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How does the Alpha Backup Folder work

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    #16
    Re: How does the Alpha Backup Folder work

    Chet,

    Hmmmm. Not familiar with v9 so I can't really comment (I skipped over 6-9 for a variety of reasons).

    Are all of your application files located within one folder? This is a key to making it function properly as far as I can tell.

    Other than that, I defer to my v9 brethren on the board.

    Bill

    Comment

      #17
      Re: How does the Alpha Backup Folder work

      Hello all

      As there has been some discussion here as well as in another thread (I will post this there as well). I thought I would put this up here - it is a UDF I created to make it easy for me update my apps. It allows you to indicate the directory you want to zip the files to as well as whether to increment the app version number if the app is running in Network Optimized Mode (shadowed). See the attached screen shots.

      This UDF was developed just for my usage so it does not have full error checking or is it glitzy. But, it makes it easy to get all your application files zipped into one place as well as keep an archive of your updates by date.

      Please test this on your system and make a backup of your live app before using just to protect yourself.

      Code:
      FUNCTION UpdateClients as C (destdir as C,updshadownum as L)
	'USAGE: UpdateClients("C:\myappupdates",.T.)
	'The first parameter in the UDF sets where you want the files zipped to.  The UDF will make a directory structure under that
	'which creates subdirectories based on the date.  So, the UDF makes keeps a history of your updates
	'The second parameter is whether you are running in shadowed (network optimized) mode.  If so, a text box shows you your current version and
	'allows you to enter the next number in your sequence.  The UDF will update the number in the app before zipping and then the subsequent updating of the files.
	'Then when the user logs in there shadow will refresh as it would had you used the Alpha GUI to set the number

	'See if UDF has been told to increment the app verion number - if so
	'update before zupping files	
	IF updshadownum = .T.
		DIM vcurrshadownum as N
		DIM vnewshadownum as C
		vcurrshadownum = A5_getAppVersionNumber()
		vnewshadownum = ui_get_text("Set Application Number","The current application is running version number: "+str(vcurrshadownum,6,2)+crlf(2)+"Enter the new version number:","","")
		A5_SetAppVersionNumber(VAL(vnewshadownum))
	END IF

	'Now dimension a series of lists that contain the files we want
	DIM vfilelist1 as C
	DIM vfilelist2 as C
	DIM vfilelist3 as C
	DIM vfilelist4 as C
	DIM vfilelist5 as C
	DIM vfilelist6 as C
	DIM vfilelist7 as C
	DIM vfilelist8 as C
	DIM vfilelist9 as C
	'Get the filenames with path of the tables and sets - get app files only - no data
	vfilelist1 = filefind.get(a5.Get_Path()+"\*.ddd",FILE_FIND_NOT_DIRECTORY,"PN")
	vfilelist2 = filefind.get(a5.Get_Path()+"\*.ddm",FILE_FIND_NOT_DIRECTORY,"PN")
	vfilelist3 = filefind.get(a5.Get_Path()+"\*.ddx",FILE_FIND_NOT_DIRECTORY,"PN")
	vfilelist4 = filefind.get(a5.Get_Path()+"\*.sem",FILE_FIND_NOT_DIRECTORY,"PN")
	vfilelist5 = filefind.get(a5.Get_Path()+"\*.sex",FILE_FIND_NOT_DIRECTORY,"PN")
	vfilelist6 = filefind.get(a5.Get_Path()+"\*.set",FILE_FIND_NOT_DIRECTORY,"PN")
	'Now get the name of the main app (ADB file) with path
	DIM vadbname as C
	vadbname = filefind.get(a5.Get_Name(),FILE_FIND_NOT_DIRECTORY,"PN")
	'Set a variable to just the main ADB file
	vfilelist7 = vadbname
	'Now get the ALB and ALM files by using substring and trimming off the last 3 characters of the adb string and adding the ones I want
	vfilelist8 = substr(vadbname,1,len(vadbname)-3)+"alb"
	vfilelist9 = substr(vadbname,1,len(vadbname)-3)+"alm"

	'Bring them all together into one crlf list - this list is the zip list used below
	DIM vziplist as C
	vziplist = vfilelist1+crlf()+vfilelist2+crlf()+vfilelist3+crlf()+vfilelist4+crlf()+vfilelist5+crlf()+vfilelist6+crlf()+vfilelist7+crlf()+vfilelist8+crlf()+vfilelist9
	'Left this msg box here - used during testing to show filelist
	'ui_msg_box("List",vziplist)

	'Now create a directory under the value passed in the first parameter to store the zip file
	DIM vdirtocreate as C
	vdirtocreate = destdir+"\\"+dtoc(date(),"1-")

	'Just zip the files
	zip_files(vdirtocreate+"\ClientUpdate"+dtoc(date(),"1-"),vziplist)
	ui_msg_box("Done","All the files to update your app on the client machines have been zipped to "+vdirtocreate)


END FUNCTION
      After you have created the zip, you can uzip it to a temp dir and then just copy all the files into your destination directory. If your clients are shadowed the new app number has been set when you ran the UDF so the users will be notified their shadow databases are being updated (just as if you had used Alpha's GUI to set the app number).


