I have an urgent need for a way to mirror a folder (on a WebDAV
server) for offline use on 2-3  laptops.

Here is the scenario.

Laptop user 1 connects to a folder full of MS office files (and
various subfolders of file) on our webdav server (iis).  He is ether
using WinXP’s built-in WebDav support, or uses a program like WebDrive
to mount the folder as a letter.

If user 1 makes any changes to any of the file in his local mirror
(when the user was offline) then the changed files would automatically
get uploaded back to the folder on the server next time he connected.

When a 2nd laptop hooks up to the internet and connects (effectively
doing a "hotsync") the changes the first user made would go into the
2nd users offline mirror.

Basically, I am talking about Palm-OS style hot syncing of a folder on
a webdav server by multiple people.

I have a serious need for something to do this.  Can anyone recommend
a simple solution/software.  I prefer one that would not involve
installing something on the server.  We need an inexpensive solution,
not a big enterprise package.

All the laptops have XP.  There is one Mac laptop running OSX, but we
can exclude him if need be.

I tried using XP’s built-in offline folders and it was a failure.

Any help is much appreciated.

-mike

In what way was XP's offline folders service a failure? It's exactly
the sort of thing it's designed to do.

I only got it to work once.  Maybe I need a guide how to use it.  I
seem to remember it putting everything into one flat directory... no
subfolders.

In your scenario, what will you do if, while offline, both laptop
users made changes to the same documents ?

i never got that far.  I couldn't even get it to create an offline of
a folder and all it's subfolders and sub-subfolders.  Help!