BytesBak basics

Installation

Congratulations on purchasing BytesBak disk management software.  You will find it easy to get started by following the instructions below.

Remove the 3½"  floppy disk from its packaging and place it in your floppy disk drive.

Click on the "Start" button then select the "Run" option.  The "Run" window will appear and allow you to type "a:\setup". Then click on the OK button.  If you prefer, you can use windows explorer to open your 3½" floppy, then double click on "setup.exe"

Where to install BytesBak

If you have a stand alone PC then it is usual to install BytesBak in your program files directory eg C:\Program Files\BytesBak.  If BytesBak is to be installed on a network then BytesBak must be installed on the network drive.

Running the program

BytesBak uses an installation wizard to walk you through the installation process.  When the installation is complete the installation wizard will launch the program for you if required.  If you choose not to run the program immediately, you will find it later on your Start|Programs menu.

The first time you run BytesBak, the reference wizard will appear and help you create and log your first reference.  The reference wizard can also launch the log explorer so you can get started immediately.

Licensing BytesBak

To licence BytesBak you must run the program.  Once BytesBak has loaded use the menu option Help|Registration… to launch the registration window.

For more information on licensing see Licensing BytesBakIDH_general_information_licenses


Overview

BytesBak is the network administrator’s tool that allows you to maintain your disk space usage.  It provides tools that give you precise disk space information and enables the rapid cleaning of disk drives.  BytesBak is critical to the proper management of your network’s disk space.

BytesBak gives you all the information required to make sensible decisions when cleaning up your hard disks.

BytesBak maintains a history of disk space usage using a reference system.  A reference is a list of paths chosen by you and given a name for easy recognition.  The history is maintained by logging the reference and storing directory and file information as a log file.

You will see the space taken for every directory and file on the system, then sort to find your problem areas.  You can find all your unwanted files on the entire system quickly and easily using the file filter utility.  You can tag files and then delete them or notify other network users with the e-mail facility.

BytesBak also allows you to print the results of your searches or send them to a spread sheet via the clipboard.

Using BytesBak’s compare facility you can compare any two logs from the same reference and then see what files and directories have changed in size on the system.  You will even see files and directories that have been deleted.  The changes are clearly marked using visual indicators.  Your problem areas will be located in seconds instead of the hours or days previously spent on this task.

Now to get started see Where do I begin?.


Where do I begin ?

To get started in BytesBak you can read the on-line help below, or if you prefer to learn new software by exploring it, start BytesBak and take a look around.

The first time you run BytesBak, the create reference wizard will appear and run automatically to assist you.

The tools and commands you need are easy to find on tool bars and in the menus.

The first thing you must do in BytesBak is create a reference.  A reference is a list of paths chosen by you and given a name for easy recognition.  A reference can be as small as one directory, up to all the paths on every drive on a network!  See Path reference.

If you are a first time user or just need a little help, a reference wizard helps you create then log and view your reference.  To access the wizard, you can use the wizard button on the tool bar or choose File then New reference on the main menu.

If you do not wish to use the wizard then you can use the create a reference button on the tool bar or the pop up menus in the left window of the reference manager.  See Creating a reference.

Once you have created a reference it is time to log it.  A log is a file created by BytesBak to contain a record of all the information about each file and directory determined by the reference.

To log a reference you must select the reference name in the reference manager left window.  You can use the log reference button on the tool bar, or using the right mouse button pop up menu, click on the Log Now menu option.  See Logging a reference.

To display the log you can double click on the log in the right window.  You can also select the log then use the right mouse button pop up menu option Explore log.  See viewing the reference's logs.

If you wish you can have an “Analyse with BytesBak” menu option appear on the Windows Explorer right window pop up menu.  Using this option from within Windows Explorer gives you a way of quickly analysing a directory and its sub directories with BytesBak without having to create a reference, then a log of that reference.  See User optionsIDH_explore_user_options.


Methodology
BytesBak methodology

Making the most of BytesBak

In order to make the best use of BytesBak, it is important to understand the underlying methodology BytesBak employs.

Before you can effectively monitor changes in disk space on a daily basis, you need to become familiar with what is currently stored on your disk(s) and how much space it occupies.  Part of this stage should also include the deletion or tagging unwanted files.  Tagging files is a way of marking a file prior to deletion in order to give the owner time to backup if required.

We call this stage the “hunt for disk space”.  This process needs to be performed initially, then once every month or so.  Once you have recovered adequate free disk space the methodology requires that you log your reference and compare with previous logs on a daily basis.  Changes that have occurred are detailed so you can delete or archive unwanted files quickly and easily.

The hunt for space

The primary tool when hunting for disk space is the log explorer.  The log explorer displays the file size and the disk space taken by each file.  You will notice that often these two figures are not the same.  This is because the operating system allocates space for files and directories on disk drives in small chunks called allocation units.

If the file is smaller than the disks allocation unit then there is some wasted disk space.  If a file is larger than one allocation unit then a second is issued to the file and so on.  This means that the actual size of the file and the space that it takes on disk can differ greatly.  Archiving small files can sometimes eliminate much of this wasted disk space.  An example of an archive utility is WinZip.

Although archiving files can save you an enormous amount of disk space the primary method for reclaiming is deletion.  Files and directories that don’t need to be there should be removed.

The best way to start is to find the biggest directories on your system.  To do this use the space taken sort button in the right window of the log explorer to get the biggest directories at the top of the window.  By double clicking on the top directory you will see all the immediate sub directories and any files.  The biggest space taker will remain at the top of the window.  Keep drilling down by double clicking on sub directories until you find the reason for the directory being so large.

Once you have determined the problem it is time to decide on how to fix it.  You will have several options.  If the file it is a backup (*.bak) or a temporary file (*.tmp) then it can most likely be removed without causing any problems.  You can search for these easily by sorting on type in the right window, or use the filter and return all the files of a particular type for the entire log.  Other files to look for in this category are files with an extension that starts with the character “~”.

If the file contains data files such as a text documents, spread sheets, cad or html files or any other data files that have not been accessed for a reasonable period then you should tag the file with a view to removal.  This gives the user time to make a backup prior to deletion if required.

If you find large numbers of small files such as bitmaps or text files that have not been accessed for a while then you should archive these or back them up and remove them.  Some files will not be able to be removed because they contain critical data such as accounting or job information.

