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MRBackup Professional
Version 1.0
A Hard Disk Backup Utility
for the
Commodore Amiga
Mark R. Rinfret
1
MRBackup Professional Introduction
Introduction
MRBackup is a hard disk backup program for the Commodore Amiga
family of computers. It provides a wide range of services to
support Amiga file management and backup/restore of files to/from
hard disk. Files can be backed up to
Floppy disk, in AmigaDOS format
Floppy disk, in a special "fast" format
SCSI streaming tape
A backup set catalog is created for each backup set, allowing
quick retrieval of individual files when necessary.
MRBackup is designed to behave well in your Amiga's multi-tasking
environment. It does not "take over the machine" and will allow
you to use your Amiga for other chores while backups are being
performed. MRBackup is driven by a flexible set of user-
controlled parameters and offers a wide range of backup and
restore options. Its Intuition-based user interface is designed
for a pleasing appearance and ease of operation. MRBackup uses
the Amiga's speech capabilities to provide an effective means for
presenting prompts, error conditions and requests for floppy disk
insertions, etc. MRBackup provides file compression which will
reduce the number of diskettes required for a backup (though more
time will be required to do this).
2
MRBackup Professional Requirements
Requirements
In order to operate properly, MRBackup Professional requires the
following:
- any Amiga system with at least 1 MB memory and WorkBench 1.3
or higher
- The Amiga Replacement Project (ARP) library (arp.library),
V39.1 or higher (supplied with MRBackup).
- At least 1 floppy disk drive or SCSI streaming tape drive
(Wangtek 50XX or equivalent)
MRBackup will work with any hard drive supported by the AmigaDOS
operating system.
3
MRBackup Professional Installation
Installation
MRBackup is delivered with an installation program which will
automatically copy all required files to default locations on
your hard disk. Specifically, the installation copies the
following files:
Filename Directory
MRBackup SYS:Tools
MRBackup.info SYS:Tools
MRBackupDefaults.info SYS:Tools
MRBackup.init S:
MRBackup.bflt S:
MRBackup.cflt S:
MRBackup.dflt S:
MRTape-Handler L:
arp.library LIBS:
To install MRBackup, simply insert the MRBackup program diskette
and double-click on the "Install MRBackup" icon. All files will
be copied to their proper destinations. If you don't approve of
the default installation locations, simply edit the file "Install
MRBackup" on the MRBackup program disk to reflect your
preferences.
4
MRBackup Professional Operation
Operation
This manual assumes that you already know the basic operating
principles of your Amiga and that you are familiar with its user
interface. If this manual refers to a procedure or feature with
which you are not familiar, please refer to your Amiga owner's
manual.
MRBackup may be started from the WorkBench by double-clicking its
program icon or from the CLI by typing the appropriate command
line. The startup procedures for each environment are presented
below.
Working Directory
MRBackup requires an area for storing certain information during
the backup process. This area is called the "working directory".
The default area is defined by the logical name "S:", but you may
override this setting. The next two sections describe how this is
done.
CLI Operation
To start MRBackup from the CLI (Command Line Interface, also
called the "Shell"), you can just type MRBackup
at the command prompt. If you wish to override the default
working directory, enter MRBackup -d <directory name> where
<directory name> is the name of a directory MRBackup can use to
store temporary information.
WorkBench Operation
To start MRBackup from the WorkBench, simply double-click its
program or project icon. To override the default working
directory, you must change a Tool Type entry in the program or
project icons, as appropriate. To do this, select the MRBackup
program icon (one click), then select the Info command from the
WorkBench menu. Find the following entry in the Tool Types list:
DIR=S:
Replace "S:" with the device name, directory name or logical name
that you would like MRBackup to use for its work area. Click the
Save gadget when you are done to record your change. The next
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MRBackup Professional Operation
time you start MRBackup, the new work area will be used.
You may also direct MRBackup to start up with an initialization
file (preferences) other than the default S:MRBackup.init (or
MRBackup.init, if it exists in the same directory as MRBackup).
