# Project Connector
The platform GUI provides the **Project Connector** which allows data to be linked automatically between projects. This creates a **one-way dynamic link** for files and samples from source to destination, meaning that additions and deletions of data in the source project also affect the destination project. This differs from [copying](https://help.ica.illumina.com/project/p-data#copy-data) or [moving](https://help.ica.illumina.com/project/p-data#move-data) which create editable copies of the data.
* **Copy** creates a copy of the file or folder. The data is decoupled and can be edited and deleted.
* **Move** deletes the data on the source destination and moves it to target destination from where it can be edited and deleted. Once deleted, the information ins lost.
* **Manual** **linking** creates a **snapshot** link to files and folder from the source destination. **Changes** to those files at the source are **not propagated** after they have been linked. You can not delete the data, but you can unlink it. to remove it from your destination project.
* **Project Connectors** creates a dynamic link to the source project. All **data which already exists** in the source project before the project connector is created, **is ignored**. All **new data** which is added once the project connector is created, **is automatically propagated to the destination** project. Because this is a dynamic link, **changes to the new data are also propagated**. If there is data propagated which you do not need in the destination project, you can unlink it from there.
| one-way | files | folders | erases source data | propagate source edits | editable on destination |
|---|
| copy | x | x | x | | | x |
| move | x | x | x | x | | x |
| manual link | x | x | x | | | |
| project connector | x | x | | | x | |
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Project Connector Setup
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## Prepare Source Project
1. Select the *source* project (project containing the original data which will be linked to the target project) from the Projects page (**Projects > your\_source\_project**).
2. Select **Project Settings > Details**.
3. Select **Edit**
4. Under **Data Sharing** ensure the value is set to **Yes**
5. Select **Save**
## Creating a New Project Connector
1. Select the *destination* project (the project to which data from the source project will be linked) from the Projects page (**Projects > your\_destination\_project**).
2. From the projects menu, select **Project Settings > Connectivity > Project Connector**
3. Select **+ Create** and complete the necessary fields.
* Check the box next to **Active** to ensure the connector will be active.
* **Name** (*required*) — Provide a unique name for the connector.
* **Type** (*required*) — Select the data type that will be linked (either **File** or **Sample**)
* **Source Project** - Select the source project where data will be linked from.
* **Filter Expression** (*optional*) — Enter an expression to restrict which files will be linked via the connector (see [Filter Expression Examples](#filter-expression-examples) below)
* **Tags** (*optional*) — Add tags to restrict what data will be linked via the connector. Any data in the source project with matching tags will be linked to the destination project.
### Filter Expression Examples
The examples below will restrict linking **Files** based on the **Format** field.
* Only Files with Format of FASTQ will be linked:
`[?($.details.format.code == 'FASTQ')]`
* Only Files with Format of VCF will be linked:
`[?($.details.format.code == 'VCF')]`
The examples below will restrict linked **Files** based on a filenames.
* Exact match to 'Sample-1\_S1\_L001\_R1\_001.fastq.gz':
`[?($.details.name == 'Sample-1_S1_L001_R1_001.fastq.gz')]`
* Ends with '.fastq.gz':
`[?($.details.name =~ /.*\.fastq.gz/)]`
* Starts with 'Sample-':
`[?($.details.name =~ /Sample-.*/)]`
* Contains '\_R1\_':
`[?($.details.name =~ /.*_R1_.*/)]`
The examples below will restrict linking **Samples** based on User Tags and Sample name, respectively.
* Only Samples with the User Tag 'WGS-Project-1'
`[?('WGS-Project-1' in $.tags.userTags)]`
* Link a Sample with the name 'BSSH\_Sample\_1':
`[?($.name == 'BSSH_Sample_1')]`
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