Keeping free disk space

To maintain your free disk space you should use the compare function incorporated in BytesBak.

Once you have your required level of free disk space it is easy to keep it that way.  Select the reference that you want to maintain, then log it.  Once it has been logged you can the use the compare facility.  Select any two logs you wish to compare then use the pop up menu or the compare button on the tool bar to compare the logs.

All the differences between the logs are there for you to see.  The changes are clearly marked with special visual indicators to make your job easy.  You will find all of the new files and directories and those that have changed in size or been deleted.  By following the visual indicators you will find it easy to locate the files that are using your free space.

The strategy you use to deal with the files you find will depend on the type of file you are dealing with at the time.  Some files can be deleted, others archived and some you will have to live with.  Whatever you do with those individual files it is made much quicker by knowing which files to deal with, almost instantly.

It is important that you log your references, then compare them on a regular basis.  The more data you are dealing with the more frequently you should log.  Most organisations will find that logging on a daily basis will provide them with ample data to manage their free disk space.

To save time you can run BytesBak from the command line.  You can have the system perform a log and compare it with a previous log.  The result in terms of disk space will be automatically e-mailed to you so that you can see the scope of changes.


Licenses
BytesBak licenses

General information

There are three types of license available for BytesBak.  The type of license you require depends on wether your system consists of networked computers or not.  All the clean up tools are available in all license types.

If you have a demonstration version of BytesBak the licence is the same as a network licence that is limited to thirty days from the time of installation.

Network license

The network license is an unrestricted licence.  You can log any drive in your network and use the command line and scheduler so that logging can occur when the system is quiet.

Personal license

The personal license is designed for those with stand alone computer systems.  The licence restricts the user from logging network drives.

Technicians license

The technician’s license is a password protected licence that is able to be installed on any number of client sites.  This licence is designed for the service technician that offers hard disk cleaning as part of their client services.  The technician version can not be run from the command line using the scheduler.

Licensing BytesBak

If you have an unlicensed copy of BytesBak and you want to licence it you use the following procedure.

First you must obtain a licence from your nearest BytesBak distributor.  They will know the right license for your situation.

The licence may be on your BytesBak disk or it may have been sent to you via e-mail.  Regardless of this you will need the licence file called BytesBak.Lic.

To licence BytesBak you must run the program.  Once BytesBak has loaded use the menu option Help|Registration… to launch the registration window.

Click the load license button to access the load license widow.

If your license file is on a floppy disk then place the disk in your floppy disk drive and click the OK button.

If you have the licence file on your hard disk drive, then type the path of where the license file resides then click the OK button

The license will load automatically and enable functionality of BytesBak consistent with your license.


Reference manager

The reference manager is the starting point for BytesBak.  References are created; logs are made, viewed and managed; compares are performed, viewed and deleted.

Click below to find out more about -

•	Comparing logs

•	Creating a reference

•	Deleting a compare

•	Deleting a log

•	Deleting a reference

•	Logging a reference

•	Network Shares

•	Path reference

•	Renaming a reference

•	Viewing the reference's "compares”

•	Viewing the reference's logs

•	Viewing the reference's paths


Creating a reference

A reference is a list of paths chosen by you and given a name for easy recognition.  A reference can be as small as one directory, right up to all the paths on every drive on a network!

Creating a reference using the wizard

The easiest way for you to create a reference is using BytesBak’s reference wizard.

To access the wizard, you can use the wizard button on the reference manager’s tool bar or choose File then New reference on the main menu.  The wizard will appear and after you click Next it will prompt you for a name.  The reference name can be up to 255 characters long, and can be any name you choose.

After you click the Next button the wizard will ask ‘What are we logging in the reference?’  At this point you can select a drive letter such as “C:\” then press Add.  A reference will be created with all the paths contained in C:\ under the name you have chosen.

If you wish to use paths other than the root directory then you should press network.  The Browse for Folder window allows you to select any path you choose by clicking on it then press OK.  You can continue adding paths in either fashion until you have finished then click Next.

You will notice that network drives are not recorded in the reference by drive letter, but are converted to Universal Naming Convention (UNC) format.  The UNC format allows for drives to be logged and files deleted across a network from any PC or server regardless of individual PC drive mappings.

The reference is now created.  Continuing with the wizard will log the reference for you then display your log automatically if you wish.

Creating a reference without the wizard

If you do not wish to use the wizard then you can use the buttons on the tool bar or the pop up menus.  To create a reference using these methods you must be in the reference manager.

To create a reference use the Create reference button on the tool bar or, in the left window click the right mouse button to pop up the menu then select create.

The text new reference will appear in the left window beside a new reference folder.  At this time you can type the reference name you have chosen or you can rename using the pop up menu or the rename button on the tool bar at any time.

Once you have named your reference the “Browse for Folder window” will appear so that you can add the first path.  Many references require only one path, and once the path is added you have a complete reference ready for logging.

If you require more than one path, you must add the additional paths to the reference.

Before you add more paths, click on the View paths button to view the existing path(s).

You can use the add path button on the tool bar or use the right mouse button pop up menu, click on the Add path … menu option.  The “Browse for Folder window” will appear.  This allows you to select any path you choose by highlighting it then clicking the OK button.

When you add a path, BytesBak will attempt to detect the allocation unit and file system associated with the path.  You will see the allocation unit and file system displayed to the left of the path name in the left window of the reference manager.  If for some reason the allocation unit has not been detected correctly you can change the allocation unit using the pop up menu option change allocation unit.  See Path reference

You can continue adding as many paths as you wish in this way until you are finished.  If you add a path that you do not want included as part of the reference, use the Delete path pop up menu option or the delete key on your keyboard to remove it from the reference.

When you are satisfied with the path(s) you have added to the reference the job is complete.  See Path reference.

Once you have created a reference it is time to log it.  A log is a file created by BytesBak to contain a historical record of the information about each file and directory determined by the reference.

To log a reference you must select the reference name in the reference manager left window.  You can use the log reference button on the tool bar, or using the right mouse button pop up menu, click on the Log Now menu option.  See Logging a reference.

To display the log you can double click on the log in the right window.  You can also select the log then use the right mouse button pop up menu option Explore log.  See Viewing the reference's logs.


Renaming a reference

To rename a reference you must be in the reference manager.  You must select the reference name you wish to change in the left window.