This is done by adding a Tool Type entry of the form:
INIT=<filename>
where <filename> is the name of the file containing MRBackup
preferences settings. This file is usually created with the Save
Preferences command in MRBackup's Project menu. Example:
INIT=DH0Backup.prefs
If you really want to get clever, you can make copies of
MRBackup's project icon file (MRBackupDefault.info) and tune the
Tool Types entries for each hard disk partition. How is this
done? Using the CLI COPY command, make a copy of
MRBackupDefaults.info for each partition. Example:
(CD to the directory where MRBackup resides)
COPY MRBackupDefaults.info MRBackup-DH0.info
COPY MRBackupDefaults.info MRBackup-DH1.info
(etc.)
For each icon, do the following:
Select the icon (one click), then choose Info from the
WorkBench menu.
Edit the Tool entry so that it specifies the correct name
for the MRBackup program file. The default is
SYS:Tools/MRBackup.
Edit the DIR and INIT Tool Type entries as appropriate
for the partition that this icon represents.
Support Files
MRBackup obtains some of its operating parameters from a set of
support files. The primary copy of these files is usually stored
in the S: directory, but you may create as many new copies as you
wish to customize backup and restore parameters on a project-by-
project basis. All of these files contain ASCII text and may be
edited with any Amiga text editor. Lines beginning with a semi-
colon (; comments) are ignored, as are empty lines. Each of these
6
MRBackup Professional Operation
files, as delivered, is self-documenting. Use your favorite text
editor or text viewer (e.g. More) to view their contents.
Note: you may use other filenames (including different
extensions) if you desire. It is highly recommended that you
adhere to some consistent naming convention to avoid confusion,
however.
MRBackup.init
This file contains your MRBackup operating parameters. It is
read by MRBackup when it first starts up to establish its
default parameter settings.
MRBackup.bflt
This is the backup filter file. It is used to specifically
include or exclude certain files from a backup operation.
See the section titled Filter Files for a detailed
description.
MRBackup.cflt
This is the compression filter file. It allows you to
prevent specific files from being compressed during a backup
operation. See the section titled Filter Files for a
detailed description.
MRBackup.dflt
This is the decompression filter file. It allows you to
prevent specific files from being decompressed during a
restore operation. See the section titled Filter Files for a
detailed description.
7
The User Interface
MRBackup employs the Amiga's Intuition graphical user interface.
This result is straightforward user interaction and concise
information presentation. MRBackup has its own user-configurable
four-color custom screen with a pleasing 3-D appearance. All
parameters for backup and restore operations can be controlled
from MRBackup's main window. A pull-down menu provides access to
MRBackup's set of operations.
The Menu
MRBackup operations are invoked by menu selections or keyboard
shortcuts. MRBackup has one menu, named Project. Its entries are
described briefly here. Refer to the section titled MRBackup
Operations for a more detailed description.
Backup
Start a backup operation.
Colors
Change MRBackup's color settings.
Resume Backup
Resume a backup which was previously interrupted.
Restore
Restore files from a backup set.
Load Preferences
Load MRBackup's operating parameters from a file. The name
of the file is specified in the Preferences gadget.
Save Preferences
Save MRBackup's operating parameters to a file. The name of
the file is specified in the Preferences gadget.
Utilities
Start MRBackup's file management utilities.
Quit
Terminate MRBackup.
MRBackup Main Window
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MRBackup Professional The User Interface
Please refer to Figure 1 for a picture of the MRBackup Main
Window. This window contains all of the parameters that control
backup and restore operations. All information is managed through
Intuition gadgets. As you view this window, you will notice that
some have a raised appearance, while others appear to be
recessed. The raised gadgets respond to a single mouse click and
will either cycle through a set of allowed values or pop up a
requester to obtain more information. The recessed gadgets are
altered by first clicking the mouse within their rectangle, then
typing a value from the keyboard. When altering one of these
string gadgets, always complete your change by pressing the
RETURN key. Failure to do so might result in MRBackup ignoring
your changes.
You will also notice several square raised gadgets, labeled with
a question mark (?). These are called file requester gadgets.
