What is a Simulated Run? What is a simulation?
A Simulated Run lets you run a profile but no files are actually copied, deleted, moved, or changed. Running a profile as a simulation lets you see what files would be copied, deleted, or moved. A log file is produced as per normal*, and you are prompted as per normal, e.g. the Differences screen is shown. This gives you the opportunity to fine tune the profile before running it for real. For example, during the simulated run, you may see that a file will be deleted when you don’t actually want that to happen. You could then change your profile so that the file isn’t deleted, e.g. excluding it or filtering it out. A simulation is a risk-free way of testing your profile.
* The log file will list what it would have hopefully succeeded in doing if run without Simulation. This does not mean that it actually did so during the Simulation. A log created by a Simulated Run will state the fact. If using HTML logging, this is currently stated on page-1, under Overview. If using TXT logging, this is currently stated on line-6 of the TXT log (or, line-6 of the log section for that particular run, if using the Append option).
Note that a Simulated Run cannot find all potential problems as it does not actually try to change anything. For example, if your NAS device cannot set file modification dates & times correctly then a Simulated Run will not discover this because it specifically does not try to change files or the attributes of files. Likewise, errors such as Access Denied may not occur until the profile actually tries to change files, instead of only reading their properties.