To rename the reference you can by click on the Rename a reference button or, use the right mouse button pop up menu and click on the Rename menu option.

The reference name will become highlighted and allow editing.  You should now type the new reference name you have chosen over the old highlighted name.  If you change the name to a name you already have in use, BytesBak will revert to the original name.

If you leave the name blank, BytesBak will impose the internal reference number preceded by ‘Ref’ as a reference name.  eg – Ref0021

You can rename a reference at any time.


Deleting a reference

To delete a reference you must be in the reference manager.

Select the reference you wish to delete so it becomes highlighted.  You can delete the highlighted reference using the delete button on your keyboard.

If you wish you can click on the Delete a reference button on the tool bar or use the right mouse button to pop up the menu then select Delete.  When the “Confirm delete” message is displayed pressing Yes will delete the reference and all associated log and compare files.

Deleting a reference removes all of the data associated with that reference.

The reference name and path data are lost as well as any data contained in the logs and compares of the reference.  If you need to keep any of the logs for later use when comparing, do not delete the reference, instead use the Delete log and Delete compare facilities for a more selective deletion process.


Logging a reference

To log a reference you must be in the reference manager.  Select the reference name in the reference managers left window.

You can log the reference by clicking on the log a reference button or, use the right mouse button pop up menu and click on the Log now menu option.

At this time the processing window will appear with the caption “Processing…please wait”.  You will notice that the name of the file or directory currently being logged appears on the window along with a cancel button.  Clicking this button will stop the logging process and delete the file that was created for the log.

See also Viewing the reference's logs.


Comparing logs

To compare any two logs of a reference you must be in the reference manager.

To view the list of logs from which you wish to compare, first press the View logs button, then select the reference name in the left window.  You must select two of the logs to allow for a compare to commence.  You can use the control key with the left mouse button to select the logs.  See viewing the reference’s logs.

Once you have both logs selected the compare button will become enabled on the tool bar.  Pressing this button will cause BytesBak to compare the two logs.  You can also start the compare process using the right mouse button to pop up the menu then select Compare logs.  As with the compare button, this menu option is only available if two logs are selected.

At this time the processing window will appear with the caption “Processing…please wait”.  You will notice that the name of the file or directory currently being compared appears in the window along with a cancel button.  Pressing this button will stop the compare process and delete the file that was created to hold the compare data.

To view the results of the compare you can either double click on the compare name in the right window or use the right mouse button menu option View compare.  See viewing the reference's compares.


Deleting a log

To delete a log of a reference you must be in the reference manager.

To delete the log first press the View logs button, then select the reference name in the left window.

Once you have the log selected you can use the delete button on your keyboard or use the right mouse button to pop up the menu then select Delete log.

You can delete more than one log at a time by selecting multiple logs.  You must confirm each deletion.  You can delete all the logs by using the right mouse button pop up menu.  Click on Select all then Delete log.

If you wish you can delete the entire reference including all logs.  See deleting a reference.


Deleting a compare

To delete a compare of two logs you must be in the reference manager.

To delete the compare first press the View compares button, then select the reference name in the left window.

You can delete more than one compare at a time by selecting multiple compares. You must confirm each deletion.  You can delete all the compares by clicking Select all then use your preferred deletion method.

Selecting multiple compares will cause BytesBak to delete those compares that are selected.  You must confirm each deletion.

If you wish you can delete the entire reference including all logs and compares.


Path reference

Overview

A path is just the name for a folder or directory.  If a path is the root directory of a drive then the path contains the entire disk.  If the path is not a root directory then the path contains the subdirectories and files associated with the chosen directory.  The allocation unit is detected automatically but can be changed by you at any time if found to be incorrect.

To view the existing reference path(s) click on the View paths button.  See Viewing the reference's paths.

Adding a path

When you are creating a reference you must add at least one path before you can log that reference.

If you create your references using the reference wizard you will notice that there are three ways of adding a path.  You can add the root path of available disk drives by selecting the path in the drive combo box and clicking on the “Add >>” button.

If you wish to add paths other than the root path then click on the Network button to show the “Browse for folder window”. You can select and add any path you wish from a list of drive letters or by browsing the network neighbourhood.

If you prefer to type your path then click on the specify button.  The “specify path window” will appear ready for you to input the path. .  The specify path option can also be used to enter TCP paths.  Eg \\10.0.0.2\C$.  This option is generally quicker on a Wide Area Network (WAN).

If you create your references without using the reference wizard then you can use the Add path button on the tool bar or use the right mouse button pop up menu option Add path.  This will launch the “Browse for folder window”.

If you prefer to type your path then use the right mouse button pop up menu Specify path The “specify path window” will appear ready for you to input the path.

You can type the path using any of the formats shown in the examples below.

♦	C:\Windows\System\

♦	\\Office\Data\

♦	\\10.0.0.1\Data\

When you are adding paths to a reference you will notice that if you try to add a subdirectory of an existing path you will receive the message - This directory already included in <parent directory>.

If you add a parent directory of an existing path you will receive the message - This directory covers directories already selected. Delete ?  Answering yes will add the new path and delete the directory or directories that are subdirectories of the new path.  Answering no will default to the old paths and ignore the new path.  This ensures that you do not select any paths that overlap, causing larger log files than necessary.

Deleting a path

To delete a path select it then press the delete button on your keyboard or the right mouse button pop up menu option Delete path.

Allocation units

Before attempting to modify an allocation unit you must be sure that the path’s detected allocation unit is incorrect.

To modify an allocation unit you must be viewing the paths then select the path in the right window of the reference manager.  See Viewing the reference's paths.

Use the right mouse button pop up menu.  Click on the path you have wish to modify and then select the Change allocation unit menu option.

The allocation unit pop up menu will appear.  You can select one of the preset allocation units on the pop up menu or click on the other option to launch the allocation unit input window.  Using this window you can input any valid allocation unit.


Network shares list

The network shares list is used for maintaining a list of servers, their volumes and the associated shares.  BytesBak uses the information contained in the network shares list when you are creating a reference or adding a path to an existing reference.

To view the network shares list you must be in the reference manager.

To view the network shares click on the view network shares button on the tool bar

The Network shares list window will appear and allow editing of the network shares list

If you are logging shared folders you can add them to the shares list.

