Private Beta testing of Hook 1.4 Multi-mac sync (and other features)

As mentioned elsewhere on the forum, we at CogSci Apps have been working on an update of Hook that supports syncing between multiple Macs (likely Hook 1.4). Using a new “Sync” tab in Hook’s Preferences window, users will be able to choose a “Sync folder” for any of their macOS user accounts running Hook. When enabled, Hook will then store sync information in this folder.

Users may share that folder with other Hook instances of theirs, as they wish (e.g., via Dropbox, iCloud, network sharing, even USBs, mounted disk images (or other /Volumes) and the local file system). Multiple Hook processes will then be able to read from and write to this folder asynchronously from each other. The Hook databases will thereby sync with each other.

Please note that Hook’s syncing mechanism does not share any information with CogSci Apps or any other party. Who / what you share with will be under your control. Normally, users should not share their Hook Sync folder with anyone else.

We’re looking for users willing to participate in a special beta test program for this feature set. Anyone interested, please send me a PIM or reply to this topic.

The beta communications will be hosted by a private (discourse) forum topic here. We’ll invite users to the group once we get closer to the date of sharing the Hook beta itself. We’ll provide more specific information to these private beta members.

As a precaution for them, we will ask private beta testers to make a special backup of their Hook databases during this test period.

Hey, I’m interested in the beta. It seems like I can’t send a PM since I’m a new user.

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Welcome to the Hook Productivity Forum, @zsbenke . Thanks for your interest. We’ll add you to the group.

I’d like to try it out as well if you still need people for testing.

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Please add me to the beta.

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Please add me to the beta as well.

Thanks Tom

+1 on participating in the beta.

I would appreciate a chance to try the beta too. Thanks.

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thanks to everyone who has expressed an interest in private beta test of Hook’s syncing. Fine tuning of syncing (ongoing), other Hook and CogSci Apps R&D, and the holidays have delayed the private beta. Sync of course remains a priority for us. We’ll send out the invitations as soon as possible.

Update. We hit a couple of snags along the way that delayed the multi-mac syncing feature. They’re behind us now. We’re going through another round of testing. When that is done, we will finally start the private beta of Hook with syncing. Thanks for your patience.

I’d be interested in beta testing the syncing if you still need folks to do so.

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Thank you to everyone who volunteered for the Private beta of Hook syncing.

Due to all the work that we’ve done “in house” with the version of Hook containing syncing, i.e., Hook 1.4, we’ve decided to release Hook 1.4 with the Sync feature available to everyone as a public beta.

Hook 1.4 (to be release soon) is not public beta, but the Sync feature in it is provided as public beta. (It is clearly marked as such, and off by default, of course.)

The feature is described here: Sync Tab – Hook, before its release, so that you can familiarize yourself with the design.

Hook 1.4 itself will be released quite soon.

Thank you to everyone who has requested this feature and/or offered to test it. We ourselves have been finding it quite helpful.