Database Utilities/Backup

[BRochford]

Build 1342-1019 added ?Database Utilities/Backup? which is great. In addition Settings/System/Backup asks for frequency of Backup.

Question: my Data is on a PC acting as a Server (for example ?W:\alpha_data\C_Net?), Alpha Ver 5 is not installed on this PC but the work stations all have full versions installed. How can I utilize Database Utilities to Backup the Data from the Server? I told my customer that Alpha handles Backup and now I find that is not true if you have your data on a server.

Seems as though Database Utilities needs an option to allow backing up the Server.

-Barry

[whanigsberg]

RE: Database Utilities/Backup

Barry,

What happens if you run one step backup from a shadow database on a client. Does it back up the shadow or the master files.

I don't know the answer to this and am not yet in a position to test it. Have you?

All the best,
Bill

[Raymond Lyons]

RE: Database Utilities/Backup

Assuming what you say is correct, the A5 backup stuff will be useless for all my networked clients, none of whom run A5 on their NT servers. Then again, I am not sure how important that is since they all should be doing regular backups of all dataq files on the servers. Then again, I know for sure one of them does not.

Ray Lyons

[Daniel Weiss]

RE: Database Utilities/Backup

Barry
You can use the script genie to set up a custom backup job,
And just change the folder name you to where the data is i.e. \\server\my_app
I think it should work

Daniel Weiss

[BRochford]

RE: Database Utilities/Backup

Bill, I tried and it said "you are running on a shadow database". So it failed.

Daniel's choice may work, but it should really be handled by the database Utilitys.

-Barry

[BRochford]

RE: Database Utilities/Backup

That sounds like a good idea, I'll try that.

P.S. You will be getting an Email Notice re: the Dec 18th Meeting.

Thanks, Barry

[BRochford]

RE: Database Utilities/Backup

Daniel, it does not appear to offer any method of changing the path at all. You can indicate where to place the zipped file, but the source is etched in concreto solido!

-Barry

[Ronald Anusiewicz]

RE: Database Utilities/Backup

You can do all the backups you want. You just better make sure that you can restore from your backup.

I can't no matter what I have tried. The backup/restore function is useless. I lose data, get corrupted forms or lose updated forms.

I can use third party backup and restore software, but the utility in Alpha 5 is useless.

I've seen warning messages and posted them on this board and no one from Alpha would even tell me what they meant.

I like Alpha 5, but this backup/restore utility is useless.

[Doug Chanley]

RE: Database Utilities/Backup

Hi Barry.....

You might be able to do what you want if you take a look at these 2 functions.
The first returns a CRLF list that you can use in the zip_files() function. Filefind.get() will let you select the path to your newtork drive ..(pretty sure) & the function its self is very powerful.

String = Filefind.get(Pattern, File_attribute, Format)

Result_flag = Zip_files(zip_filename, filelist, [delete_existing] )

doug

[russ Boehle]

RE: Database Utilities/Backup

I'm not sure the backup in A5 is useless, I'm sure for some cases it probably works BUT I think you can get a lot more flexibility and safety using a backup utility that's made for that purpose and has been around for a while. Backups are too important to use untested software on. I use backup exec, the personal edition from stomp which will backup mapped drives on a schedule and it works great. Fast and foolproof plus it will backup to tape or CDRW. I use a NS20 tape drive for medium and have never had one of these fail when I needed it. Of course you have to check them periodically but if a backup fails for some reason the software always gives me some sort of error message so I know I had better check it out.

My 2 cents
Russ

[Daniel Weiss]

RE: Database Utilities/Backup

Barry

Daniel Weiss
This script runs from the alpha sports application which is in this folder �D:\Program Files\A5V5\Samples\AlphaSports�
But backs up the alpha sports application which is in this folder �D:\AlphaSports�
I used the genie for a custom backup and then just added (using the fantastic transform option new in x basic) �d:\AlphaSports\� before each file name
Try it
Daniel Weiss



'Run a custom Backup job.
code_to_execute = ;
%dlg%)

if .not. (prompt_result = "OK" .or. prompt_result = "enter") then
comment_text = "Quit_Backup_operation"
end if