To add a new server to the network shares list use the right mouse button pop up menu in the left window of the shares list viewer.  Use the Add server option.  You should name the server appropriately using the right mouse button pop up menu option Rename server.

Once you have added and named the new server use the Specify IP address pop up menu option to specify the IP address.  The Specify operating system pop up menu option can then be used to specify the operating system.

After adding the server it is time to add the volumes contained on that server.  This is done in the right window of the network shares viewer.  To add a volume to a server, click the Add volume pop up menu option.  You should add all the volumes associated with the server.  If for some reason the file system or allocation unit associated with any volume is incorrect or undetected they can be changed using the appropriate pop up menu option.

If any of the volumes are shared you should add the shares to the volume in the right window.  Select the volume then use the pop up menu option Add shares to add the share name.  Bytesbak will use the allocation unit associated with the volume when you create a reference using the shares in the reference paths.


Viewing the reference's paths

To view the reference’s paths you must be in the reference manager.

To view the paths first press the View paths button, then select the reference name in the left window.  The list of paths associated with the reference will appear in the right window.

Alternately you can select the paths view from the View|Paths menu option, then select the reference name in the left window.

See also viewing the logs and viewing the compares.


Viewing the reference's logs

To view the reference’s logs you must first be in the reference manager.

To view the list of logs associated with a reference press the View logs button, then select the reference name in the left window.  The logs associated with the reference will appear in the right window.

Alternately you can select the logs view from the View|Logs menu option, then select the reference name in the left window.

To view the contents of a log you can either double click on the log or use the pop up menu then select Exploring the log.You can also select the log and click on the explore log button on the tool bar.

BytesBak will then launch the log Explorer with the log you have selected already loaded.

To view the latest log of a reference you can either double click on the reference name in the left window or use the right mouse button to pop up the menu then select Explore latest log.

If there are no logs associated with the reference the left window shows “<not logged>” beside the reference name.

See also viewing the paths and viewing the compares.


Viewing the reference's "compares"
Viewing the reference's "compares”

To view the reference’s compares you must first be in the reference manager.

To view the list of compares associated with a reference, press the View compares button, then select the reference name in the left window.

Alternately you can select the compares view from the View|Compares menu option, then select the reference name in the left window.

To view the contents of the compare file you can either double click on the compares name eg Log 1 with Log 2 or use the right mouse button menu then click on the option View compare.

BytesBak will then launch the compare viewer with the compare of the logs you have selected already loaded.

See also viewing the logs and viewing the paths.


User options

There are several user options that can set.  To change these options choose the Tools|Options. main menu option.  The “User options window” will appear.

General options

Extensions and Icons

It is optional to display icons and file extensions in the right window of the log explorer and compare viewer.

Ticking the check box sets the option on, removing the tick clears the option.  These options are retained by the system until changed again.

Show File Icons should be clicked off for users that want to get in and get the job done quickly.  When ticked, BytesBak may have to access EXE files across the network to retrieve the icon to display – this does slow down the explore and compare viewers.

Windows Explorer shell extension

It is optional to have an “Analyse with BytesBak” menu option appear on the Windows Explorer right window pop up menu.  Using this option from within Windows Explorer gives you a way of quickly analysing a directory and its sub directories with BytesBak without having to create a reference, then a log of that reference.  When you use this menu option BytesBak is launched from within Windows Explorer.  No data is stored for later use.

E-mail options

It is optional to have the e-mail message displayed before sending, also to send e-mail in rich text format.

Ticking the check box sets the option on, removing the tick clears the option.  These options are retained by the system until changed again.

Command line

It is optional to have BytesBak send automatic e-mail when running the program using the command line.  The option to send automatic e-mail is set by the check box.  See e-mail.

If you choose to have automatic e-mail then you will need to set the command line e-mail options.  Set the e-mail recipient by typing the name or use the button to bring up your contact list.

Other automatic e-mail options include sending brief or complete information and “disk grown by “ limits for notification only when the limit has been exceeded.

If you have e-mail connected directly to your GSM mobile telephone, tick “Send entire e-mail in subject field” to tell BytesBak to put all required information in the subject (rather than the e-mail message body), and select your mobile phone’s e-mail address in the “E-mail to”.

See also Command line getting started.

Logs

The allow changes to log file option is to enable the log file space taken data to be changed when deleting or compressing files.  If you tick this box the data becomes live.  If you wish to maintain the log for compare purposes you should make sure that this box is not ticked.


Log explorer getting started
 Log explorer overview

To get started in BytesBak’s log explorer you can read the on-line help below, or if you prefer to learn new software by trying it, open a log in the reference manager and take a look around.

All of the tools and commands you need are easy to find on the tool bars and menus.

If you do not have a log ready to explore then you should read the help on creating a reference and logging a reference.  This will enable you to create and log a reference in the reference manager then view it using the log explorer.

If you already have the log open then it is easy to find your way around.  When you first launch the log explorer you will notice that in the left window is a tree showing the reference paths.  If the log is not too big you will also see the subdirectories shown below the paths in the tree.  In the right window you will see the reference paths displayed with their statistics.

If you can not see the subdirectories in the tree then click on the plus sign displayed to the left of a path.  You can also double click directly on a path.  Double clicking on a path in the tree will also change the display in the right window to show the paths subdirectories and files.  Note: a path does not have to contain either subdirectories or files.

Double clicking on a path in the right window will change the display in the right window to show subdirectories and files and open the tree on the left to display the paths subdirectories.

Once you have subdirectories and files displayed you can use the column sort buttons at the top of the right window to begin sorting.  Using the disk space button you can see your disk space directory by directory, file by file.  Sorting by size will show you the difference between file size and the disk space taken.  See sorting.

You can double click on the directories in the right window to view more subdirectories then use the up one level button on the tool bar to return you to the previous level.  See Viewing current directory files.

You can change your view using the show all folders or show all files button on the tool bar.

The show all directories view displays all the subdirectories of the selected directory or path.  Sorting by size or space taken in this view is the quickest way to find your biggest directories.  This view gives directory size and space taken totals that include only the size and space of the files contained within that directory.  In the conventional directories and files view, the directory size and space taken totals include the size and space of the files and subdirectories.

The show all files view displays every file from every subdirectory of the selected directory or path.  Sorting by size or space taken in this view is the quickest way to find your biggest files.  This view is usually used in conjunction with the file filter.  The filter is a way of finding files of a certain name or type, files within a size range or files that have other attributes such as the date it was last accessed or wether the file has been tagged.  See Filtering.

