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The latest version of BackupBuddy is available here.

PLEASE NOTE:

  • IMPORTANT:  before installing this release be sure to uninstall QuickSync if you enabled it and delete the older version.

Contents

Introduction

Are HotSync's slowing you down and cramping your style? Are you worried about hard-crashes leading to data-loss and difficulty restoring your Pilot to its prior state? Would you like to perform a complete backup of your Pilot, including all applications and databases? Would you like to perform transparent incremental backups of your Pilot?  If so, then you need BackupBuddy!

Features & Usage

BackupBuddy is a small and simple program that allows you to:

  1. Selectively turn on and off the backup-bit for any non-ROM database, thus speeding up your HotSync's.
  2. Quickly turn on all the backup-bits enabling you to perform a complete backup of your Pilot at the next HotSync.
  3. Organize your commonly backed-up databases into a set.
  4. Show databases modified since last HotSync in bold font. 
  5. Shows some detailed database information (type, creator, modification date, etc) in a pop-up window when selecting the database name.
  6. Implement QuickSyncTM technology.  See below for details.
  7. Implement TimeSyncTM technology.  See below for details.
  8. NEW: Implements TrueSyncTM technology.  See below for details.  For registered users only.

Databases that can have their backup-bit changed have a checkbox next to their name. Selecting the checkbox toggles the state of backup-bit; however, the changes are only made permanent when you click on the Apply button. If you check some items then change your mind and want to view your backup bits as they currently exist on the device, click the Reload button.  The Date field displays the last time the given database was backed up via a HotSync; if no date is displayed (a "-") then the database has never been backed-up. Finally, you may scroll the list of available databases by using the Up and Down hardware buttons or the scroll gadgets in the lower right-hand corner.

Menus

Sets

Options

  • QuickSync - see below.
  • TimeSync - see below.
  • Select All - check all applications and databases
  • Select None - deselects all applications databases
  • Select Applications - selects only applications (i.e. databases with the 'APPL' type)
  • Select Databases - selects all databases without the 'APPL' type
  • Select Modified - selects databases modified after last HotSync

Advanced

  • Reset Dates - "Resets" the modification date to be the backup date.  This is useful following a HotSync when Pilot memory is full and databases/heaps need to be rearranged to make room for a new application.  As it turns out, when the OS rearranges memory, the modification dates of some databases will change even though their contents haven't.  (Note:  BackupBuddy can  detect this situation automatically during a QuickSync.  Additionally, a similar phenomenon may happen with the TRG defragmentation utilility.  I haven't actually verified this since I don't have a Pilot that will run it).

QuickSyncTM

This feature installs a system-patch that runs prior to HotSync when you initiate a HotSync using the cradle button or by manually starting one with the HotSync application.  The patch iterates over all your Pilot's databases:    for those that have been modified (or never backed-up) since the last backup, it sets their backup-bit;  for those not modified, it clears the backup-bit.  The end result is that you can perform fast incremental backups without any manual intervention, and your backup directory will always contain all the important information and applications that are on your Pilot.  To uninstall the patch, re-select the menu item.  You will know that it is active during a HotSync because the title of the HotSync window will change to QwkSync.

You can verify the current setting by noting the small HotSync icon in the top-right corner:  if shown, then QuickSync is active;  if hidden, then it's not.   Additionally, if active, the Apply button disappears:  it has no meaning when QuickSync is active since QuickSync now manages your backup bits for you.

If you start BackupBuddy after performing a HotSync, the databases that are checked are those that were marked for backup during the last HotSync.

Please note: 

  1. The semantics of a backup-set is different when QuickSync is active.  As such, check the contents of your set when you enable QuickSync.  See Backup-sets below for more details. 
  2. Though it doesn't use the HackMaster API, the patch does survive a soft-reset.

TimeSyncTM

This feature allows you to schedule your backups to occur every day at a time of your choosing.  When this feature is enabled, a small "clock" icon is displayed in the main window.

At the specified time, your pilot will initiate a HotSync;  it behooves you to make sure that your Pilot is actually in it's cradle at that point.  If it isn't, the device will attempt to initiate a connection with the desktop and fail after exactly one minute (on my PalmPilotPro).  After the (attempted) HotSync, the Pilot will turn it self off according to your auto-off Preferences setting.

Note that to keep the code size down it uses the Pilot ROM's built-in time selector, which always displays an "end time".  This value is not used by BackupBuddy and should be ignored.   Finally, you may use TimeSync and QuickSync in conjuction with one another.