Each of these is associated with another gadget which specifies a
device, directory or file name. When you click on a file
requester gadget, a file requester window is superimposed on
MRBackup's main window (see Figure 2 - The ARP File Requester).
With it, you can navigate your file system and easily select the
appropriate name for the corresponding gadget.
The following paragraphs describe all of the labeled gadgets in
MRBackup's main window. Please take the time to read this
information carefully, as several important key concepts are
presented here. The gadgets are described in top-to-bottom, left-
to-right order.
Test Date
The test date is used by backup operations only. If the
test date is set to January 1, 1978 (beginning of
AmigaDOS time), it has no effect. Otherwise, only files
modified on or after the test date will be selected for
backup. To change the test date, just click on the
gadget box. A date requester will pop up (see Figure 3-
The Date Requester), allowing you to easily change the
test date. You may select the new date value either by
pointing and clicking on the various date requester
gadgets or by typing directly into each of the date
fields. For your convenience, MRBackup also supports
four (4) date formats (AmigaDOS, U.S., Canadian and
International).
Home Path
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MRBackup Professional The User Interface
The Home Path describes the device or directory where
your files normally reside. During backup operations,
files are copied from the location specified by the Home
Path. During restore operations, files are copied to
this location. You may type the Home Path value directly
into the gadget box or you may use the file requester to
assist you. The Home Path must specify a device, volume
or directory name (not a file name).
Backup Path
The Backup Path describes the destination (FROM path)
for files during a backup or the source (TO path) for
files during a restore. Normally, the backup path is the
name of one of your floppy disk drives. If one or more
of the floppy disk icon gadgets is selected, the Backup
Path is ignored. See the section entitled Backup
Operations for more details on the Backup Path.
Floppy Disk Icons
MRBackup supports selection of up to four floppy disk
devices (DF0: through DF3:) for backup or restore. This
allows you to preload your disk drives, reducing the
frequency with which you must insert diskettes. MRBackup
will cycle through the selected drives and prompt you
for more diskettes only when all have been used or an
error is detected. When you click on one of these icons,
a check-mark will appear, indicating that the drive is
selected. Whenever floppy drives are selected in this
fashion, the Backup Path specification is ignored.
Formatting
This gadget only has meaning when performing an
AmigaDOS-compatible backup. It selects the formatting
method used to initialize each backup disk. Clicking on
this gadget causes it to cycle through its range of
values which are Normal, Quick and None, described
below:
Normal Use this setting for new disks which have never
been formatted or when you simply want to
completely reformat your backup disks. This
method requires the most time.
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MRBackup Professional The User Interface
Quick Use this method for disks which have been
previously formatted for AmigaDOS use. Only the
filesystem header blocks are initialized,
requiring very little time.
None This is a special setting which should be used
with care. You might wish to use this setting
with diskettes which have been preformatted and
are known to be empty or when "refreshing" a
backup which is known to require only one
diskette.
Backup Mode
The Backup Mode gadget selects the type of Backup or Restore
to be performed and cycles through the following range of
values:
AmigaDOS
Fast Disk
SCSI Tape
The backup modes are described in detail in the section
entitled Backup Operations.
Compression
This gadget specifies the size of the compression codes, in
bits, that are to be used when performing a backup. The
values range from 12 bits through 16 bits or None (no
compression performed). Smaller code sizes allow faster
compression and lower memory requirements while compression
with larger code sizes yields larger compression ratios but
requires more time and more memory.
Decompression
The setting of this gadget is only meaningful during a
restore operation. It specifies the maximum compression code
size (in bits) to be decompressed when restoring files.
Files that were compressed with larger compression codes
will be restored in their compressed state.
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MRBackup Professional The User Interface
Compression Est.
This value is a compression estimate, specified as a
percentage. Its range is 0 through 99 and it is only
meaningful for AmigaDOS-compatible backups. Refer to the
section entitled File Compression for details on the use of
this setting.