Tagging a file is a way of giving individual files or groups of files an easily recognisable visible tag.  Files can be tagged for deletion using the rubbish bin tag then deleted with the delete button on the tool bar.  See Tagging files.

You can also delete files and directories directly by selecting and using the pop up menu delete facility.  Similarly you can copy files from the right window in the all files view to any folder on your network and maintain the original directory structure.

For more information about the log explorer functions or features see the help contents.


Sorting in the log explorer

To use the sorting feature on a log you must be in the log explorer.

Sorting is the primary method for finding particular directories and files within a log  You can sort the contents of the right window of the log explorer using the buttons at the top of the right window.

♦	File name: Sorts on the name of the directory or file  This is useful for finding files and directories with a particular name.  You can use the scroll bars to find the file name in the alphabetically sorted list.

♦	Full path : Sorts on the full path of the directory or file  This column is available only when using the show all directories or show all files feature.  This is important when you need to sort by file location.

♦	Type : Sorts on the type of file.  This is used to group files of a particular type.  This is particularly useful when you tag files of a particular type for deletion such as all the temporary files.

♦	File size : Sorts on the size of the directory or file.  This is usually smaller than the space taken and sometimes significantly so.  You can use this along with disk space sort to find your biggest or your most inefficient directories and files.

♦	Disk space : Sorts on the actual space that the directory or file takes on the disk.  This sort will let you locate problem files easily.

♦	Date modified : Sorts on the date that the directory or file was last modified.  This is good for determining file usage when making deletion decisions.  You can change the date modified column for date accessed or date created by using the View|View date types menu option.

Clicking on a column button will sort the entire contents of the right window using the selected column as the sort criteria.  Clicking the same button again will reverse the order of sort from descending to ascending or from ascending to descending.

See also filtering.


Filtering

You can use filtering on a log in the log explorer or on a compare in the compare viewer.

 If BytesBak gives you more data than you need, then it is easy to filter it.  Before using the filter try sorting you may find the information you require that way first.  See Sorting in the log explorer

♦	Named : Filters on the name of the directory or file.  If you enter the letter “A”, all files containing the letter “A” or “a” will be returned. eg : fast.dll, twain.exe and aiden.txt. If you enter the letters “AI” then twain.exe and aiden.txt will be returned but fast.dll would not. If “AI*” was entered then only aiden.txt would be returned.  If the file name is left blank then files will not be filtered by name and all files will be returned by the name filter.

♦	Extension : Returns those files with an extension that matches one in the extension list.  To add an extension entry to the list, type the file extension then add it to the extensions list by clicking the “>>” button.  If you want to delete an extension entry from the list then select the extension and click on “<<”.  This is a very useful feature for finding temporary and backup files.  (eg  .tmp and .bak files)

♦	Date : Files are filtered on the basis of date.  To set the date filter takes three steps.  The first step is to select the date as an active field.  This is done by clicking the date check box until a tick appears.  You must then decide to sort on date created, date modified or the date that the file was last accessed.  The final step is to set the date parameters.  This is be done by setting either the date between dates or the in the previous date.  If you select a date type for filtering that date type will become the displayed date type in the date column.  To change the date type outside the filter, use the View|View date types menu option.

♦	Size : Filters on the size of the file.  To set the size filter takes three steps.  The first step is to select the size as an active field.  Click on the size check box, a tick will appear.  You must then decide wether you want to return files that are less than or greater than your filter input size.  The final step is to set the size parameters.  This is be done by setting the numeric value then the multiplier of “KB”, “MB”, or “GB” using the presets.

♦	Duplicates  : Returns only duplicate files.  To select duplicates click on the show duplicate file names only check box, a tick will appear.  This will return files that have the same file name.  If precise duplicate selection is required then you can tick the match exact size, match exact date and ignore file extension check boxes as desired.

♦	File tags : Returns only those files that have been tagged.  To view tagged files you will need to select the file tags tab of the filter. Click on the select tags for view check box, a tick will appear.  If no tags have their individual check boxes ticked then the filter will return all of the tagged files.  If one or more of the tags have their check boxes ticked then the filter will return only those files with corresponding tags.  If a file has multiple tags and any one of those tags is selected in the tag filer, that file will be displayed.  See Tagging files.

♦	Compare : This tab is available only in the compare viewer and is used for filtering files by compared attribute.  By ticking the show only selected files you can decide which files you view by compared space taken.  The options are no change, bigger files, smaller files, new files and deleted files.  You can select any combination by ticking as many of the file types as you wish.

The file filter “ands” all of the filter stages so that files must meet all of the criteria set by the combination of the filter settings to return a matched file.  This way you are able to be as precise or loose in your filter specification as you wish.  You can set a very specific filter that only returns one file by name as well as size and date specifications.  You could also filter for all the files with a particular extension or within a range of dates.  Selecting duplicates when other filter stages are in use returns only those duplicates of files already passed by the filter.

See also sorting.

Saving and loading filter settings

If you check the Save this specification as the BytesBak default check box then the filter settings that are in place when you click the OK button will be saved as a default filter.  These settings will then be loaded into the filter each time you start a session.  There are separate defaults saved for the log Explorer and Compare viewer.

If you change the default settings during a session and you want to restore them click the load button.

Turning the filter on

You can check the turn filter on check box prior to clicking the OK button and the filter will be applied.  You can turn the filter on by clicking the toggle filter button when it is as shown.  You can also use the view | toggle filter menu option or the shortcut Ctrl+F.

Turning the filter off

You can turn the filter off by clicking the toggle filter button when it is as shown.  You can also use the view | toggle filter menu option or the shortcut Ctrl+F.

Resetting the filter

If you wish to clear all the settings in the filter then use the reset button.


Deleting files

Deletion of files can be done from the log explorer or compare viewer.

There are two methods available for deleting files.

Immediate deletion

You can delete a file or files directly by selecting those you wish to delete.  Once the file(s) are selected you can use the delete button on the keyboard or use the right mouse click pop up menu option Delete file and the selected file(s) will be deleted.

You will notice that even though the file has been removed from the system, it still appears in the right window but with a file deleted icon to the left of the file icon.