TrueSyncTM

TrueSync is a feature new to version 2.0 of BackupBuddy.  It is implemented as a HotSync conduit and overcomes a deficiency present in prior versions of the software:   if you deleted an application from your Pilot, it would still be present in the backup directory.  The BackupBuddy conduit is now able to detect this situation and will keep your Pilot and backup directory "in sync".  (N.B.  if you delete a program from your backup directory yourself, the conduit will not "re-backup" this file.)

Currently this conduit runs only on Windows95 and WindowsNT4.0 operations systems, and greater.

 

Backup-sets

QuickSync Disabled

BackupBuddy allows you to keep commonly backed-up databases organized into a set. This is most useful, for example, when you want to perform a complete backup of your pilot during the next HotSync, but afterwards you simply want to  back up a subset of the other databases. To accomplish this, do the following:

  1. Select the databases you'd like to have in your set (those that you'd like to backup regularly), then select the menu-item Sets->Save.
  2. Select the menu-item Options->Select All, then press Apply.
  3. HotSync. You now have a complete backup of your Pilot, located, for example in: C:\Program Files\Pilot\HindsA\Backup.
  4. Rerun BackupBuddy and select the menu-item Sets->Load, followed by Apply. Your next HotSync will proceed much more quickly.

QuickSync Enabled

With QuickSync enabled, databases selected in your backup sets will never be backed up during a HotSync, nomater what their modification or backup status happens to be.  Why would you want to do this?  Well, some applications, such as Doc(+), Translate, Thesaurus, and ImageViewer (and there may be others) will modify their databases (for example, Doc(+) will decompress its databases) but the contents don't actually change in a way you'd care about.  Since it would stink to have to back up the Doc files each time they were decompressed and read, you could add them to your "QuickSync" set, instructing QuickSync not to involve them in a HotSync.

Obviously, you can shoot yourself in the foot with this "feature" so use it with extreme caution.

Compatibility

For PalmPilot users, please download the updated  Pilot Desktop 2.1 with HotSync 2.0.1 available from http://www.3com.com/palm/custsupp/upgrade.html.

For Pilot 1000/5000 users, please make sure to get the update HotSync 1.1 available from the above URL.

BackupBuddy is compatible with all Pilots.  Additionally, it *does* work with the Macintosh, with the exception of the TrueSync conduit;  if somebody wants to send me a new G3 Mac, I'd be more than happy to write it.

Known Bugs
  • Databases whose size is greater than 65535 bytes will always display a size of 65535 bytes.
  • It has come to my attention that backing-up ImageViewer Databases (via setting the backup bit through utilities like Fps and BackupBuddy) trashes the Hotsync application on Win3.x Systems, since both databases, the ImageViewerDB and the ImageViewerNoteDB resolve to the same filename when mangled into an 8dot3 filename, confusing the Hotsync app on PC into abortion.  Note that this will also hold true for other applications with multiple databases that have long names with no distinctions in the first eight chars.

FAQs

  1. Why does nothing happen when I HotSync?  I'm sure I pressed the Apply button!    This may happen if your HotSync preferences aren't correctly set:   Select HotSync->Custom, and under "System" make sure "PalmPilot overwrites Desktop" is set.
  2. Does BackupBuddy work with Macintosh? Yes, subject to (1) above.   Additionally, one user writes: 
    "I was able repeatedly and consistently to crash my Mac during hotsync
       by attempting to restore a .PRC preferences file or a .PDB file owned
       by an application -before- restoring the application.  Those apps that
       do not name their prefs or .PDB files so that they -follow- the .PRC
       file are at fault.  Examples:  Handstamp Pro (but not HandFax), Doc,
       DOC+ (whose compressed text files can have arbitrary names), Outliner,
       and the RunWrite hack all crash the Mac's hotsync.  I -have- upgraded
       to the new Mac Conduit Manager."
  3. Why do some databases always have a modification date > backup date? 
    This can occur when:

    A.   Your Pilot memory is very defragmented and the OS rearranges memory to make more room.  Unfortunately, there is no simple fix for this, unless USR releases an OS update that addresses this issue.
    B.  You run a defragmentation utility  (N.B.   I have spoken to the author of an as-yet unreleased defragmentation program may be able to correctly preserve these modification dates.)
    C.  Databases that are modified by their respective applications or a conduit during a HotSync, or when the Pilot's memory is very full during a HotSync.  Note that   QuickSync can detect this situation and will correct this automatically for you.

