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Sharing Multi-User Resources with Syncthing

Overview

This guide explains how to synchronize your multi-user resources folder across all machines using Syncthing.
Syncthing works both online and offline over a local LAN. This will also work to synchronize over separate networks if using Radmin.

1. Run Latest SightLab Installer with Syncthing

Run the SightLab exe installer again or request a new link here. This will install syncthing into a new folder at C:\wvlab\syncthing

Note: if installed with an older installer, install manually:

  • Download from https://syncthing.net

  • Run Syncthing once to generate a unique Device ID and initial configuration.

  • Open the web GUI at http://127.0.0.1:8384.
  • If installed from the SightLab installer, will run without the DOS window and should start automatically with Windows (added to the startup menu) and may run at http://localhost:8384/

2. Choose a Primary Machine

  • The primary machine will initially hold the master copy of your Shared folder.

  • In Syncthing, click Add Folder.

  • Folder Path: point to your Shared folder.
    Example:
C:\Users\<username>\Documents\Sightlab2\Shared

  1. Folder ID: use something simple like Shared Projects.

  2. Folder Label: optional display name.

  3. Click Save.

3. Pair Devices

On Each Client Machine

  1. Open Syncthing’s web GUI (http://127.0.0.1:8384).
  2. Go to Actions → Show ID.
  3. Copy the long Device ID string (or scan the QR code if adding from another device), or just find the Device ID from the list that matches

On the Primary Machine

  1. In Syncthing, click Add Remote Device (bottom right)

  2. Paste the client’s Device ID.

  3. Name: give the device a clear name (e.g., VRClient1).

  4. (Optional) Tick Introducer to have the primary automatically connect new devices to each other.
  5. Can also check which folders you want to share on this step, or in the next step.
  6. Click Save.

Accept on the Client

  • On the client, accept the connection request from the primary:

"Device PrimaryMachineName wants to connect."

  • Click Add Device, give it a name, then Save.

Once both sides have accepted, the devices are paired and ready to share folders.

4. Share the Folder with Clients

On the Primary Machine

  1. Find the Shared folder in Syncthing’s folder list.
  2. If you didn’t add it earlier, repeat Step 2 above.
  3. Click the Edit (pencil) icon next to it.
  4. Go to the Sharing tab and tick all the client devices that should receive this folder.
  5. Under Advanced click "Send Only" on the Primary Machine
  6. Click Save.

On Each Client Machine

  1. Accept the folder share request from the primary:

“Device PrimaryMachine wants to share folder resources.”

  1. Click Add.

  2. Choose the Folder Path where the synced copy should live.

  3. This path should match what your SightLab scripts expect, e.g.:

    C:\Users\<username>\Documents\Sightlab2\Projects\Shared

  4. Under Advanced click "Receive Only" on all the client machines.

  5. Click Save.

5. After Setup

  • Syncthing will automatically keep the resources folder in sync between the primary and all clients.
  • Any file added, edited, or deleted in the folder on one machine will be reflected on all others.
  • If clients also have write access enabled, changes flow in both directions.

Running Locally

Go to Actions → Settings → Connections

Disable Global Discovery and NAT Traversal.

Keep Local Discovery enabled (fastest inside a LAN).

How to Ignore Sub Folders

To ignore sub-folders, in the web interface click Edit on the Shared Folder, then go to "Ignore Patterns". In the field enter the name of the folder with a forward slash (i.e. sightlab_configs/). There is also a .stignore file automatically added to the SightLab shared and E-Learning Lab folders.

Important notes:

  • Use forward slashes (/) even though it's a Windows path
  • Don't include the drive letter or the synced folder's full path
  • End with / to indicate it's a directory
  • The path is relative to whatever folder you've set up for syncing in Syncthing

Troubleshooting

GUI Not Opening in Browser

  • If GUI not opening in browser (note this opens in a browser even if offline in LAN mode)
  • Sometimes the GUI won’t auto-open, so try manually in your browser:
    http://127.0.0.1:8384/
  • If that still won’t load, something (firewall, antivirus, browser plugin) is blocking localhost connections.

Syncthing Not Starting

How to fix

  1. Stop Syncthing completely (no tray icon, no background process).

  2. Go to this folder:

C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\Syncthing\

Rename the database folder so Syncthing will rebuild it:

  1. Rename the database folder so Syncthing will rebuild it:
  2. Change index-v2 → index-v2.bak
  3. Start Syncthing again.

It will create a brand-new index-v2 database and do a full rescan of your configured folders.

  • Your config.xml (devices + folder definitions) is still there, so you don’t lose settings.

  • Your files on disk are not touched — Syncthing just reindexes them.

  • The .bak folder is just a backup in case you ever need to restore.

Extra Files Being Added with Conflicts

Sometimes *.sync-conflict-YYYYMMDD-HHMMSS-<DeviceID>.osgb files are created by Syncthing whenever two devices modified the same file before syncing.

  • The original file (e.g. Business_Office.OSGB) is still there.
  • The *.sync-conflict… copy is Syncthing’s way of making sure you don’t lose either version.

Safe cleanup options:

  • If you know which version is correct → open the files in Vizard/SightLab, confirm the “real” one, then delete the conflict files.
  • If you don’t need the alternate copy → it’s safe to delete the *.sync-conflict* files and keep only the base ones.
  • If you’re not sure → you can archive the conflicts somewhere else (e.g. a conflicts/ subfolder) before deleting, just in case.

How to prevent future conflicts:

  • Try to designate one “writer” machine (e.g. your primary/host) and keep others read-only if possible.
  • In Syncthing, you can set the folder type on clients to Receive Only if you don’t want them to push changes back.

  • See here for more information https://docs.syncthing.net/v2.0.0/users/foldertypes

  • If you need true two-way sync, conflicts can still happen, but they’ll be rare if only one person edits at a time.

✅ Bottom line: The .sync-conflict… files are not required for SightLab or Vizard to run — they are just duplicates for safety. Once you’ve confirmed you don’t need them, it’s safe to delete them.

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