Tagged deletion

If you wish to notify the owners of files before you delete them, you can tag the files for deletion and notify prior to deletion from the system.

Prior to tagging a file for deletion make sure the rubbish bin tag is enabled.  If the rubbish bin is available in the pop up menu in the right window then it is enabled.

To enable the deletion tag click on the Set user tag options button on the tool bar to reveal the in the “define user tags window”.  Make sure that the check box to the left of the rubbish bin is ticked.  Once the box is ticked press the OK button at the bottom of the “define user tags window”.

Tag the file by selecting it then use the right mouse buttons pop up menu to tag it by clicking on the rubbish bin menu item.  Once the file has been tagged for deletion it will display the rubbish bin icon to the left of its file icon.

To view the files you have tagged for deletion use the tag filter then enable the rubbish bin tag for view.  Set the view to “view all files” then click on the path in the left window.  All the files you have tagged for deletion that are included in the selected path will be displayed.  See also Tagging files and Viewing all files.

Clicking the delete files button, when files that are tagged for deletion are displayed in the right window, will start the deletion process.  A confirmation message that shows you the number of files to be deleted, where the files are located, and how much disk space will be recovered is displayed at this time.

If you click on the yes button at this point then the files tagged for deletion will be deleted from the system.

You will notice that even though the file(s) have been removed from the system, they still appear in the right window but with a file deleted icon to the left of the file icon.


Deleting directories

Deletion of directories can be done from the log explorer or compare viewer.

To delete a directory you must use the right window, right mouse button pop up menu option delete selected

The “confirm delete options window” will appear.  This tells you the number of files and directories you will be removing and the space you will gain if you continue with the deletion.

If you have a tick in the “Check that files have not been modified or deleted since the log” check box or in the “Check that files have not been added since the log” check box then BytesBak will perform the selected check(s).

If both check boxes are left not ticked then clicking the OK button will commence the deletion of the files and the sub-directories of the selected directory.  You can also choose to click on the don’t show this during this deletion again check box, so that confirmation is not required for each deleted directory.  To re-establish directory deletion confirmation use the main menu option Tools|Confirm deletions.

If either box is ticked then the confirm deletion options windows OK button will change to a Proceed button and text will appear to let you know what you are about to delete.

If you click on the proceed button the directory and all of its contents will be deleted.  You will notice that the deleted icon appears next to the directories icon in the right window immediately, and beside its files and sub-directories when its contents are displayed.


Copying files

Copying of files can be done from the log explorer or compare viewer.

To copy files you must select the all files view.

There are two copy options available on the pop up menu in the right window. They are copy all and copy selected.  Copy all copies all files listed in the right window to a specifiable destination directory.  Copy selected copies all the selected files in the right window to a specifiable destination directory.

On selecting either of these options the copy options window will appear.  You can type your destination path in the box or use the browse button to launch the browse for folder window.  If this is a new path then you will be asked if you wish to create it.

Ticking the keep existing directory structure check box will create the directory for each path displayed in the right window.

Note :  If you have duplicate files and you wish to keep all of the copies then you should tick this box as duplicate files will be overwritten if copied to a single directory.

Clicking the OK button will complete the copy process.


Tagging files

To tag a file in a log you must either be in the log explorer or compare viewer.

Tagging files lets you group files for any purpose, using a visual identifier.

A file can have up to twelve tags.  One of the tags is used specifically for BytesBak’s unique deletion facility.  The rest of the tags are user definable.  Using the built in E-mail facility prior to deletion allows you to alert the owner of those files that you have them tagged for deletion.

Other tags can be assigned to a particular person on the network or for a specific task.  By using the show tagged files facility in the filter, only the files that have been tagged will be displayed.

BytesBak has eleven user definable tags available.  To set the user tags click on the tag options button or use the Tags|Specify tags … menu option.

The “define user tags window” will appear.  Each tag has a unique image and user defined name associated with it.  To make a tag active click on its check box or double click on the tag name.  If you want to change the name of a tag use the right mouse button pop up menu option Rename and type the name you want.

Once you have selected and named a number of tags, the tags you have selected will appear on the pop up menu in explore logs and compare viewer right window ready for you to tag your files.

To tag a file you must select it and then use the pop up in the explore logs or compare viewer right window.  Then you can click on the tag name on the pop up menu. The tag icon will highlight on the selected menu, and the tag icon will appear to the left of the files icon.  If you want to have more than one tag per file repeat the process until you are satisfied with the tags.  If you select more than one tag then the tag icon will be the multi-tag icon.  If any of the tags selected is the rubbish bin, the tag icon will always be the rubbish bin.

The pop up menu method also gives you a quick and easy way of seeing what tags have been assigned to any particular file.  The pop up menu will have highlights on those tag icons that have been assigned to the file.

To remove a tag from a file click on the tag on the pop up menu.  The tag icon will appear on the selected menu with no highlight, and the tag icon will be removed from the left of the files icon.

To view the files you have tagged use the tag filter.  To view the tag filter click on the tag filter button.

The “tags filter window” will appear.  Selecting particular tags in the filter will allow those files tagged accordingly to be displayed.  If a file has multiple tags and any one of those tags is selected in the tag filer, that file will be displayed.

If you are setting tags in the compare viewer those tags are actually being assigned to the latest log within the compare.  You will see the results of any tag setting or resetting when you next view the log file.

If you have the show arrows button down then you will not be able to see the tags next to the file icon.  You will be able to ascertain the tags by using the right mouse click pop up menu.  The pop up menu will have highlights on those tag icons that have been assigned to the file.

To view the tags click on the show tags button.  This will display the tags next to the file icon.


Printing

You can print the contents of the right window of the log explorer or compare viewer.

If you want a print of the contents of the right window click the print button on the tool bar or use the main menu option File|Print.

A window will appear on the screen that allows you to select those columns you wish to include in the report.  To remove a column from the printed report first choose the Display selected columns option.  Next you can click on the check box next to those columns you wish to remove from the report.  The columns that are printed must have a tick in its check box.

You can change the printer or any of the printer settings such as orientation by clicking on the Setup button.  The windows printer dialog will appear and enable printer selection and printer settings.

You can change the printer font setting by clicking the Change font button on the print options window.  The windows font dialog will appear and enable font type and size selection.