    As a temporary workaround you may use the menu option Reset Dates to correct this.  Note, however, that this "problem" isn't particularly harmful - you may simply have a longer HotSync the first time it's run after memory is "rearranged".  Afterwards, HotSync's should again proceed more quickly.
  4. My Pilot just crashed.  How do I restore it?  Simply drop your Pilot into its cradle and press the HotSync button.  Everything that's in your backup directory will be restored to your Pilot.
  5. My Pilot resets (with or without an error) after a complete restore.  Why?   This can happen if you install an application that has its "reset bit" enabled (such as on OS update) or if you backed up an application such as HackMaster while its hacks were still active.  Generally, this is harmless and shouldn't lead to date loss.
  6. Can I use QuickSync when sync'ing my Pilot with two different PCs?  Yes.   On the second PC, under  HotSync->Custom set the "System" property to "Do nothing".

Redistribution & Licensing

BackupBuddy is  shareware, but is fully functional and without nag screens, etc. If you do find this software useful, and use it regularly, I ask that you register it.

You may register online at http://www.pilotgear.com, or send a check for $12 to:

Alexander Hinds
3140 Clay St. #4
San Francisco, CA 94115
ahinds@poboxes.com

If you happened to send me a check, please include your email address so that I may send you a registered version. Registration entitles you to free upgrades for the lifetime of the software.

Corporate and volume purchases welcome.  Please inquire at the above address.

Version Notes

 

  • V2.0 Added conduit support
  • V1.33 Changes for PalmIII compatibility
  • V1.32 Fixed cosmetic glitches, TimeSync time being set to midnight when "no time" selected
  • V1.31 Fixed a bug where TimeSync times lost during soft-reset.
  • V1.3 Added TimeSync & "Reload" button.  Fixed scroll-arrow glitch.  
  • V1.2 Final - Added "Clear" set menu item.  Fixed scroll-gadget update glitch.
  • V1.2b4
    Fixed problem that occurs during HotSync when Pilot memory is full and databases/heaps need to be rearranged to make room for a new application.  As it turns out, when the OS rearranges memory, the modification dates of some databases will change even though their contents haven't.  BackupBuddy can now detect this situation during a QuickSync.  Note that a similar phenomenon may happen with the TRG defragmentation utilility (I haven't actually verified this since I don't have a Pilot that will run it).
    Added Reset Dates menu item.
    Now displays "QwkSync" in the HotSync form title to alert user that a QuickSync is in progress.
  • V1.2b3 - Now runs whenever an actual HotSync is started (so it should be compatible with cables without a HotSync button).  Conflict with SwitchHack fixed.
  • V1.2b2 - now can exclude databases during a QuickSync.
  • V1.2b - First public release with QuickSync.  More database info available.
  • V1.1 - Now shows databases modified since last HotSync in bold.
  • V1.0 - New icon thanks to F. Cantin.  Added scroll buttons.
  • V 1.0b6 - fixed problem where it would sometimes crash on 1000/5000s when saving sets.
  • V 1.0b5:
    now it really does work on Pilot 1000/5000s.  
    new menu options:  "Select Applications", "Select Databases"
    minor interface enhancements
  • V 1.0b3,4 - not publicly released
  • V 1.0b2 - now works properly on Pilot 1000/5000's.
  • V 1.0b - added backup-sets. No new features planned. Fixed date display bug.
  • V 0.2 - first public release

 

UNAUTHORIZED REPRODUTION OR DISTRIBUTION OF THIS PROGRAM, OR ANY PORTION OF IT IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED.  IN NO EVENT SHALL ALEXANDER HINDS, HEREINAFTER CALLED "AUTHOR" BE LIABLE TO ANY PARTY FOR DIRECT, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, INCLUDING LOST PROFITS, ARISING OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE AND ITS DOCUMENTATION, EVEN IF THE AUTHOR HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.

THE AUTHOR SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIMS ANY WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. THE SOFTWARE AND ACCOMPANYING DOCUMENTATION, IF ANY, PROVIDED HEREUNDER IS PROVIDED "AS IS". THE AUTHOR HAS NO OBLIGATION TO PROVIDE MAINTENANCE, SUPPORT, UPDATES, ENHANCEMENTS, OR MODIFICATIONS.