these apps to your sync queue, Portal will give you a warning, alerting you to the problem. If you still want to sync the app, Portal will still let you do that.

For unknown apps, for which Portal has no knowledge of, the user will also be given a warning. If it turns out that syncing works well with that program, Portal will ask the user if it would be alright to report that information back to the developers, so that application can be added to the “approved” list. In this manner, the developers can gain a better understanding of how Portal is being used in the real world, and then apply that knowledge to the next release version.