Does PTXPrint work while Paratext is doing send/receive

Question

I’m just wondering what would happen if a user tries to use PTXPrint, including tasks that pull in Paratext data while Paratext is doing send/receive. Or should we wait for the send/receive to complete first? And does it make any difference if the send/receive is to Internet, Chorus Hub, or Flashdrive?

Answer 1

There won’t be any harm/damage done to your Paratext data/settings (as we only ever READ Paratext data and settings and don’t ever update them); but as DG pointed out above, your PTXprint config settings could get out of sync, or worse. So, given that this could lead to an unstable or unwanted situation, I’d avoid doing so if at all possible.

Answer 2

AFAIK Paratext uses mercurial (hg) to provide version control, and then does its own thing when there’s a conflict.
I’m more familar with git, but there will no doubt be some short “window of opportunity” for one of the two programs to alter / change one file just before it is read / backed up, when a companion file is still unchanged.
E.g: Paratext dir contains files A and B, pressing save is going to change them to a and b
If the steps happen like this::

• replace A with a
• cupy into hg directory on-route to updating server
• replace B with b
  Then the server will end up with a and B, which might be an invalid confugation.