      Regards,

      Jeff

      Comment

        #18
        Re: How does the Alpha Backup Folder work

        I forgot to include the ALX file in the example I provided. The code below fixes that.

        Sorry for any inconvenience.

        Code:
        FUNCTION UpdateClients as C (destdir as C,updshadownum as L)
	'USAGE: UpdateClients("C:\myappupdates",.T.)
	'The first parameter in the UDF sets where you want the files zipped to.  The UDF will make a directory structure under that
	'which creates subdirectories based on the date.  So, the UDF makes keeps a history of your updates
	'The second parameter is whether you are running in shadowed (network optimized) mode.  If so, a text box shows you your current version and
	'allows you to enter the next number in your sequence.  The UDF will update the number in the app before zipping and then the subsequent updating of the files.
	'Then when the user logs in there shadow will refresh as it would had you used the Alpha GUI to set the number

	'See if UDF has been told to increment the app verion number - if so
	'update before zupping files	
	IF updshadownum = .T.
		DIM vcurrshadownum as N
		DIM vnewshadownum as C
		vcurrshadownum = A5_getAppVersionNumber()
		vnewshadownum = ui_get_text("Set Application Number","The current application is running version number: "+str(vcurrshadownum,6,2)+crlf(2)+"Enter the new version number:","","")
		A5_SetAppVersionNumber(VAL(vnewshadownum))
	END IF

	'Now dimension a series of lists that contain the files we want
	DIM vfilelist1 as C
	DIM vfilelist2 as C
	DIM vfilelist3 as C
	DIM vfilelist4 as C
	DIM vfilelist5 as C
	DIM vfilelist6 as C
	DIM vfilelist7 as C
	DIM vfilelist8 as C
	DIM vfilelist9 as C
	DIM Vfilelist10 as C
	'Get the filenames with path of the tables and sets - get app files only - no data
	vfilelist1 = filefind.get(a5.Get_Path()+"\*.ddd",FILE_FIND_NOT_DIRECTORY,"PN")
	vfilelist2 = filefind.get(a5.Get_Path()+"\*.ddm",FILE_FIND_NOT_DIRECTORY,"PN")
	vfilelist3 = filefind.get(a5.Get_Path()+"\*.ddx",FILE_FIND_NOT_DIRECTORY,"PN")
	vfilelist4 = filefind.get(a5.Get_Path()+"\*.sem",FILE_FIND_NOT_DIRECTORY,"PN")
	vfilelist5 = filefind.get(a5.Get_Path()+"\*.sex",FILE_FIND_NOT_DIRECTORY,"PN")
	vfilelist6 = filefind.get(a5.Get_Path()+"\*.set",FILE_FIND_NOT_DIRECTORY,"PN")
	'Now get the name of the main app (ADB file) with path
	DIM vadbname as C
	vadbname = filefind.get(a5.Get_Name(),FILE_FIND_NOT_DIRECTORY,"PN")
	'Set a variable to just the main ADB file
	vfilelist7 = vadbname
	'Now get the ALB and ALM files by using substring and trimming off the last 3 characters of the adb string and adding the ones I want
	vfilelist8 = substr(vadbname,1,len(vadbname)-3)+"alb"
	vfilelist9 = substr(vadbname,1,len(vadbname)-3)+"alm"
	Vfilelist10 = substr(vadbname,1,len(vadbname)-3)+"alx"
	
	'Bring them all together into one crlf list - this list is the zip list used below
	DIM vziplist as C
	vziplist = vfilelist1+crlf()+vfilelist2+crlf()+vfilelist3+crlf()+vfilelist4+crlf()+vfilelist5+crlf()+vfilelist6+crlf()+vfilelist7+crlf()+vfilelist8+crlf()+vfilelist9+crlf()+vfilelist10
	'Left this msg box here - used during testing to show filelist
	'ui_msg_box("List",vziplist)

	'Now create a directory under the value passed in the first parameter to store the zip file
	DIM vdirtocreate as C
	vdirtocreate = destdir+"\\"+dtoc(date(),"1-")

	'Just zip the files
	zip_files(vdirtocreate+"\ClientUpdate"+dtoc(date(),"1-"),vziplist)
	ui_msg_box("Done","All the files to update your app on the client machines have been zipped to "+vdirtocreate)


END FUNCTION

        Comment

          #19
          Re: How does the Alpha Backup Folder work

          Originally posted by Clunes View Post
          with the release of V10 there were a lot of demo movies made. One of them was on the topic of this backup process. if you got to http://news.alphasoftware.com/V10Pre...uresVideos.htm

          You will find a demo video ther - it might help
          I accept with information: The mission criticality of the application and system complexity will determine how rigorous you should be, but at a minimum you should have a "Development" environment and a "Production" environment. Do your changes on the former and the latter is the system people use "live."

          Comment

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