Cloud Drives & TypingMaster's Ultimate Typing Coach

TypingMaster Ultimate Typing Coach now offers an efficient way to share data securely between teacher and student devices using 3rd party cloud storage services, enabling centralized reporting and smooth synchronization without relying on local file servers or NAS. This article covers everything you need to know about using cloud drives, including the new Cloud Drive Connect feature, portable USB stick installation, manual configuration options, and advanced integration with third-party tool rclone.

Requirements

• This feature requires Ultimate Typing Coach version 11.0.1.897 or newer. You can download it from here. 

• Any rclone-compatible cloud storage provider. Popular examples include pCloud, etc. etc. For the full list, see the rclone backend list
  
  

• Cloud storage account credentials (username/password, API key, or WebDAV URL). 

Overview of Cloud Drive Data Sharing

TypingMaster’s Cloud Drive Connect feature allows your TypingMaster's Ultimate installations to connect directly to a cloud storage service. Instead of syncing files locally, the application reads and writes data directly on the cloud drive, enabling multiple devices—such as student computers and one teacher computer—to share typing data seamlessly.

This centralized data access supports:

• Real-time data collection and reporting from multiple devices.

• Avoidance of complex local network shares or dedicated servers.

• Synchronization of user progress and scores across locations.

• Teacher can arrange customized typing tests for students to see their results

How Cloud Drive Connect Works

At its core, Cloud Drive Connect uses a configuration file named tmnpath.ini that tells TypingMaster where to read and write data in the cloud.

The configuration file has a structure like this:

[path] 
AppData=1 
SyncMode=cloud 
SyncInpath=cloud:TMDataShare\TeacherWriteArea 
SyncOutpath=cloud:TMDataShare\StudentWriteArea

• AppData=1 enables cloud-based app data access.

• SyncMode indicates which cloud service is used (e.g., pcloud).

• SyncInpath defines the cloud path where the teacher's data is written. (read-only for students)

• SyncOutpath defines the cloud path where students' data is stored (read-write for everyone)

Creating tmnpath.ini

You can generate this file automatically with the CloudDriveWiz.exe utility included in the TypingMaster installation process. Alternatively, it can be created and edited manually in any text editor, allowing for custom cloud paths or multiple service configurations.

Portable USB Stick Installation

TypingMaster Ultimate Typing Coach can be installed and run from a portable USB stick, allowing easy mobility between different computers without reinstallation. When combined with Cloud Drive Connect, this portable setup enables:

• Carrying your TypingMaster environment, including typing data, on a USB stick.

• Synchronizing your data through cloud storage, so your progress follows you.

• Sharing centralized data with other users without needing network drives.

To set this up, install TypingMaster on the USB drive, configure the cloud drive with CloudDriveWiz.exe to ensure proper linkage.

Using CloudDriveWiz.exe Tool

CloudDriveWiz.exe is a wizard tool included with TypingMaster to configure cloud drive connections easily:

• Runs from the TypingMaster install directory with Admin Rights (also launched during the installer)

• Generates or edits tmnpath.ini with your cloud service paths.

• Uses Rclone to store your email+pwd for the cloud access

• Supports changing cloud providers or paths without reinstalling TypingMaster.

• Provides a testing feature to send a test file to the cloud

• Can be run anytime after installation, so you can skip setup initially and configure cloud syncing later.

Using rclone for Extended Cloud Support

All cloud synchronization in TypingMaster is performed using the third-party open-source tool rclone. This tool enables support for a wide variety of cloud storage providers beyond the limited set supported by the CloudDriveWiz.exe wizard.

• rclone is a command-line program to manage and sync files across dozens of cloud providers.

• The official wizard supports only a limited number of cloud services, but manual configuration allows using rclone to connect to a much larger selection of compatible clouds.

• By mounting or syncing cloud storage locally through rclone, TypingMaster reads and writes data as if it were on a native cloud drive.

• This method offers maximum flexibility for users or organizations with specialized cloud storage needs.

Important Notice

TypingMaster relies on rclone, which is licensed under the MIT License and copyrighted by Nick Craig-Wood and contributors. More details and source code are available at rclone.org.

To use rclone with TypingMaster:

1. During the TypingMaster software installer, choose to enable Cloud Drive Sync.

2. Set up and configure your desired cloud provider with rclone.

3. Mount or sync the cloud storage locally or in a way accessible by TypingMaster.

4. Manually create or edit the tmnpath.ini file to point to the rclone-mounted cloud paths using SyncMode and SyncInpath/SyncOutpath.

FAQ: Cloud Drive Connection for Centralized Reporting

Q: What is the new "Cloud Drive Connect" feature?
A: It allows TypingMaster Ultimate to connect directly to a supported cloud storage service (e.g. pCloud) for centralized data reporting—without syncing folders through local file system and 3rd party cloud drive tool.

Q: When should I enable this feature?
A: If you are using Centralized Reporting (selected at the beginning of the setup) without a local server or mapped cloud drive, it is recommended to enable the Optional Cloud Drive Connect at the end of installation to complete the setup without a file folder.

Q: What cloud services are supported?
A: Currently supported services are listed on RClone website, only a few are available through configuration Wizard at the moment.

Q: Does this sync users between multiple student computers?
A: Yes, if DUAL SYNC is enabled from the Ultimate's Teacher Manager Tool (Common Settings).

Q: Is it required to use the Cloud Drive feature?
A: No. It is optional. You can use software as a stand-alone or with a local file server or paths.

Q: Can I skip this configuration wizard during installation and configure it later?
A: Yes. You can run the CloudDriveWiz.exe tool with Admin Rights from the TypingMaster install folder anytime after installation.

Summary

Using cloud drives for TypingMaster data sharing simplifies multi-device setups and centralizes reporting with minimal infrastructure. Portable USB stick installations further add flexibility for mobile or distributed learning environments.

For advanced users needing a wider range of cloud providers, rclone has dozens of cloud services through manual configuration.

Make sure your TypingMaster version is 11.0.1.897 or newer to access these features. Use CloudDriveWiz.exe to configure the cloud paths easily or manually edit tmnpath.ini for custom setups.