Personal Backup Vers. 2.1

© 2002, J. Rathlev, IEAP, Uni-Kiel

Overview

ballblue.gif Desktop ballblue.gif Menues ballblue.gif Taskbar ballblue.gif Automatic Backup ballblue.gif Command Line Options

Languages

Version 2.00 can support several languages. Now available are German and English. When launching the program for the first time the regional settings of your Windows system are recognized to start with the appropriate language (at the moment only English and as default German). To change the language click menu item Options/Language and select your desired language. This selection will be saved for further program starts.

Create new task Load saved task Save modified task Insert saved task Save directory as new task Restore files from backup Clear up backup diretory Show and print protocol Exit program Destination for files to backup Select backup directory Start backup immediately Directories of actual tasks Select the files types to backup Backup options Select span of time and file filter Remove directory from actual task Backup only the filetype in the list below Backup all filetypes except those in the list below These file types will be saved These file types will not be saved Put all types to left Put selected type to left Put selected type to right Put all types to right Select the directories to be saved Add directory to actul task Select drive Select directory with double click Show lists of file types Show startup options

Desktop

Click on desktop region leads to specific help.



Anfang

Menu structure

Backup-task
New - Crate new backup task
Öpen .. - Load saved task from disk
Save - Save a modified task
Save as .. - Save task under new name
Import - Insert a saved task
Export - Save a single directory as task
List .. - List of recent tasks
Exit - Exit program
Actions
Start backup .. - Start the actual backup task
Restore .. - Restore from backup
Clean backup .. - Erase older files in backup directory (or anywhere else)
Protocol
show - Show and print the protocol
erase - erase protocol
Options
Compress .. - nicht zu komprierende Dateitypen
Filenames
unchanged - leave filenames unchanged
lower case - convert filename to lower case
upper case - convert filename to upper case
Protocol
no - without protocol
short - short protocol with date and directories
long - detailed protocol with list of all copied files and errors
on Restore - create protocol on Restore
on Cleanup - create protocol on Cleanup
Task directory .. - Select the directory where to store the tasks
Language
German
English
Info
Help - Show this help file
Personal Backup - Version info
about GZip - Info about file compressing
Homepage - Link for downloading the most actual version

Anfang Neu  Creating a new task

Two things are necessary to perform a backup:
    Destination path for backup and subject of backup.

Destination

The destination path is displayed in the upper midth of the window. Click on the button at the right side to select a directory anywhere on your computer (partition on harddisk or removable disk) or in the network neighbourhood. A network directory must be connected to a drive letter.
When you click on the small down arrow in the field a drop down list is opened where all previous used directories are available for fast selection.

Directories to be saved

Now select the directories and file types to be saved. Click on the tab Directories and select drive and directory (double click). The names of all subdirectories of the selected directory are displayed in the upper list (including hidden and system directories). There are two possibilities to add directories to the backup task: Long names in the task directory list appear abbreviated so that begin and end of path are visible. Moving the mouse over a such a name will display the full path as hint.
At the same time you add directories to the task list the file type lists in the lower region of the window are updated. First all found types are displayed in the left list (include these types) with their extension. For each type the number and the total size of all files of this type in the selected directory (and subdirectories) is shown. The size is visualized as a small bar. Green means low values (< 1kb), red large values (> 1MB):



The total amount of needed space for the types to include and those not to include is diplayed benath the type lists.
In the upper region of the window the total amount of space for the whole backup (without compression) and date and time of last run for this backup task are displayed.

To remove a directory from the task list click on button Remove from task.

File types

You can select which file type you want to include and which you want to exclude from backup. Click on one of the four arrow buttons or double click on one item in the type lists to move it from left to right or reverse. Using the double arrows will move all types to the reverse side.
Clicking the radio button only these or all except says the program what to do with forthcoming files:
    only these: new files of other types are not saved.
    all except: new files of other types are always saved.

Datum.gif

Speichern  File filter

Clicking the Filter button pops up a window where you can select which files you want to include in your backup:
    Files which fulfill a filter condition like "D*.*",
    Files which have a date in a given time span.
As default all files are seleted.
Further you can specify if the program shall search through all subdirectories or not (Default: include all subdirectories).
The time span can be set in three way: all files which are older or newer as a specific date or all files which fit into a given time span.
This selection is unique for each directory in the backup task and is displayed as appendix to the directory name in the task list.

