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More on backup routine..

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    More on backup routine..

    Guys:

    With the help of the Cone, Hanigsberg, Brighbill, and Lockin,and, as always, a host of others. I got me a really nice generic backup using Pkzip for A5v4 [the poor man's V5]. It seems complete with one exception...

    It uses sys_shell() to run a dos batch file.

    I've put a stopper and UI on it if it can't find a file existing on the backup media. That works fine for me but would be a problem with a distributed app.

    Question: How can I use Alpha to test for the presence of a blank or non-blank disk in the backup drive?

    Thanks in advance.

    Ken

    #2
    RE: More on backup routine..

    From my own v4.5 backup routine:

    '----------------------------------------------------------
    ' DETERMINE IF FILES ALREADY EXIST ON THE DRIVE - IF
    ' NOT, COPY FILES
    '----------------------------------------------------------
    all_files = filefind.first( dr + chr(92) + "*.*" )
    IF all_files.eof()
    goto Copy_files
    END IF

    Comment


      #3
      RE: More on backup routine..

      Hi again Cal:

      I was thinking..... What if my user fails to INSERT THE DISK and after he does, it is a new one with nothing on it.
      The dos screen is not visible at any time during the script's execution - minimized on the taskbar.

      I guess what I'm saying is... if you type
      copy c:\blabla.txt[space]A: and there's no disk in A,
      DOS will return - 'not ready reading drive a....ABORT, ETC ETC'. -Is there a way Alpha can pick that DOS error up and deal with it.

      I'm sure that, like always, you'll have a solution.

      Ken

      Comment


        #4
        RE: More on backup routine..

        Ken,

        Perhaps Cal will have something to recommend, but I fear the 'error trapping' you'd need, should be built into the DOS batch file. I don't think Alpha Five will be able to sense such an error once it passes control off to the DOS batch process.

        -- tom

        Comment


          #5
          RE: More on backup routine..

          Since Alpha will trap various error codes, how about this before the sys_shell() command to verify the path is correct.

          on error goto error_handler
          org_dir = dir_get()
          new_dir = "a:\ " ' or whatever
          dir_put(new_dir)

          end

          error_handler:
          msg = new_dir+" - "+error_text_get(error_code_get())
          ui_msg_box("Access Error",msg)
          dir_put(org_dir)
          end

          If there is no disk, an error will generate. You may want to substitute your own message for the error_text. You could combine this will Cal's code to then verify that the disk is empty.

          Actually, what I do is first use ui_get_file() to get and specify the destination of output of the batch file. I use xbasic to write a new batch file every backup to allow the use of different paths. This will trap an error before the batch file even runs.

          Jerry

          Comment


            #6
            RE: More on backup routine..

            Jerry,

            Good idea! Much, much easier than scripting a valid error trap sequence in a DOS batch file!

            -- tom

            Comment


              #7
              RE: More on backup routine..

              YOU GUYS CONTINUE TO BE UNCANNY!

              This flegeling will filter thru these suggestions and let you know the outcome.

              Thank you thank you.


              Ken

              Comment


                #8
                RE: More on backup routine..

                Well....

                Thanks again to all. I have it up and running as advertised and still, really don't completely understand.

                QUESTION: Where were all of you when I had to single-handedly learn A4 ALL BY MYSELF? --- something I don't have the mental capacity to do with A5. Really grateful that you're all here for this effort.

                At 68 things come a lot harder than they did 15 years ago.

                Ken

                Comment


                  #9
                  RE: More on backup routine..

                  Ken

                  Don't worry about your age, I am 58 and still love A5v4. It sure
                  does keep you thinking about how to do certain things (in alpha, of
                  course)and can keep your mind active. About 15 years again I self taught myself to program in Turbo Pascal (Dos version) and I couldn't sleep at night trying to figure out why my functions or procedures wouldn't work, but A5 stop that, I (we) have lots of friends on this forum to solve
                  our problems for us, so usually all you do here is type in your
                  question, go to bed, sleep, and the next morning those "Alphie ??"
                  (need some help here,(believe me they are up all night)) will have your problem solved.

                  Jerry

                  Comment


                    #10
                    RE: More on backup routine..

                    Jerry

                    I've attempted to help one or two and KNOW that it takes TIME. It's one thing to be unselfish and helpful and quite another to take so much time to be that way. I agree, these guys are truly remarkable.

                    Ken

                    Comment


                      #11
                      RE: More on backup routine..

                      Your are all great. Could not do it with out you KEN Herold. You are GREAT AS THEY COME !!!!!!!

                      Comment


                        #12
                        RE: More on backup routine..

                        Hi Kenn,

                        Congratulations on your age, but ... sorry, gotcha by 7 years, and
                        still learning.
                        efs

                        Comment

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