Syncing recommendation

In this guide we elaborate recommendations on syncing your ARC via the ARC Commander

☑️ You have created an ARC before using the ARC Commander
☑️ The latest version of the ARC Commander is installed on your computer
☑️ You have a DataPLANT account
☑️ Your computer is linked to the DataHUB via personal access token

Unlike what you are used to from common cloud services, none of the ARC tools automatically or passively syncs your ARC between your computer and the DataHUB. You have to actively sync it. What may appear as a burden – "Why do I have to do this myself?" – actually grants you full access over what is happening with your ARC. First, it allows you to avoid syncing unwanted changes. For instance, consider adding a large amount of data, that may take some time to upload to the DataHUB. You surely would want to decide yourself when to start the upload. Secondly, it allows you document your ARC's progress step by step. In general, the more you work with your ARC, the more you add or update, annotate or analyze data, the more you will want to make sure these changes are saved. Consider the syncing as a way to backup your project's progress as well as an "undo button".

💡 In the DataHUB, the individual sync steps are called "commit".

We recommend adding a message that shortly summarizes, what you did since you last synced your ARC.

The following exemplifies adding commit messages via the ARC commander. The same function is provided by the ARCitect via the "Commit" menu.

For instance:

1. You start a fresh ARC for your project

2. You add folders for your study and assay

3. You add the raw data to an RNASeq assay

4. You annotate the dataset using Swate

💡 If no commit message is added, the ARC Commander by default adds the commit message "Update" during arc sync.

You can actually see all arc sync actions (i.e. commits) to your ARC in the DataHUB.

1. Open your ARC in the DataHUB
2. In the sidebar on the left, navigate to Repository → Commits.
3. There you find a chronological list of syncing messages together with who synced (if you collaborate with others on an ARC) and when.

4. Click on the latest (i.e. uppermost) commit.
5. In the top-right corner select Revert from the drop-down menu Options.

6. Un-check the box "Start a new merge request with these changes".
7. Click "Revert"

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