* Backup & Restore FH Settings.

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johnmorrisoniom
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Backup & Restore FH Settings.

Post by johnmorrisoniom »

Noting that a few plugins had changed, I ran Jane's Check against store plugin.
3 Plugins were updated, but backup & restore is now shwn as 'Not in Store'.

A manual brows of the store, does indeed show, that the plugin seems to have disappeared.

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Jane
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Backup & Restore FH Settings.

Post by Jane »

John, Mike's Backup and Restore is not approved yet, but you can download it from the Work in Progress section on the Knowledge base.
Jane
My Family History : My Photography "Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad."
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tatewise
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Backup & Restore FH Settings.

Post by tatewise »

The Backup and Restore Family Historian Settings V1.6 is now available from the Plugin Store.

Please feel free to check it out, especially the amended features listed below.
Remember to take independent backups of your Program Data Calico Pie files and the Windows Registry just in case!
In particular try moving settings from one PC to another PC.
If you have different resolution monitors on the PC, try placing FH pop-up windows that remember their position down at the bottom right corner of a large monitor.
Then BACKUP on this PC and RESTORE Registry Data Keys on a PC with a small monitor, and check where these popup windows appear on the screen.

This version includes several amendments suggested by Calico Pie who have just approved it in the Plugin Store.
  • Now omits file paths from Registry Data Keys, such as Default File and Backup Directory and Startup Directory. This prevents the Default Project, and Location of Backup and Project folders from being upset when RESTORE is used.
  • Now allows RESTORE to automatically create folders within the Program Data Calico Pie folders to replicate the BACKUP folders.
  • Now allows RESTORE to automatically create folders for Box Icon image files not stored within the Program Data Calico Pie Icons folder, and report any failures.
  • An introductory IMPORTANT PLEASE READ message is now included.
  • The Plugin Version is checked and reported in the introductory message above.
  • New Allow RESTORE Registry Data option on the Options tab, to enable/disable the RESTORE Registry Data Keys button.
  • The migrate FH 5.0 Beta option has been removed.
Mike Tate ~ researching the Tate and Scott family history ~ tatewise ancestry
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Valjean
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Backup & Restore FH Settings.

Post by Valjean »

Hi,

I am trying to use the backup and restore plugin but am having difficulties.

I like the look of this plugin as it appears to grab some of the FH settings that are saved in the registry, but this aspect does not seem to be working in my situation. I potentially have a strange setup. I have FH installed on both my desktop and laptop. In order to prevent having to keep moving the project folder I have set up a shared folder on my desktop which I can then access from both my desktop and from my laptop (with the desktop turned on)when connected to my wireless router. (I also regularly backup my desktop and never backup my laptop).

I tend to work off my laptop but do also sometimes work off my desktop. Occasionally I have changed the settings on FH on my laptop and would llike to move these to my desktop so that FH behaves the same. Hence the hope for this plugin. However, when running the plugin I get the following window:

Image

On clicking on 'OK' I get:

Image

I assume that the plugin is not working because my project folder that FH is accessing from my laptop is actually in a folder that sits on my desktop? Is there any (simple) thing I can do to resolve this issue?

Thanks in advance,

Paul
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tatewise
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Backup & Restore FH Settings.

Post by tatewise »

Sorry about that Paul.

I think the problem may be related to your shared path name.

Try using the Plugin Options tab and Choose Backup Folder that has an actual drive letter (such as C:) as its root instead of \TERRILL-PC.

If that is the cause of the problem then I will modify the Plugin to either cope with or inhibit shared path names.
Mike Tate ~ researching the Tate and Scott family history ~ tatewise ancestry
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johnmorrisoniom
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Backup & Restore FH Settings.

Post by johnmorrisoniom »

It may also be worth you thinking about using dropbox (or similar) as this service allows you to have a local copy on each machine and also a cloud copy. All three (or more) are synchronised whenever you have an internet connection.
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Valjean
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Backup & Restore FH Settings.

Post by Valjean »

Thanks both,

I wasn't able to change the location to one with a drive letter when I was effectively using my desktop as a file server. However, I have now moved everything to dropbox. I was trying to avoid this for a few reasons but I will see how I get on.

