One Approach to Synchronize All Macros Between Multiple Macs

[_jims]

Like others have reported on the forum, I've had occasional problems with Keyboard Maestro Syncing when attempting to share a common sync file housed in an iCloud folder. It worked most of the time, but I had occasional problems that caused me to lose hours of work, unfortunately more than once.

For a brief period I tried Dropbox, but I had similar occasional issues, albeit less frequently.

Note that I do have reliable fiber internet service and a high-quality router thus I do not experience network-related problems.

If you've had similar issues, you might be interested in this tutorial.

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I've developed a method synchronize all the Keyboard Maestro macros between three Mac computers, three unique models running different versions of macOS. Keyboard Maestro v10.2 is installed on all three. (Three cheers to @peternlewis for his support of older versions of macOS!)

This same process could easily be used for two Macs; I just happen to have three.

Here's a summary of my current implementation:

1. I have one computer that I consider my Master computer, a MacBook Pro (Ventura 13.5.1 (22G90)/MacBookPro16,1).

2. I have two computers that I consider Slave computers, a Mac mini (Mojave 10.14.16/Macmini6,2) and an iMac (High Sierra 10.13.6/iMac11,1445).

3. I do the majority of my Keyboard Maestro development on the Master.

4. On the Master and two Slaves, I've enabled Keyboard Maestro Syncing, but these are dedicated to the individual Macs, each housed on the local drive.

   ~/Documents/Automation/_Keyboard Maestro/_Sync and Save/Keyboard Maestro Macros.kmsync
   

5. I have a single macro, named Save (Master) or Replace (Slave) Sync File, that triggers when the Keyboard Maestro application quits. It does the following:

   • Checks the computer name to determine if it is running on the Master or a Salve.

   • If running on the Master, the local sync file is copied to two locations, one local and one in the cloud. The first copy is also renamed using the date/time to permit multiple copies to be saved to the same archive folder. Note that these local archived copies will theoretically never be used. They just serve as backups if something goes awry.

     ~/Documents/Automation/_Keyboard Maestro/_Sync and Save/Archive/2023-09-17-1339_Keyboard Maestro Macros-MBPro.kmsync
     
     ~/Library/Mobile Documents/com~apple~CloudDocs/Keyboard Maestro/_Sync and Save/Keyboard Maestro Macros.kmsync
     

   • If running on the Slave, the local sync file is first renamed and copied.

     ~/Documents/Automation/_Keyboard Maestro/_Sync and Save/Archive/2023-09-17-1339_Keyboard Maestro Macros-i7.kmsync
     

     Second, the local sync file is replaced by copying the sync file that the Master copied to iCloud. Specifically on my mac mini Slave, the following sync file:

     ~/Documents/Automation/_Keyboard Maestro/_Sync and Save/Keyboard Maestro Macros.kmsync
     

     is replaced by a copy of this file:

     ~/Library/Mobile Documents/com~apple~CloudDocs/Keyboard Maestro/_Sync and Save/Keyboard Maestro Macros.kmsync
     

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As mentioned above, I do most, but not all, macro development on my Master computer.

If I've done macro development on the Master that I want to replicate on the Slaves, I quit the Keyboard Maestro application on the Mac, wait for the macro Save (Master) or Replace (Slave) Sync File to complete. I then restart Keyboard Maestro on the Master. Next I move to each Slave and do the same: quit, wait for macro to complete, restart KM.

If I've done work on one of the Slaves that needs to replicated on the Master and and the other Slaves, then I hold the Shift key (⇧) down when quitting Keyboard Maestro. This presents a dialog and an opportunity to reverse the Master/Slave role.

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Here's the aforementioned macro. Note that it does require a few steps of simple configuration.

Download: Save (Master) or Replace (Slave) Sync File.kmmacros (82 KB)

Macro-Image

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Macro-Notes

• Macros are always disabled when imported into the Keyboard Maestro Editor.
  • The user must ensure the macro is enabled.
  • The user must also ensure the macro's parent macro-group is enabled.

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System Information

• macOS 13.5.2 (22G91)
• Keyboard Maestro v10.2

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[_jims]

I've updated the OP macro, Save (Master) or Replace (Slave) Sync File, to Version 2.0:

• If the Control key (⌃) is held down when Keyboard Maestro is quit, the created archive sync file will be revealed.

• In the final Display Text action, added the archive folder.

• Logs the following: '%ExecutingMacro%'; Created: %Variable%local_ASyncFilePath%

• To keep clutter out of the Engine.log, checks for files before attempting to trash them.

• Moved this macro to the Global Macro Group.

• Fixed a few typos in the header comment.

[Nr.5-need_input]

Hello Jim (@_jims)

Many many thanks for posting this… (yes I know I’m very late to this …)

I sometimes encounter the syncing issue with Dropbox - especially when I forget that there is syncing enabled and make changes on both macs at the same time or one of them while there is an instance of KM open in one of my VM‘s

Sometimes in the past I also got a duplicate on the original KM-Sync file for whatever else is happening when booting up both or just one of my Macs after a longer period of time.

Since I am developing something to get around these issues this post is a huge help for me … it also gives me the opportunity to edit on more than one machines and even instances at the same time with syncing enabled.

Well done

Greetings from Germany

Tobias