Buffer Size (K)
When MRBackup performs input or output from/to a file, a
certain amount of memory is set aside as a buffer (holding
area). This is done to minimize the number of physical disk
accesses necessary to move data from/to a file. The bigger
the buffer, the fewer the disk accesses that are required to
move a file. The default buffer size is 32K bytes (K =
1024). If your system has expanded memory, you can take
advantage of it by increasing your buffer size. The maximum
buffer size allowed is 512K but the recommended maximum is
the smaller of 128K or the largest known file size on your
system.
Backup Volume Prefix
During a backup, MRBackup normally names each backup volume
with the word "Backup", combined with the current date and
the disk sequence number. You can customize the backup
volume names by supplying your own prefix. In this case,
MRBackup will simply append the disk sequence number to
whatever prefix you supply. As an example, the prefix
"DH0Backup." yields "DH0Backup.1", "DH0Backup.2", etc.
Preferences
This gadget names the file where MRBackup's operating
parameters (user preferences) are stored. If MRBackup is
started without an explicit "initial file" specification ("-
i" option from CLI, "INIT=<name>" Tool Type from WorkBench),
the current directory is searched for "MRBackup.init". If
the file is not found there, the working directory (default
= S:) is searched. You may change MRBackup's parameters
(including this one), then use Save Preferences to record
your new settings. You may also reinitialize MRBackup with
another preferences file by changing this specification.
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MRBackup Professional The User Interface
Backup Filter
This gadget specifies a file to be used to assist in
selecting (or rejecting) files for a backup. If you don't
want to use a backup filter, just clear this gadget (click
in the gadget box and press the Right-Amiga and X keys
simultaneously, then press RETURN). The backup filter file
delivered with MRBackup, "MRBackup.bflt", is self
documenting.
Compression Filter
The compression filter is used during backups to inhibit the
compression of certain files (when compression is enabled).
The compression filter file delivered with MRBackup,
"MRBackup.cflt", is self documenting. There are several
built-in compression filter patterns in MRBackup. They are:
#?.arc - ARC archives
#?.lzh - LHARC archives
#?.Z - compressed files
#?.ZIP - PKAZIP archives
#?.ZOO - Zoo archives
Files of these types almost always expand when subjected to
additional compression.
Decompression Filter
The decompression filter is used during restore operations
to inhibit the decompression of certain compressed files
when decompression is enabled. Files specified with this
filter will be restored in their compressed state. The
decompression filter file delivered with MRBackup,
"MRBackup.dflt", is self documenting. If you prefer not to
use a decompression filter, simply clear this gadget.
Listing Path
MRBackup normally generates a listing during backups. This
gadget specifies the file or device to receive the listing.
You may type the listing path directly into the gadget or
you may use its requester gadget to assist you. To send the
listing directly to the printer, you would select "PRT:". To
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MRBackup Professional The User Interface
save the listing to a file on the hard disk, simply select
the appropriate directory and file name.
Log File
MRBackup will optionally generate a log of all of its
activities if the Log File gadget contains a valid pathname.
This log will contain time-stamped progress reports and
error messages. To disable the log, simply clear this
gadget. When errors are detected during a backup or restore,
it is good practice to check the contents of the log for the
cause and severity of these errors.
Error Handling
MRBackup has several approaches to error handling. The range
of values for error handling are:
Interactive MRBackup asks how the error is to be
handled
Retry Upon detecting an error, MRBackup will
retry the operation a number of times as
specified in the Retries gadget.
Ignore MRBackup will count the error but will
continue processing. Errors will be
reported to the log file.
Abort MRBackup will immediately abort a backup
or restore upon detecting any error.
Normally, you will use the Interactive setting.
Voice On / Voice Off
This is an ON/OFF button which enables or disables
MRBackup's speech capability.
Create Listing: Yes or No
This is a Yes/No button which enables or disables the
creation of the listing file during a backup operation.
14
MRBackup Professional The User Interface
Split Big Files: Yes or No
This button is only meaningful for the AmigaDOS-compatible
backup mode. It is a Yes/No switch which enables or disables
MRBackup's handling of big files. A big file is one which is
larger than the capacity of an empty diskette. If this
gadget indicates Yes, MRBackup will split big files across
multiple diskettes. Each diskette will have a special file,
MRBackup.bigfile, in addition to its segment of the big
file. This special file describes the file segment.
