Copyright (c) 2002, 2003 Softland. All Rights Reserved.
Table of Contents
=================
1. Overview
2. Revision history
3. System requirements
4. Installation
5. Features list
6. Frequently asked questions
7. How to contact us
Overview
========
Backup4all is a powerful backup utility. Backup4all provides an intuitive interface to help you define customized backup configurations. Use it to protect your valuable data from total or partial loss.
Using the wizard, setting up a backup configuration is easy. It allows you to setup powerful file filters and schedulers. You can set up multiple backups and schedule them any way you like. Once a backup is performed, you can see what files have been changed since last backup using the tree view mode or you can read the statistics for next backup execution. You can use context menu from the tree mode to launch any custom action associated with the file type.
Backup4all uses ZIP compression. You can set the compression level to speed up the backup process or to minimize the archive size.
Backup4all performs incremental backup to keep track of file versions. You can easily restore any version of files. You can filter files to restore. Restores can also be done via any standard zip software, giving you more flexibility if you need to restore on a different computer.
Backup4all works with any drive letter, including mapped network drives and UNC paths. You can back up to inexpensive CDR/CDRW media, if the appropriate drivers have already been installed.
Backup4all is compatible with Windows 95/98/Me or Windows NT 4.0/2000/XP and requires approximately 4MB of free disk space.
Revision history
================
What's new in version 1.5.0 (23-May-2003)
- Execute all backup items in a group.
- Added support for .bmp files when adding a backup item image.
- Restore latest file version directly from the tree, Explore view.
- Corrections made in displaying backup progress status.
- Options to view backup item and application log in View menu.
- Optimized Expand All process in the Explore view.
- Always use absolute path for destination and temporary folders.
What's new in version 1.4.0 (30-Apr-2003)
- Password protection
- Improved statistics
- Open .bkc files from main menu
- Option added to sort backup items in backup groups
- Improved .bkc file structure. Existing .bkc files will be converted to the new format
- Delete non-empty backup groups
- Corrections made in scheduler
- Add "Expand all" and "Collapse all" for the Explore View
- Corrections made in showing the tray icon
What's new in version 1.3.0 (19-Mar-2003)
- Help file has been added with support for context menu
- Corrections made in file filter configuration
- Enhanced support for browsing Explore View during the backup process
- Improved statistics
- Corrections made in handling .bkc files
- Improved backup logging; error log added
- Corrections made in scheduler
- More precise progress status when backing up
- Warning dialog if the backup size exceeds 2 GBytes
- Optimized access to removable media
What's new in version 1.2.0 (7-Feb-2003)
- Backup speed was drastically improved
- An option to minimize on tray was added
- Backup summary was improved in both layout and content
- A new option is available for hiding background image on the left side of application's main form
- You can add individual files to the backup source, not only folders
- Corrections made for incremental backup
- Shut down problem for Win2000 was corrected
- A visual sign is shown for backups that are currently executed. Active backups window was added.
- Add an option to hide scheduler warning
- Cosmetic changes to the user interface, new shortcuts
System requirements
===================
No special requirements for hardware.
Backup4all is compatible with all versions of Windows.
Installation
============
Run setup.exe extracted from zip file and follow the installation wizard.
Features list
=============
New Backup Wizard - Will guide you through the defining of a new backup. Wizard steps:
- General
- Sources
- Destination
- Filters
- Scheduler
- Advanced
- Summary
Restore Wizard - Will guide you through the process of restoring files. Wizard steps:
- General
- Versions
- Filters
- Summary
Intuitive interface - With the help of the file tree, you can see all files that are in the backup and the new files that will be stored at next backup execution.
Multiple backup configurations support - The application allows defining multiple backups and saving them for future use. On the main form, you have an overview of all defined backups organized in groups.
Multi-thread The application allows you to start more backups at the same time. It executes backups with minimum system resource consumption.
File filter - Powerful filtering engine with lots of options (filter by attributes, size, date, name and type). You can build filters using a combination of file restrictions. Separate filter for inclusion and exclusion.
Source folders and files selection - You can select any file or folder accessible (local or network mapped directory). Files and folders are shown in a tree layout and you can include or exclude them individually.
Backup destination - You can select different types of backup storage: local folder, LAN paths and removable media.
Scheduler - You can easily setup a powerful scheduler using the available scheduler configurations.
Backup modes - You can set backup mode to incremental to add only modified files to the backup. Full mode adds a new version for all files.