When you have the settings, click the OK button to print.  If the font you have selected is too large to give a successful print, the “option select window” will pop up and alert you.  Selecting Landscape will rotate the orientation of the print.  Choosing Reduce font will instruct the program to select the nearest size font that will give you a successful print.


Send to clipboard

To send the contents of a search or sort to the clipboard you must either be in the log explorer or compare viewer.

If there is data in the right window you wish to paste into a document click on the send to clipboard button.  The contents of the right window will be sent to the clipboard ready for you to paste into your document.

A tab is inserted between each cell of data so that you can paste the clipboard contents directly into a spreadsheet


E-mail

There are two e-mail processes available in BytesBak

Automatic e-mail from the command line

If you run BytesBak from the command line you can have a report of your log and compare sent to your e-mail address.  You must set-up the e-mail parameters in the tools options window.  To access the window use the main menu option Tools – Options.  See user options

User e-mail from the log explorer

To launch e-mail from the log explorer click on the send e-mail button on the tool bar.  The E-mail window will appear.

You can e-mail the tagged files directly to an e-mail address by using the “e-mail current view to” option or you can “e-mail tagged files to the tags recipient”.

To set the e-mail recipient select the tag requireing a recipient then use the right mouse click pop up menu option Add recipient.  At this time your e-mail address book will appear.  You can type the e-mail address or select from the available list.  Clicking OK will add the recipient to the tag.

You can have multiple recipients for a tag and multiple tags for a recipient if you wish.  Clicking the send button will send to all recipients their individual e-mail containing the name and full path of the files that have been tagged for their attention.


Displaying file properties

To view the file properties you must either be in the log explorer or compare viewer.

To display the file properties, first select the file so that it becomes highlighted.  Once you have the file highlighted use the right mouse button to pop up the menu then select File properties.

The file properties window will appear with the following information :

♦	File name :-  The full file name and file extension.

♦	Type :- The type of file or folder.

♦	Location :- The full path of the file showing what directory it is in.

♦	Size :- The size of the file.

♦	Space :- The space the file takes on disk.

♦	Owner :- The owner of the file (if available).

♦	Date created :- The date the file was created.

♦	Date last accessed :- The last time the file was used.

♦	Date last modified :- The last time the file was changed.

♦	Attributes :- File attributes are attributes used by the operating system to protect files.  You can change the file attributes by clicking on the appropriate check box.  If you have compression available checking or unchecking the compressed tick box will change the compression and space taken.  The new size can be updated in the log file if the tools option allow changes to log files is checked.  See also User optionsIDH_explore_user_options


Displaying content of files

To view the content of files you must either be in the log explorer or compare viewer.

To display the file contents first select the file so that it becomes highlighted.  Once you have the file selected use the right mouse button to pop up the menu then select Open file or you can double click on the file name

This action will open the file using the appropriate application.  If the file is associated with an application, then the application associated with the executable will run.

You can use your system viewers instead of opening the file by selecting Quick view instead of Open file when you use the right mouse button to pop up the menu.


Viewing all files

To use the view all files button you must be in the log explorer or compare viewer.

To view all files click the show all files button on the tool bar then select the directory from the tree in the left window.

The show all files view displays every file from every subdirectory of the selected directory or path.

Sometimes this may be many thousands of files.  If you wish to cancel the loading, click on the stop button.

This view is usually used in conjunction with the file filter.  The filter is a way of finding files of a certain name or type, files within a size range or files that have other attributes such as the date it was last accessed or wether the file has been tagged.  See Filtering.

See also view all directories and viewing current files.


Viewing all directories;
Viewing all directories

To use the view all directories button you must be in the log explorer or compare viewer.

To view all directories click the show all directories button on the tool bar then select the directory from the tree in the left window.

The show all directories view displays all the subdirectories of the selected directory or path.  This view gives directory size and space taken totals that include only the size and space of the files contained within that directory.  In the conventional directories and files view, the directory size and space taken totals include the size and space of the files and subdirectories.

To find directories of interest use the sort buttons in the right window.  See sorting.

Double clicking on the directory name will open the directory and take you back to the conventional view.  Clicking the show all directories button again will take you back to the previous view with the directory that you double clicked on being the selected directory.

See also viewing all files and viewing current files.


Viewing current directory files

To use the show current subdirectories and files button you must be in the log explorer.

To view the files in the current directory select the conventional view by clicking on the view current subdirectories and files button on the toobar then select the directory from the tree in the left window.

The files and immediate subdirectories of that directory will be displayed in the right window.  This view is the conventional directories and files view, the subdirectories size and space taken totals include the size and space of its included files and subdirectories.

Double clicking on the directory name will open the directory and reveal its included files and subdirectories thus taking you down one level in the tree.

Using the Up one level button will take you back to the previous level in the tree.

See also viewing all files and viewing all directories.


Viewing files to be deleted

To view the files that have been marked for deletion you must either be in the log explorer or compare

viewer and have files marked for deletion.  See Tagging files.

First you must select the file filter by clicking the set filter specifications button or select tags in filter button.  The “File filter window” will appear.  See filter.

Next, click on the Select tags for view check box to enable the tags section of the filter, then click the Show files with selected tags button.

To view the enabled tags select the File tags tab in the file filter.  You must ensure that the rubbish bin tag has a tick in its check box.  If you wish to see only those files tagged for deletion and no others make sure that all the other tags in the filer are disabled by removing the ticks from their check boxes.

When you have finished click the Apply button.

To view every file that has been tagged for deletion within a path, use the show all files button and click on a path name in the left window.  This will show every file tagged for deletion in that path.


Compare viewer getting started
Compare viewer overview

To get started in BytesBak’s compare viewer you can read the on line help below.  If you prefer to learn new software by trying it, open a compare of logs in the reference manager and take a look around.  All of the tools and commands you need are easy to find on the tool bars and menus.

If you do not have a compare ready to view then you should read the help on Comparing logs and Viewing the reference's ‘compares’.  This will enable you to create the logs and compare them in the reference manager then view the results it in the compare viewer.

If you already have the compare open then it is easy to find your way around.  When you first launch the compare viewer you will notice that in the left window is a tree showing the reference paths.  If the log is not too big you will also see the subdirectories shown below the paths in the tree.  In the right window you will see the reference paths displayed along with the statistics of both logs.