Test Archive Bits
If this button is enabled, MRBackup will only backup files
whose archive bits are clear. AmigaDOS clears a file's
archive bit whenever that file is modified. Using the Test
Archive Bits option allows you to backup only files which
have changed since the last time you did a backup with the
Set Archive Bits option (below) enabled. This filtering is
done in addition to any other filtering options you may be
using. Please note that the AmigaDOS interpretation of the
archive bit is reversed from that of the MS-DOS environment
where a set bit indicates that the file has not been
archived.
Set Archive Bits
If this button is enabled, MRBackup will set the archive bit
on every file that it backs up. The setting of archive bits
is deferred until the backup is successfully completed.
The Status Display Window
The Status Display window is used to inform you of MRBackup's
progress during backup and restore operations. The Status Display
gadgets are described here in left-to-right, top-to-bottom order.
Disk Number
This gadget indicates the number of the floppy diskette (or
tape cartridge) which is currently being accessed for backup
or restore.
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MRBackup Professional The User Interface
Backup Volume Name
This gadget reports the name of the backup volume currently
being used for a backup or restore operation.
Errors
This gadget displays the total number of errors detected
during a backup or restore operation.
Destination Capacity
This gadget shows, in relative terms, how much space remains
on the current backup volume. As the destination media is
filled, the gadget's slider will move to the right, toward
the "F" (full) indicator.
Blocks
This gadget displays the current destination capacity as a
number of 512 byte blocks.
Bytes In
This gadget displays the total number of bytes, in K (1024
byte increments), which have been read into MRBackup.
Bytes Out
This gadget displays the total number of bytes, in K, which
MRBackup has written to the destination media.
Ratio
This gadget displays, as a percentage of change, the
effective compression ratio for backups and decompression
ratio for restores. For example, when a value of 35% is
displayed during a backup operation, then the cumulative
size for all files backed up has been reduced by 35 per
cent.
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MRBackup Professional The User Interface
Overhead
This gadget displays, as a percentage of total media space
available, the amount of backup media space not directly
associated with file data storage. Overhead space is used
for file and directory headers, etc.
Current File or Directory
At the start of a backup, this gadget reports the name of
each directory being scanned for files. During a backup or
restore operation, this gadget reports the name of the file
currently being accessed.
Status
This is a one-line text message which reports the current
state of MRBackup or the last significant event or error.
STOP
This gadget allows you to terminate a backup or restore
operation. As a safety measure, a requester will ask you to
confirm this action before it takes effect.
Please note that when using a large buffer size, there may
be a very noticeable delay when clicking the STOP or PAUSE
gadgets. Just be patient - MRBackup will recognize the
request as soon as the current buffer operation completes.
PAUSE / PROCEED
This gadget temporarily suspends all backup or restore
activity. If you are closely monitoring the progress of a
backup or restore and the phone rings, you can click PAUSE
and be confident that things won't "get away from you". When
you click the PAUSE gadget, its label changes to PROCEED.
MRBackup will be suspended until this gadget is clicked
again.
Chip, Fast, Total
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MRBackup Professional The User Interface
These three gadgets display the amount of CHIP RAM and FAST
RAM available, as well as the combined total. They provide
you with a means to monitor memory availability. If the
combined total should drop below a reasonable threshold
(arbitrarily, let's pick 128K), you might want to click the
PAUSE gadget, cancel other applications that might be
running and then click the PROCEED gadget to allow MRBackup
to resume. This action would forestall a failure due to a
potential low-memory condition.
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MRBackup Professional The User Interface
The Utilities Window
The Utilities Window provides a variety of AmigaDOS file
management operations. The top portion of the window contains
gadgets for specifying file selection criteria and reporting
status. The middle portion is a combined information display and
file requester for interactively selecting individual files. The
bottom portion of the window primarily contains "command buttons"
which select the operation to be performed on the selected
file(s).