ZIP compression - You can select the level of compression (none, low, medium, high) to minimize execution time or backup size.
Password protection - You can protect your files by setting a password to each backup.
Restore - Backup4all has comprehensive restore capabilities built in. Restores can also be done via any standard zip software, giving you more flexibility if you need to restore on a different computer.
Statistics - You can actually see the number of files that will be processed at next backup (very useful when you have a large number of files).
Summary - Textual description of all configurations made for a backup.
Frequently asked questions
==========================
Q: How can I create a new backup configuration?
A: Backups are created by the backup wizard that can be started from menu or from toolbar. Just follow the steps of the wizard and click "Finish" when ready.
Q: How can I create a new backup configuration similar with another?
A: Select the similar backup in the outlook bar and then click on "Create like" toolbar button. Then you can edit the new backup configuration.
Q: How can I see the number of files that will be processed at next backup?
A: Click on the toolbar button that reads "Statistics" and then press CTRL + F5. It will show the file counts.
Q: How can I filter files to see only new and modified files?
A: Click on the toolbar button that reads "Explore". Then push "Show new files" and "Show modified files" buttons on top and release the other three buttons.
Q: How can I set the compression level to be used?
A: Open backup properties and go to "Advanced" tab. Here you can choose from four compression levels: none, low, medium, high.
Q: How can I exclude a folder that is a subfolder of a source folder?
A: Open backup properties, go to the "Sources" tab and uncheck the subfolder you want to exclude.
Q: How can I change the backup type to full backup?
A: Open backup properties and go to the "Advanced" tab. Check "Full Backup" option.
Q: How can I restore a version of one file?
A: Look in the tree of the main form. Locate and select the file in tree. You will see its versions in the list below. R-click on a version and restore it.
Q: How can I filter the files to restore?
A: Click on "Restore" toolbar button. Press "Next" button on the first restore wizard page and then set the filter you want.
Q: Why do some files and directories in the tree have red text?
A: The folders and files with red text have a different file filter than the general file filter of the backup configuration. To override the file filter, open backup Properties, go to File Filter tab (ALT+F), switch to Customize. Here, select the folder for which you need a different file filter and click "Override". "Remove override" button will delete the customized file filter.
Q: How can I backup on CD media?
A: You can backup directly on CD only if the CD is formatted in UDF format. This can be done using DirectCD from Roxio or InCD from Ahead Software. The limitation is that you must have an UDF reader (DirectCD or InCD) installed on each computer you wish to use the CD.
Another approach would be to backup on local or network drives and then copies the resulting files to CD using your preferred CD burning software.
Q: How can I backup on DVD and tape drives?
A: The current version does not support DVD and tape drives.
Q: Can I split the backup on more disks?
A: The current version does not support multiple disk spanning. This feature will be available in the next major release.
Q: Somehow I lost by backup item configuration. I only have the .bkc file. Can I restore the backup item?
A: Yes. Just dbl-click on the .bkc file and a new backup item configuration will be created based on .bkc file.
Q: I want to backup over 15 GBytes, but the backup process stops after some time. Is this a limitation?
A: Yes. This is a known issue of the ZIP compression used by Backup4all. Zip file size is limited to 2 GBytes. That's the reason why the backup process stops.
Q: I used Backup4all for some time now. I have a large number of zip files in the destination. How can I clear them and start over again?
A: One solution is to delete the backup files (*.bkc and the zip subfolders) manually from the destination directory.
Another solution would be to let the application do it. Open "Backup Properties" dialog for the backup item. Go to "Advanced" tab, check "Run program/action before backup" and choose "< Clear backup >" from the combo box. This will first clear the .bkc and zip files in the destination and afterwards perform the backup.
If you do a full backup and you want to have only one version of each file, keep this option checked.
If you just want to clear the backup from time to time, you must check this option, run backup once and then uncheck it.
Q: How can I see only the files inside the backup?
A: First select the backup item. Switch to Explore view and press all buttons on top except the one that reads "Show New Files (CTRL + 1)". Now you see only the files that are in the backup.
Q: How can I hide empty folders in the tree (Explore View) when expanding all folders?
A: Open options dialog and check "Hide empty folders on expand all" option. After this option is set, when clicking on the expand all button, empty folders will not be shown any more.
ATTENTION: Expanding all folders can be time consuming, especially if you added the whole drive as a source of the backup. You can stop it by pressing ESC key.
