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Storing and Finding Files in “The Cloud”

Posted on 12/19/19 at 11:35 am
Posted by AggieHank86
Texas
Member since Sep 2013
44345 posts
Posted on 12/19/19 at 11:35 am
Trying to find a good way to organize my data on the Cloud in a master, hierarchical directory/folder structure.

Let’s say for example that I have storage on iCloud, Google Drive, Dropbox, Box and Adobe Cloud (among other locations), with different categories of data on each.

Ideally, I want ONE master hierarchical directory structure, in which each base-level folder (e.g. Daughter One) will contain links to EVERY file related to my oldest daughter, including photos (which might be physically stored on Google Drive), Internet Favorites (Chrome web), Speadsheets (e.g. iCloud), PDF files (Adobe Cloud), Word files (Microsoft Office cloud), etcetera.

I do NOT want to re-create the master hierarchy on EACH Cloud service and then be required to update that hierarchy in ten different places every time I add a directory. I want the master hierarchy in ONE place, such that if I create, delete, move, promote or demote a sub-directory, I only need to do it ONCE, in one place. I am doing basically that now, and I ALWAYS forget to revise the structure in every location, meaning that a given piece of data is located in different parts of the hierarchy on each service.

I know I can create a master hierarchy structure locally (on my desktop PC for example). Hell, I do it now, with my home network. The master structure located on one of the computers on my home network, with different types of data scattered around the house. I could easily add links to the various Cloud locations, but I WANT the master structure to be located on the Cloud, so I can access it from any device or location.

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ONE

Is there a way to link (a shortcut?) a location on one service to a directory (folder) or file on another service? This would let me create the master folder hierarchy on (for example) BOX, and then use Box to link all my data scattered across the Cloud.

For example, let’s say that I have a Family photo folder on Google Photos and a family calendars folder on iCloud. (Please do not get bogged in the nature of the individual files. I am simplifying). Is there a way to place somewhere in the Cloud a link/shortcut to each of those locations, within the same directory.

Putting the matter another way, say that I have photos on my Google Photos cloud drive, all my Numbers spreadsheet files on iCloud, and all my PDF files on my Adobe Cloud drive. Is there a Cloud-based location/service/app/software product that would allow me to create folder to all “family” data (with links to folders on Google drive, iCloud, Adobe Cloud, Box, etc), plus other folder for other categories each containing links to the various Cloud providers?

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TWO

Related question.

Do any of the Cloud services allow you to put a file in one location (for example a photo of Daughter Eating at the Lake), and shortcut/link that file from various other locations (e.g. the Daughter folder, the Eating folder and the Lake folder)?

Yes, I know that I can (sort of) accomplish something similar with Favorites and/ or atags in some programs/platforms, but THAT does not let me use one, unified directory/folder hierarchy across ALL data types (e.g. photos, spreadsheets, Notes, word processing files, etc.)
This post was edited on 12/19/19 at 11:53 am
Posted by Vrai
Baton Rouge
Member since Nov 2003
3955 posts
Posted on 12/19/19 at 11:43 am to
Interesting project. No idea if this would solve it, but I just found this on a google search.

https://www.odrive.com/
Posted by TAMU-93
Sachse, TX
Member since Oct 2012
1070 posts
Posted on 12/19/19 at 2:28 pm to
Hank,

You can get a Google account with free unlimited cloud storage through The Association of Former Students. Move everything there, so you don't have to deal with multiple hierarchies across multiple services.

LINK
Posted by lsuconnman
Baton rouge
Member since Feb 2007
3547 posts
Posted on 12/19/19 at 4:48 pm to
How big is your hard drive? I got a 30 day trial once (think it was carbonite)...and all my files still weren’t uploaded after 30 days.

Now I use a Synology NAS and have no intention of change.
Posted by AggieHank86
Texas
Member since Sep 2013
44345 posts
Posted on 12/19/19 at 5:40 pm to
quote:

How big is your hard drive? I got a 30 day trial once (think it was carbonite)...and all my files still weren’t uploaded after 30 days.

Now I use a Synology NAS and have no intention of change.
at home, I have a proximately 20 TB of hard drives, containing primarily entertainment media, such as movie, music, etc. I have no wish to put that on the cloud.

The problem is thar different compamies/services only allow you to store data in one place. For instance, Adobe PDF files can only be stored on the Adobe cloud Drive, If you are going to continue to access them through Adobe and acrobat.. You cannot put them elsewhere on the cloud and then use adobe services to access them, as I understand the matter.

Thus, it becomes necessary/unavoidable to have some documents stored in multiple locations on the cloud. I simply want to find a way to organize and access those locations more easily.
Posted by SG_Geaux
Beautiful St George, LA
Member since Aug 2004
79535 posts
Posted on 12/19/19 at 10:05 pm to
quote:

For instance, Adobe PDF files can only be stored on the Adobe cloud Drive, If you are going to continue to access them through Adobe and acrobat.. You cannot put them elsewhere on the cloud and then use adobe services to access them, as I understand the matter.


I don't think this is true.

I can open Adobe Acrobat on my phone right now and access any PDF in my One Drive
This post was edited on 12/19/19 at 10:10 pm
Posted by AggieHank86
Texas
Member since Sep 2013
44345 posts
Posted on 12/20/19 at 8:08 am to
quote:

You can get a Google account with free unlimited cloud storage through The Association of Former Students. Move everything there, so you don't have to deal with multiple hierarchies across multiple services.
Thanks!

I set up my AggieNetwork.com email yesterday, using my Association of Former Students Membership information. This does not accomplish exactly what I am attempting to accomplish, but the large amount of storage (not technically “unlimited,“ but rather 10 TB) will be extremely useful.

I have done a bit more research into the coding of this little puzzle, and it would appear that what I need to do is create a series of symbolic links (SYMLINK) on one service, linking to folders on the various other services.

Here is an article about setting up a similar system on your PC, Mac or Linux machine. I may be able to Aggie-engineer a jerry-rigged system using this info, but I would prefer a simple app on which everything is Cloud-based.

So, let’s add a third question

QUESTION
Does anyone know of a cloud storage service (or even just an app) which allows creation of a series of symbolic links (SymLinks) to cloud storage folders?
This post was edited on 12/20/19 at 12:12 pm
Posted by EarlyCuyler3
Appalachia
Member since Nov 2017
27290 posts
Posted on 12/20/19 at 8:37 am to
I don't know anything about cloud storage, but for those of us with home servers, wouldn't Nextcloud be the solution?
Posted by AggieHank86
Texas
Member since Sep 2013
44345 posts
Posted on 12/20/19 at 9:49 am to
Another interesting (if dated) discussion found HERE.



Posted by Vrai
Baton Rouge
Member since Nov 2003
3955 posts
Posted on 12/20/19 at 10:13 am to
Did you look at that odrive link?
Posted by AggieHank86
Texas
Member since Sep 2013
44345 posts
Posted on 12/20/19 at 12:11 pm to
quote:

Did you look at that odrive link?
Yes, thank you.

I don’t think that it will do what I want to accomplish, but I am keeping it in my list of things to look at as potential alternate solutions.
This post was edited on 12/20/19 at 8:27 pm
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