When performing a Utilities operation, the affected files have a
source (From) and, where appropriate, a destination (To). The
file information display box in the center of this window
multiplexes (switches) between the From and To modes, depending
upon the settings of the ON/OFF switches affecting the From and
To selections.
OFF/ON
The OFF/ON switches determine whether the source (From) or
destination (To) directory is displayed in the file display
area. These switches are mutually exclusive and only one can
be ON at a time, though both can be OFF at the same time.
Clicking on either will cause the display box to be filled
with information relevant to the appropriate path
specification.
From
This gadget holds the source device or directory name.
To
This gadget holds the destination device or directory name.
From/To Arrow (Parent) Gadgets
The From and To gadgets each have an arrow gadget to the
right of their respective text boxes. Clicking on the arrow
causes the selection to move up one level in the file
hierarchy (the immediate parent). For instance, if the From
selection is currently "DH0:Src/Lib/Amiga", clicking its
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MRBackup Professional The User Interface
associated arrow gadget will change the From selection to
"DH0:Src/Lib".
Drive
Clicking on the Drive gadget will cause the currently active
selection (From or To, as determined by the OFF/ON switch
settings) to cycle to the next disk drive (including RAM:,
RAD:).
FileSpec
The FileSpec gadget (file specification) is applied to the
From selection to restrict the files visible in the file
information box. Typically, an AmigaDOS/ARP file name
pattern is entered here. For instance, "#?" or "*" (default)
allows all filenames to be seen. "#?.Doc" would allow only
filenames ending in ".Doc" to be seen. The FileSpec does not
apply to directory names, which are always visible.
Info
The Info gadget provides status information related to the
current utility operation being performed.
All Files
Clicking on the All Files gadget will select everything in
the file information box (including entries which are out of
view). Selected entries are displayed in reverse video.
Clear
Clicking on the Clear gadget will cause all files in the
file display area to be deselected.
State (unlabled)
There is an unlabeled box centered beneath the file
information box. This gadget is used to display the current
state of the Utilities "engine".
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MRBackup Professional The User Interface
Utility Command Buttons
At the bottom of the Utilities window is a set of gadgets
(command buttons) which are labeled with the names of the
Utilities processing options. Each one will be discussed
separately below. One thing that they all have in common is that
the From selection must be active before they may be used.
Clicking any command button before the current process has
completed will terminate the current process.
Compress
This command button causes the selected files to be
compressed, using the current Compression bit code setting
and compression filter file in the MRBackup Parameters
window. The From and To path specifications may indicate the
same or different pathnames. If they are the same, the
original file will be deleted and replaced with its
compressed version (having a ".Z" suffix).
Decompress
This command button causes the selected files to be
decompressed, using the current Decompression bit code
setting and decompression filter file, as specified in the
MRBackup main window. The From and To path specifications
may indicate the same or different paths. If they are the
same, the compressed file (having the ".Z" suffix) will be
replaced by its decompressed version (".Z" suffix removed).
Copy
The Copy command button requires different From and To
specifications. The selected files are copied to the To
path.
Rename
The Rename command button requires that the From and To
specifications name different directories on the same device
(renaming across devices is not allowed). All selected files
will be moved (renamed) from their current location to the
To directory.
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MRBackup Professional The User Interface
Delete
Only the From specification is required for Delete. All
selected files will be deleted from your system. Be careful!
SetDate
The SetDate command button changes the file modification
date for all selected files (the To specification is not
required). Upon selecting the SetDate command button, you
will be presented with MRBackup's date requester. Simply
select the date you wish to apply.
Set Bits
The Set Bits command button provides the capabilities of
the AmigaDOS "Protect" command. Above the Set Bits command
button, you will see eight gadgets with the letters
"H,S,P,A,R,W,E,D". These letters are defined as follows:
H - Hidden file (not currently supported)
S - Script (recognized by NewShell, AShell)
P - Pure (used by "resident" programs)
A - Archived (set => file is archived)
R - File is readable
W - File is writeable
E - File is executable
D - File is deleteable
Set the appropriate gadgets for the bits you wish to set,
then click the Set Bits command button. The bit pattern you
have selected will be logically OR-ed with the current bit
settings for the selected files.
