How can I exclude a specific folder from DFS Replication in Server 2008?

Question

Here's my self referential model and it's two join tables:

class Discourse < ActiveRecord::Base
    belongs_to :forum
    belongs_to :user

    has_many :impressions

    has_many :discourse_replies
    has_many :replies, through: :discourse_replies

    has_many :reply_retorts
    has_many :retorts, through: :reply_retorts
end

class DiscourseReply < ActiveRecord::Base
    belongs_to :discourse
    belongs_to :reply, class_name: 'Discourse', foreign_key: 'reply_id'
end

class ReplyRetort < ActiveRecord::Base
    belongs_to :reply
    belongs_to :retort, class_name: 'Discourse', foreign_key: 'retort_id'
end

It seems to be working well...I can do this in the rails console:

2.0.0p247 :044 > fd = Discourse.create(title: 'first', body: 'first')
 => #<Discourse id: 139, user_id: nil, title: "first", body: "first", deleted: nil, delete_date: nil, created_at: "2014-04-07 20:38:06", updated_at: "2014-04-07 20:38:06", forum_id: nil> 

2.0.0p247 :046 > fdr = fd.replies.create(title: 'second relpy to first', body: 'second reply to first')    
=> #<Discourse id: 141, user_id: nil, title: "second relpy to first", body: "second reply to first", deleted: nil, delete_date: nil, created_at: "2014-04-07 20:38:51", updated_at: "2014-04-07 20:38:51", forum_id: nil> 

2.0.0p247 :047 > fdrr = fdr.retorts.create(title: 'a reply to a reply', body: 'a reply to a reply')
=> #<Discourse id: 142, user_id: nil, title: "a reply to a reply", body: "a reply to a reply", deleted: nil, delete_date: nil, created_at: "2014-04-07 20:39:27", updated_at: "2014-04-07 20:39:27", forum_id: nil> 

2.0.0p247 :048 > fdrrr = fdrr.retorts.create(title: 'a reply to a reply to a reply', body: 'a reply to a reply reply')
=> #<Discourse id: 143, user_id: nil, title: "a reply to a reply to a reply", body: "a reply to a reply reply", deleted: nil, delete_date: nil, created_at: "2014-04-07 20:39:47", updated_at: "2014-04-07 20:39:47", forum_id: nil> 

2.0.0p247 :050 > fdr.retorts
 => #<ActiveRecord::Associations::CollectionProxy [#<Discourse id: 142, user_id: nil, title: "a reply to a reply", body: "a reply to a reply", deleted: nil, delete_date: nil, created_at: "2014-04-07 20:39:27", updated_at: "2014-04-07 20:39:27", forum_id: nil>]> 

However, I need to find out the parent association, but can't figure out how to do it:

2.0.0p247 :053 > fdr.discourse # I want this to return the 'fd' instance
NoMethodError: undefined method `discourse` for #<Discourse:0x00000007080eb0>

2.0.0p247 :055 > fdrrr.reply # I want this to return the 'fdrr' instance
NoMethodError: undefined method `reply` for #<Discourse:0x000000070db860>

2.0.0p247 :055 > fdrrr.parent # I want this to return the 'fdrr' instance
NoMethodError: undefined method `parent' for #<Discourse:0x0000000672b428>

2.0.0p247 :055 > fdrrr.parent.try(:id) # I want this to return the 'fdrr' instance
NoMethodError: undefined method `parent' for #<Discourse:0x0000000672b428>

Nothing is working!

Solution

In the DFS Management Console:

1. Highlight Replication group on the left pane of console
2. On right pane click Replicated Folders tab
3. Right click the folder and choose Properties
4. File and Subfolder filters are found there

From MS: Exclude files or subfolders from replication

Comments

[Luniz]

This looks like what I need, but how do I input the exact folder location? When I tried to do this using quotes and \'s it said those are invalid characters for that field so I thought I was looking at the wrong area. Also, the link you provided me is for Server 2003, but clearly the screenshot you posted is Server 2008.

[Jordan W.]

woops, sorry, try link again. fixed for 2008. you cannot supply full paths. only the folder name (wildcard '*' is allowed though)

[Luniz]

I suppose that'll work then, just need to make sure there aren't any other folders with the same name. Thanks for your help!

[user3067865]

I was trying to get polymorphic working and I agree that would be better. Could I have an example?

[Robin]

You can have just one discourses table (Discourse model), then create 2 subclasses class Reply < Discourse, class Retort < Discourse. The discourses table has to have a type column to store the type of the discourse object. And you'll need a discourse_id to store the id of the parent, and that should do it.