Synchronize Tomboy Notes with Dropbox
June 26th, 2009
One of my absolute favorite online services of the past year is Dropbox. It’s a very easy to use service that integrates with your Linux, Mac and Windows desktops and allows you to sync files across computers (among other things). Think of it as a big USB flash drive in the sky.
Not only is it useful for storing daily documents and sharing files with friends, it can also be quite useful for keeping your application settings in sync across computers. One example is syncing Tomboy notes across computers. Tomboy is an extremly handly note taking application for Linux, but I always found it annoying that it was so hard to sync across machines. With Dropbox, it’s amazingly simple.
If you’re not already a Dropbox user, sign up at Dropbox. Once you have the software installed, you should have a folder in your home directory called “Dropbox”. All of the files in this directory will automatically be synced with Dropbox and with other computers where you install the application.
Now that Dropbox is installed, just create a folder called “tomboy” (or whatever you like) inside your “Dropbox” directory. Now in your Tomboy prefernces, click on the Synchronization tab and choose “Local Folder” and browse to your “tomboy” folder.
To syncronize your notes, simply click “Tools” and “Syncronize Notes” at the top of any Tomboy note … and that’s it! Repeat these steps for all your other computers and you’ll have fully syncronized Tomboy Notes on all your machines. This also protects against accidentally loosing your notes if something happens to your computers, you’ll always have a copy saved at Dropbox.
June 26th, 2009 at 6:09 pm
[...] add-on. For another great Dropbox syncing trick, try making it your ultimate password syncer. Synchronize Tomboy Notes with Dropbox [Starry Hope [...]
June 26th, 2009 at 6:40 pm
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June 27th, 2009 at 12:18 am
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July 2nd, 2009 at 4:04 pm
Is it possible to tombo automatically sync the notes? Without the need to click on the menu?
When we exit tomboy is it automatically syncs?
Thanks
July 17th, 2009 at 9:21 am
I’ve just started syncing tomboy by storing the entire .tomboy folder within Dropbox. Then I make a link to .tomboy and put it in /home where the program expects it to be. This way tomboy is synced at every change, no manual sync required, so it’s a perfect backup too. It’s only been running a day but no hitches yet…
Actually I do this with more than just .tomboy – all my key files and settings are backed up this way (except huge folders like .firefox .thunderbird .googleearth). Lots of Dropbox activity but seems solid so far
July 17th, 2009 at 5:09 pm
Another approach might be to create a symbolic link from your dropbox folder to your tomboy folder. That will make dropbox sync it automatically. And you will not have to keep double copies of your notes, however tiny they are, on your hard drive. Works for me!
Good post!
November 10th, 2009 at 1:12 am
You don’t need to create a symlink if you set the environment variable TOMBOY_PATH to the new location of your dropbox folder. Unfortunately (as of version 1.0.0 anyway), you can’t soley put your tomboy notes folder in your dropbox folder… it will sync but it won’t show up on the other computers’ tomboy notes until you restart tomboy (eg ‘killall tomboy’)
Luckily syncing to local folder on top of that should do the trick