The R, W, E and D indicators are somewhat confusing, as
their meaning is inverted. A set bit actually means that the
related operation is inhibited. For instance, when "W" is
displayed, it actually means that the "W" bit is clear,
allowing file write operations. To write-protect a file,
then, you must SET its "W" bit.
Clear Bits
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MRBackup Professional The User Interface
Clear Bits works in much the same fashion as Set Bits except
that the selected bits are turned off. Only the selected
bits will be affected - all others retain their current
setting.
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MRBackup Professional File Compression
File Compression
Compression Method
MRBackup employs Lempel-Ziv compression. While this method does
not yield the highest compression ratios, it is one of the
fastest software compression algorithms available. Its ability to
be "tuned" through the use of user-specified code size limits
allows you to make certain performance trade-offs. Larger code
sizes will make greater temporary demands on system memory but
will result in higher compression ratios.
When a file is compressed, special codes are written at the
beginning of the compressed file to indicate that it is
compressed and to record the size of the codes used for
compression. Thus, you need not remember what code size was used
to compress a particular file.
Compression Estimating
MRBackup's compression estimating feature is only meaningful for
AmigaDOS-compatible backups. MRBackup does not know in advance
what a file's size will be after it is compressed. Therefore,
when determining whether a file will fit on the current backup
diskette, the file's full size is used. This can result in a
significant amount of wasted space on each diskette. If you set
the compression estimate to a non-zero value, MRBackup will apply
this estimate when determining space available. A reasonable
value to start with is 35 (%). This means that you expect most
files to be 65% of their original size (100%-35%) when
compressed. Please note that this may lead to occaisional "disk
full" errors, depending on how aggressive your estimate is. In
this case, MRBackup will delete the partially copied file and
force a new diskette. This is a feature you'll have to develop a
"feel" for. Over time, you'll have a pretty good idea of what
your typical compression yield is and can make more intelligent
estimates. Of course, you can always play "safe" and leave this
value at zero.
24
Filter Files
The term "filter" may sound strange to you, but you've probably
heard and even used it many times without giving it a second
thought. Surely you've heard of the coffee filter, which keeps
the coffee grounds out of your freshly brewed pot of java. Air
filters keep dust and dirt out of your electronic equipment and
your environment. Oil filters keep your auto's engine clean.
MRBackup employs filename filters to accomplish something quite
analogous. A set of filenames is "fed into" a filter and a subset
of those filenames is allowed to "pass through" it. Each filter
is simply a text file containing zero or more filename patterns.
Each filter (backup, compression, decompression) has a specific
purpose and operates on a particular set of filenames.
Filter File Format
Each filter file is simply a text file which can be created with
any plain text editor or a word processor which can save plain
ASCII text. The file may contain any number of patterns, one per
line. You may place comments in the file by placing a semi-colon
(;) in the first character position. Empty lines are also
ignored.
Filter Patterns
Filter patterns are expressed "relative" to a device or volume.
That is, they don't include a volume or device name (the part
preceding and including the colon in a full AmigaDOS filename).
What they are relative to is implicit in their use. For instance,
the backup filter patterns are relative to the "home" device, as
are the compression filter patterns. Since decompression is
performed during a restore, decompression filter patterns are
implicitly relative to the "backup" device.
Filter patterns may be simple filenames, such as
Trashcan
Trashcan.info
or they may be quite exotic and complex patterns with "wildcard"
notation, character class specifications, etc. Here is the
definition of special characters which can be used in a filter
pattern:
25
MRBackup Professional Filter Files
Character Meaning
? Match any single character.
% Match the null string.
#<p> Match zero or more occurrences of pattern <p>.
* Match any pattern (same as #?).
<p1><p2> Match pattern <p1> followed by pattern <p2>.
( ) Parentheses group patterns together.
(<p1>|<p2>) Match if either <p1> or <p2> match (parentheses
are required.).
[] Character class (ex: [a-z] or [0-9] ).
~<p> Negation: match anything BUT pattern <p>
Example: "~*.info" means all files except those
ending in ".info" (quotes for illustration only)
' Escape next special character. Useful for
filenames which contain any special characters
above.
