Backup Help File

This is the Help "file" for the Python Application whose main page is: Python Backup Program

Help file for backup application.

Application Features

• Highly configurable.
• Only copies new and updated files.
• Produces detailed and summary logs so you can know just what it did.
• Once set up runs an update with a couple of clicks.
• Recurse down a directory structure ( how far is configurable ).
• Can select files with "file filters" For example only *.png and *.gif files.
• GUI shows activity.
• Can pause and resume.
• Can set to throttle the backup so it does not degrade computer performance.
• Directory structure, file names, file format preserved in backup.
• Backup files may be inspected without need for a restore.
• Can be set to simulate mode where you can see ( via the log files ) what would have been copied.

Download and Install

There is really no install program. Currently the application is intended for those who have at least a little familiarity with Python coding and can just insert the downloaded code into their development environment and run it. Code not yet available.

How To:...

General

• Setup for backup of a directory. See section below.

• Edit the parameter file: Use your development environment for Python or a text editor to edit parameters.py. See also: The section below, Configuration Files For Python. Normally I have a button on the GUI for this, but this function does not seem so useful for this application

• Install: see section above.

• Debug: see section below.

• Quick Restart of the application: Not in this app, just shutdown and restart.

• Use your preferred text editor. In the parameter file, see below.

Setup for Backup

There are several different way to use the program. I generally set it up with a small program in the directory that I wish to backup, then to run the backup I go to that directory ( with a file manager ) and double click the file. This is what I will describe here. Later I may document other ways to run it, but they are not very deep, you can probably figure them out.

• Copy the file _sample_backup.py from your download of the program and drop it in the target directory. Lets say the name of this is ....../my_important_files.
• Set up a backup location somewhere on your computer or network. It should be named ......./my_important_files. You need to set up this directory manually because the backup program checks this name to make sure you do not backup to the wrong location by mistake. Of course once this is setup it is done for good.

How to Use the Parameter File

See: Configuration Files For Python

Editing of the parameters.py file

• • See above in Download and Install
• Enable your favorite editor to work with the application.
  • self.ex_editor = r"D:\apps\Notepad++\notepad++.exe" # use r" or the backslashes will not work, or you can use forward slashes instead they may be wrong but they work.
• Lots of other settings:
  • Read the comments in parameters.py and change as desired. If a setting does not work let me know.
• If you mess up.
  • Re download and get back to the original parameter file.

The GUI

see: Backup GUI Images

Debugging

There are several application outputs that may be useful for debugging.

• Watch the GUI
• Check the Python console.
• Look at the python log file ( use the GUI button <Edit Log> ( specify your editor in parameters.py first ) or use your editor on the default name of the log file ...\smart_plug\smart_plug.py_log.

Most issues will probably be missing libraries, parameters.py issues, or just bugs in my code (email me ).

Links

• Python Backup Program main page for this project

• Click on category page for this project ( Python Backup ) below.
• Click on What links here on the left of this page