As far as I can tell your plugin in is working thanks. My only caveat is that when the DOS window opens and lots of text scrolls by quickly I very briefly see a 'file does not exist' message, but it is too quick for me to work out which file!

On question on drobox. Does anyone know if it is backed up by default when I run windows backup please?

Thanks, Paul
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tatewise
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Backup & Restore FH Settings.

Post by tatewise »

In the intervening time I believe I have modified my copy of the Plugin to cope with shared path names such as \TERRILL-PC.
[POSTSCRIPT] See WiP Plugin below.

I presume the DOS window you refer to is the one after using the BACKUP... button.
What are your Backup Data: and Program Data: path names please?
If necessary I can explain how to Edit the Plugin to PAUSE the DOS window to reveal the message details.
[POSTSCRIPT] See WiP Plugin below.

What do you see in the Family Historian folder within your Backup Data folder?
It should contain a copy of the ...Calico PieFamily Historian folders, plus ImageList.txt, Registry.keys, Version.data, and maybe image files all starting n~ where n is a digit.

I imagine that the Dropbox sub-folder will be backed up just like all your other My Documents sub-folders.
[POSTSCRIPT] See how to check backups below.
Mike Tate ~ researching the Tate and Scott family history ~ tatewise ancestry
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tatewise
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Backup & Restore FH Settings.

Post by tatewise »

If you are using Windows 7 there is an easy way to tell if files are backed up.
Select a file that has been changed regularly, right-click it, and choose Restore previous versions.
Wait for the File versions list to be populated.
It will list the Date modified and the Location of each preserved version.
The Location may be either Backup which is self-explanatory, or Restore point which occurs when a System Restore Point is created, and its file version backup feature is not well known.

Also Dropbox cloud storage keeps backup copies of any deleted files for 30 days.
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tatewise
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Backup & Restore FH Settings.

Post by tatewise »

I have posted a WiP Plugin at Backup And Restore Family Historian Settings.

This should support shared path names such as \TERRILL-PC as well as usual drives such as C: and D: for the Backup Folder.

On the Options tab, the Plugin also adds a Diagnostic mode setting that will PAUSE each DOS script window just before its EXIT.
This will allow you to inspect any messages that otherwise scroll and vanish too quickly.
Remember to click on the DOS window and then press any key to continue.

Make sure you have suitable independent backups if you intend to try the RESTORE command, but most functions can be checked by just using the BACKUP command.

Let me know how you get on.
Mike Tate ~ researching the Tate and Scott family history ~ tatewise ancestry
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Valjean
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Backup & Restore FH Settings.

Post by Valjean »

Hi. I don't think I ever thanked you for updating your plugin ... so thanks!

One follow-up question. If I've installed some custom fact sets and some customised property tabs, are these covered by your very useful backup and restore plugin please?
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tatewise
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Backup & Restore FH Settings.

Post by tatewise »

I am glad it works OK for your configuration Paul.

Yes, those two customisation types are covered.
In fact, I believe that every customisable feature of FH is covered.
Mike Tate ~ researching the Tate and Scott family history ~ tatewise ancestry
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David2416
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Re: Backup & Restore FH Settings.

Post by David2416 »

Hi,

Just ran the Backup and Restore Family Historian plugin v2.8 and I noticed that the Data Filename on the final Status screen is blank. Image attached. Is this usual? Thanks.
FH Backup 20190317.jpg
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tatewise
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Re: Backup & Restore FH Settings.

Post by tatewise »

Yes David, that is normal. It is only relevant to specific messages regarding particular custom data files.
e.g. If the previous backup contains a data file that does not exist amongst your current custom data files.
That might occur if you have deleted a custom Report type, or a custom Query, etc.
The Plugin will ask whether you want to delete or keep that custom data file from an earlier backup.
Similar scenarios arise for files with date-time stamps out of order.
The Restore process has a related set of messages for such unusual scenarios.
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David2416
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Re: Backup & Restore FH Settings.

Post by David2416 »

Ah, right. Thank you
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