Anfang Options

einstellungen.gif Click on the tab Options to select more options for your backup task and to have a look at your filter adjustments (see filter).

Compress
Select if you want all files to be compressed using the GZip algorithm. This method is compatible with all standard archive programs (e.g. WinZip). Further you can specify which files types are to exclude from compressing (see packing of files).

Backup destination
By default you will find separate directories for each drive in the backup directory: LwC, LwD, etc (drives separated).
You can suppress this behaviour, but this mode only works if your backup task uses just one drive as source and you start your backup manually (click on Start button). When you are using the startup feature of the program for automatic backup, drives are always separated to prevent from lost of data if you use identical path names on different drives.
You can select between two modes:
clone of source: The source path is identical to the destination path. If you specify for instance E:\ as destination you will get a 1:1 copy of your selected directory structure on the source drive on driv E:.
in one directory: The source path will be ignored. All subdirectories of the source path are copied in the same destination path.

Anfang Speichern  Saving a modified task

You should store your backup tasks for future use as a file (Extension BUJ) on your disc. When starting the program the first time a task directory is created at "My files\PersBackup". You change this preference using the menu item Options/Task directory.
The backup tasks are stored as ASCII files so you can read them. But it is recommended not to change such a file with a text editor, use instead the program "Personal Backup".

Save task as new file

Your existing and ev. modified task is stored under a new filename.

Anfang Laden  Load a backup task

A saved task (BUJ file) is loaded and can be modified (see above).

Anfang Import  Insert a saved task (Import)

A saved task list is added to the actual task.

Anfang Export  Save selected directory as task (Export)

The selected directory in the task list is saved as own task.

List of recent used tasks

The task menu contains a list of the 15 most recent saved task. Click on the list to load a task.

Anfang Backup  Start backup immediately

The actual backup task is executed immediately. On the screen you will see a window with a progress bar. To cancel the backup click the button.

When the backup is done the window shows you how many files were copied actually and if errors have accured. Close the window by clicking the Done button.
Progress-2.gif

Anfang Automatic backup

Click the register tab Startup to have a look at the options for automatic backup.
First you have to select which backup tasks are to be exececuted on startup. Click then [+]-Button to add the backup task shown in the main window, click the Folder-Button, to add any saved task. If you want to remove a task from the startup list click the [-]-Button.

Automatisches Backup There are four different ways to start the automatic backup:

always on login
Each time the user logs onto the Windows system (or Windows is started on single user systems) the selected backup tasks are executed. To do this a link is added to the startup menu of Windows. A few seconds after login the program starts and copies all changed files to the backup directory. On the screen you will see the progress bar as described above.

dayly on login
The program executes as above, but just once per day after first login. The next backup is done on the following day at the earliest.

dayly at hh:mm
After starting windows the program hides itself in the task bar (lower right corner of the screen). The backup is executed once per day when the preselected time hh:mm is reached.
on logoff
After starting windows the program hides itself in the task bar. When the user logs off or shuts down the system an automatic backup is done.
In all four cases Personal Backup adds itself to the startup menu of Windows using the command line option /auto.

When the box end automatically is checked the backup status window is closed after a few seconds by the program. Otherwise the user has to close this window for confirmation by striking the -key or clicking the button.

In the lower part of the startup panel you can adjust if you want to have a backup schedule. The destination of the backup can change dayly or weekly. The total number of cycles is selectable (1..31). In the backup directory you now will find subdirectories for each drive of the kind "LwXnn" (X = drive letter, nn = actual cycle).
dayly schedule: When you have selected 5 cycles the destination directory changes every day from LwX01 to LwX05. Then it starts from beginning (Lw01).
A special case is cycle of 7 days. The destination directory corresponds to the day of week (LwX01 for sunday, Lw02 for monday, etc.)
weekly schedule: The destination directory changes in the same way as described above (LwX01,...). The counter is incremented always on monday. If you had no backup on monday this is done on the next following day.