DIM zipfilename as C
'Generate a filename for the backup using a special naming sequence
zipfilename = a5_backup_filename("C:\BACKUP"+chr(92),a5.get_name(),comment_text)
if comment_text "Quit_Backup_operation" then
if files_to_backup "" then
a5_zip_files_w_fback(files_to_backup,zipfilename,.t.,.f.,.f.)
dim message_confirmation as c
message_confirmation = "Selected Database files were backed up to: '"+zipfilename+"'"
confirm_result = ui_dlg_box("Note", ;
%dlg%)
if confirm_result = "view" then
dim flag_temp as l
flag_temp = file.unzip(zipfilename,"Database",file.temp_path_get())
if flag_temp = .t. then
dim temp_text as c
temp_text = get_from_file(file.temp_path_get()+"Database")
ui_dlg_box("Backup Log - "+zipfilename,"[%M%.120,30temp_text];;")
ELSE
ui_msg_box("Error","Could not open the Backup log.",UI_STOP_SYMBOL)
END IF
end if

else
UI_msg_box("Error","No files were specified to backup.")
end if

end if

%code%
dim cmd_initial as c
cmd_initial = code_to_execute
dim msg as c
msg = "In order to Backup files, all open Windows must first be closed. OK to close all open Windows?"
dim cmd_result as c
'get list of all open windows...........................................
dim open_windows as c
open_windows = a5_list_open_windows()
dim current_window as c
if is_object(topparent.this)
if topparent.class() = "form" .or. topparent.class() = "browse" then
current_window = topparent.name()
'remove the current window from the list
open_windows = word_subtract(open_windows,current_window,crlf())
end if
end if

'generate the xbasic to close all of the open windows (excepting the current window)....................
dim cmd_close as c
cmd_close = *for_each(x,x+".close()" , open_windows)
''now execute the xbasic
cmd_result = evaluate_template(cmd_close)

if cmd_result "" then
ui_msg_box("Error",cmd_result)
else 'was successfull in closing down all open windows.... so proceed
if is_object(topparent.this) then
if topparent.class() = "form" .or. topparent.class() = "browse" then
dim q_msg as n
q_msg = ui_msg_box("Notice",msg,UI_ATTENTION_SYMBOL+UI_OK_CANCEL)
if q_msg = ui_ok_selected then
dim topparent_name as c
dim cmd as c
dim condition as c

dim open_sessions
open_sessions = session_enum()
dim open_session_count as n
open_session_count = line_count(open_sessions)

if topparent.class() = "form" then
cmd = " form.view(" + quote(topparent.name(1)+"@" + topparent.Dictionary_Get(1))+")"
else
cmd = " browse.view(" +quote( topparent.name(1)+"@" + topparent.Dictionary_Get(1))+")"
end if
'when the number of sessions is one less than the number before the layout is closed then
'the session that the form/browse was based on has been closed, and it is safe to run the
'command.
condition = "line_count(session_enum()) = " + (open_session_count - 1 )
cmd = cmd_initial + crlf() + cmd
on_condition(condition,cmd)
topparent.close()
end if

else 'topparent is an object, but it is not a form or browse
cmd_result = evaluate_template(cmd_initial)
if cmd_result "" then
ui_msg_box("Error",cmd_result)
end if
end if
else ' topparent is not an object
cmd_result = evaluate_template(cmd_initial)
if cmd_result "" then
ui_msg_box("Error",cmd_result)
end if
end if
end if

[BRochford]

RE: Database Utilities/Backup

Thanks Daniel. From some of the other comments on problems doing a Restore, I had better check that out first.

Thanks again for your efforts.

-Barry

[whanigsberg]

RE: Database Utilities/Backup

I've never explicitly done a restore but I have certainly been able to manually extract and use the zipped files created by the backup process.

On another point, what if you (from a client machine) open the application on the server directly and run a backup job? I do a lot of maintenance that way in 4.5.

Bill

[BRochford]

RE: Database Utilities/Backup

That's another alternative that I'll pursue. Good job of thinking outside the box!

-Barry