If you can not see the subdirectories in the tree then click on the plus sign displayed to the left of a path.  You can also double click directly on a path.  Double clicking on a path in the tree will also change the display in the right window to show the paths subdirectories and files.  Note: a path does not have to contain either subdirectories or files.

Double clicking on a path in the right window will change the display in the right window to show subdirectories and files and open the tree on the left to display the paths subdirectories.

You will notice that to the left of the icons in the both windows that there is either a green tick or a coloured arrow.  These are the visual compare state identifiers.

♦	 Green Tick :-The path, directory or file has not changed between logs.

♦	 Red Arrow :- The path, directory or file is new to the later log.

♦	 Pink Arrow :- The path, directory or file has grown in size since the earlier log.

♦	 Dark Blue Arrow  :-The path, directory or file has been deleted since the earlier log

♦	 Light Blue Arrow :- The path, directory or file has been reduced  in size since the earlier log.

This compare state information can be found as text in the condition column of the right window.  Using the condition button you can sort by the changes directory by directory, file by file.  See Sorting.

You can double click on the directories in the right window to view more subdirectories then use the up one level button on the tool bar to return you to the previous level.

Tagging a file is a way of giving individual files or groups of files an easily recognisable visible tag.  To view the tags you have already set in the log explorer click on the Show tags button.

Clicking the Show arrow button will hide the tags from view and display the condition images instead.

Files can be tagged for deletion using the rubbish bin tag then deleted with the delete button on the tool bar.  See Tagging files.

For more particular information about the compare viewer functions or features see the help contents.


Sorting
Sorting in the compare viewer

To use sorting on a compare you must be in the compare viewer.

Sorting is the primary method for finding particular directories and files within a compare.  You can sort the contents of the right window of the compare viewer using the buttons at the top of the right window.

♦	File name : Sorts on the name of the directory or file. This is useful for finding files and directories with a

♦	Type : Sorts on the type of file.  This is used to group files of a particular type.  This is particularly useful when you tag files of a particular type for deletion such as all the temporary files.

♦	Space was : Sorts on the space taken of the directories and files from the earlier log.

♦	Space now : Sorts on the space taken of the directories and files from the later log.

♦	Changed by : Sorts on the difference between the space was and space now.  This will show those directories and files that have the greatest amount of new space taken.

♦	Condition : This is the way to sort and group all the directories and files that have changed.

♦	Date modified : Sorts on the date that the directory or file was last modified.  This is good for determining file usage when making deletion decisions.  You can change the date modified column for date accessed or date created by using the View|View date types menu option.

Clicking on a button will sort the entire contents of the right window using the selected column as the sort criteria.  Clicking the same button again will reverse the order of sort from descending to ascending or visa versa.


Command line getting started
Command line overview

BytesBak can be run from the command line.

To run BytesBak from the command line you must use the MS-Dos prompt so you can type the command line parameters.

Running BytesBak this way allows you to log a reference and compare the logs without opening the BytesBak user interface.  You can view the logs and the compares created this way by running BytesBak conventionally at any time.

You can even schedule the logging and comparing by using a schedular.  See Scheduling.

If you run BytesBak using a schedular then you can have the system e-mail you with the results of your log and compare.  See E-mail. and user options.


Command line parameters

There are three parameters that can be set when operating BytesBak from the command line.

The name parameter specifies which reference you wish to log.  It is expressed as follows.

/Ref="<Ref Name>"

If there is no reference name specified then the default is to log the most current reference.

The compare parameter specifies wether BytesBak compares the new command line log with a previous log.  It is expressed as follows

/C<=nnn>

If there is no log number specified then the default is to compare with the most recent log.

The clean parameter specifies wether BytesBak deletes all old compares of the reference.  It is expressed as follows

/K

The default is to keep all the old compares.  They will only be deleted if the clean parameter is specified.

If you wish you can use the command line methods in a scheduler.


Scheduling

If you are running Windows NT, BytesBak can be run using the schedule service to log when it is most convenient.  This gives you the flexibility to log the system and create the compare file when it suits you best.

BytesBak incorporates a menu option to make it easy for you to submit BytesBak jobs to the NT schedule service.  To submit a job use the Tools then NT scheduler menu option.  The “NT scheduler” window will appear.

The first time you run the schedule service you must make sure of the connection.  The server name should appear in the top left drop down box.

If the server name does not appear then depending on your network configuration, you can type the server name, or use the dropdown and select the server.  The connection status of the server is displayed in the top right of the window.  If the status is shown as disconnected then click on the connect button.

Once you have established a connection with the server it is time to submit the job.  To do this click on the Submit button. The “submit job on server” window will appear.

The first thing you must do with the submit window is select the reference that you wish to log using the schedule service.  Select the reference using the top right drop down box.

You must then set the run type.  This is either periodically or run once.  If you select periodical running you must select from the when to run the log lists.  You can select by weekday or by days in the month.

If you wish you can elect to compare the log you have just created with the schedular, with any other log of the reference. To do this, check the compare when finished logging box.  The options are to compare with the latest log or compare to a specific log.  If you select a specific log you must input the log number you wish to compare with.

If you wish you can also delete the old compares so that the only compare available within the reference is the most current.  To do this, check the delete old compares when finished box.

The final piece of information that the schedule service requires is the location of BB_Batch.cmd. BB_Batch.cmd is located with BytesBak.exe.  It is essential that the path specified is in the context of being interpreted from the server.

Important note about passwords

For the reliable submission of jobs to the scheduler, the Administrator password must be identical on the work station and file server

Email service

Rather than opening the logs you create using the schedule service to find your disk space status, you can have BytesBak e-mail you with the results.  You can set up the e-mail parameters in the tools options window.  See E-mail.


BytesBak terminology

Allocation unit – The smallest unit of disk space dictated by the operating system

Compare – The fusion of two log files creates a compare file.

Compare viewer - BytesBak’s user interface for displaying compare files.

Filter – BytesBak’s file filter and file finder resource.

Log – A log is a file that contains a record about each file and directory determined by the reference.

Log explorer - BytesBak’s user interface for displaying log files.

Path – A path is a folder that can contain files and sub-directories.

Reference - A reference is a list of paths chosen by the user and given a name for easy recognition.

Rubbish bin – (Trash can) This is a tag to specify that a file is marked for deletion not a recycle bin.

Tag – A visual indicator that allows the user to flag files and directories within a log or compare.


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Try the help contents or help index.