Anfang Taskbar Options of Personal-Backup

Clicking with the left mouse button on the symbol in the taskbar will show you the schedule of the next automatic backup, clicking with the right button will popup a menu:
Personal Backup
Open the program desktop
Start Backup
Execute the predefined backup task (see above).
Quit Program
Remove Personal-Backup from the task bar.
Anfang

Edit File Type Lists

dateifilter.gif Click the register tab File types to have a look at the user type lists. Each preselection of types (see above) can be stored for future use. Each list is stored under a unique name. Clicking the buttons will perform one of the following functions:
New
The actual file type selection is stored. Insert a new name and the list is diplayed in the right window.

Update
An existing list is updated by the actual selection.

Apply
Use the file type list to select the files of your backup task.

Delete
Delete the displayed file type list.



Anfang Restore  Restore data from backup

restore.gif In the case of data loss or if you want to move your backup data to another place open the Restore Window. You can select which directory you want to restore and where the files are to be moved. The destination can be any folder on your disk. Select if existing files shall be overwritten in any case or just when they are older as those from your backup.






Anfang Restore  Cleanup the backup directory

cleanup.gif From time to time you should delete older files from your backup. Personal-Backup does this for you. You have several options to select file types and/or a file age.

Deleting files makes only sense if these files are no longer existing in the original directory. Otherwise they would be copied at the next backup again. If you want you can also do a cleanup using any available file manager.

Anfang Compressing files

when backing up text files or data bases you can spare a lot of space by using a compressing method. Small files and types like GIF or JPG need not to compressed. By clearing the check box in Backup task options/Compress files you inhibit compressing for all files (Default: compress files)
You can select which file types you do not want to be compressed. Global preferences are made in the menu Options/Compress, individual for each back up task by clicking the button Types not to compress.

Anfang Protocol settings

If you want, Personal-Backup can keep a protocol file of all backup actions:
Short protocol:
Date and time of backup
Destination directories
Backup status and number of copied and checked files
Long Protocol
Date and time of backup
List of all copied files and errors
Destination directories
Backup status and number of copied and checked files
Further you can select if also to keep a protocol while restoring or cleaning up. If errors occur on these actions you will find in a long protocol which files were affected.

Anfang Protokoll  Viewing and printing the protocol

A view window is opened. Click one of the buttons to print or erase the protocol.

protokoll.gif

Anfang Ende  Quit program

When you exit the program all preferences including your selections for automatic backup are stored (see PersBackup.ini in your personal windows folder).

Anfang Command line options

When starting the program via a desktop link or from another program you can define its behaviour by one of the following command line options:
none:
The program starts with its normal desktop window.
[filename]:
Loads the backup task [filename] on startup. If no path is specified in [filename] the program searches in the task directory.
/auto:
Start the automatic backup. (A link using this option is inserted from the program into the startup section of your windows start menu when you have selected one of the automatic backup options).
/force:
Start the preselected automatic backup immediately.
[filelist] /force:
Start a backup of all tasks you have specified in the filelist (separate filenames by spaces).
This option is very useful in connection with the windows task scheduler. So it is possible to execute several backup tasks at individual times. In this case you should not use one of the internal functions of Personal-Backup to start a backup
Sample: PersBackup.exe C:\Backup\BackupA.buj C:\Backup\BackupB.buj /force
/shutdown:
Start the preselected automatic backup and shut down the system (also useable as [filelist] /shutdown). If you want to make a backup before shutting down your computer create a shortcut on your desktop using this command line option. For shut down double click this icon.
Hint: Windows 2000/XP shuts down the system, but does not switch off the computer (for this see option /poweroff). Windows 98 makes a power off after this option.
/poweroff:
This option is similar to /shutdown, but the computer is switched off after shutdown (only Windows 2000/XP - on Windows 98 use instead the option /shutdown.
/logoff:
This option is similar to /shutdown, but just makes a logoff of the current user.
/nodrives:
On automatic backup no drive shortcuts are created in the destination directory (see Option "clone of source"). You can use this option togther with all other command line options, but you should be careful as it is possible to have conflicts if you are using a backup task from different drives. Scheduling the backup to different destinations is not possible with this option.

Author:
Dr. Jürgen Rathlev
Institute of Experimental and Applied Physics
University of Kiel
24098 Kiel, Olshausenstr. 40
E-Mail: rathlev@physik.uni-kiel.de
Acknowledgements:
The program was created under Borland Delphi 5.
Data compressing uses the ZLib routines from Jean-loup Gailly and Mark Adler.