Re: efficient selection of new files over ftp

No. How would we determine when (if) the files changed without scanning them? Or - for new files - to find which they are (and helpful stuff, like their names...)?

No, you can't use Fast Backup for the (any) Source. Why?

Fast Backup (database mode) is used to keep a record of files in a location whereby only that single profile ever changes those files (so its database - which it updates, as applicable - can be relied on next time). Whereas your Source files are by definition changing 'spontaneously' c/o external processes. In any case, how would a database of the previous-state of a file-set (that by definition has now changed 'behind the scenes') help? You would be comparing an unchanged database of Source against the scan of an as-yet-unchanged Destination. Which would find no differences, so do nothing. Repeat...

Fast Backup (archive-bit method) scans the Source anyway (looking for archive flags), so wouldn't prevent scanning even if you could use it. You can set a profile to only copy files with the archive bit set (flag raised) but we still have to scan to find out which files (if any) they are