The most common mistake that you are likely to make when creating
your filter patterns is to omit the "leading context" from your
patterns. For instance, if you want to omit all files named
"junk.txt" from an operation, you must remember that the simple
filename is actually part of a larger specification which
includes all higher level directory names. Thus, to omit all
files named "junk.txt", we might use the following pattern:
(junk.txt|#?/junk.txt)
This is a pattern grouping which recognizes "junk.txt" at the top
level of a volume or (you can equate the vertical bar | to the
word "or") at any level in the directory hierarchy. The pattern
#?junk.txt
is not "safe" since it will match ANY sequence of characters
preceding "junk.txt" (somejunk.txt, myjunk.txt, morejunk.txt,
etc.) which is not what we wanted.
26
MRBackup Professional Filter Files
Backup Filter
The Backup Filter is used to assist in the selection of files
that are to be copied during a backup operation. When MRBackup
performs its initial scan, the backup filter is applied to each
file or directory name as it is encountered.
The Backup Filter has a dual personality. By default, its
patterns are used to exclude selected files from a backup.
However, there are two special patterns which change the meaning
of the Backup Filter patterns. These patterns are :INCLUDE: and
:EXCLUDE:.
If the :INCLUDE: pattern appears in the Backup Filter file,
subsequent patterns will be used to include files in the backup.
Only files which match these patterns will be included in the
backup. This can be a useful mechanism for backing up "disjoint"
directory hierarchies without having to provide many exclude
patterns.
If the :EXCLUDE: pattern appears in the Backup Filter file,
subsequent patterns will be used to exclude files from the
backup. If the :INCLUDE: pattern is also present in the filter
file, the exclude patterns will be applied only to the files
which satisfied the include patterns. That is, the include
patterns take precedence, regardless of the appearance order of
:INCLUDE: or :EXCLUDE:.
Compression Filter
The Compression Filter is employed during a backup operation to
inhibit file compression on certain files. It has no effect if
the Compression gadget has been set to None.
Over time, you will notice that certain files have a tendency to
expand, rather than compress, when subjected to MRBackup's
compression scheme. Such strange behavior! The compression
algorithm takes advantage of the fact that most files contain
data whose values are not evenly distributed. There tend to be
many redundant data patterns which can be represented by fewer
bits. However, certain files, such as programs, animations,
graphics images, etc., do not compress well. MRBackup will detect
this condition, abandon compression for that file and perform a
straight copy. Unfortunately, this results in a waste of time,
27
MRBackup Professional Filter Files
since a significant portion of the file may have been compressed
before the condition was detected.
MRBackup helps you alleviate this situation by providing you with
a Compression Filter. As you detect files for which compression
is a problem, enter the appropriate patterns into your
Compression Filter file and MRBackup will cease trying to
compress them. If you use a reasonable naming convention for
certain classes of files (e.g. <file>.ilbm for IFF bitmap files),
you can easily omit whole classes of files from compression.
Decompression Filter
While file compression is a nice backup feature, you may also
want to maintain certain files on your hard drive in a compressed
state. If you perform a restore operation with decompression
enabled, however, files that you wish to remain compressed will
be decompressed. The Decompression Filter allows you to specify
the files which you would like to restore in their compressed
state. That is, patterns in the Decompression Filter inhibit file
decompression.
28
Backup Operations
The data and programs on your Amiga might well be worth more to
you (in terms of cost to replace) than the machine itself. Hard
disks fail. Systems "crash", causing irrecoverable damage to hard
disk partitions. Backups are insurance against such
probabilities. However, they often don't get done. The excuses
are many and varied. "I'm too busy", "I meant to, but...", "I
don't have enough floppy disks", etc. We are all guilty to
varying degrees. Even the author of this backup program has been
caught "with his pants down" on a couple of occaisions (excuse
#1). Needless to say, backups are not a fun way to use your Amiga
and they require discipline to be done on a regular and effective
basis. MRBackup goes a long way toward making this chore more
pleasant.
The Backup Modes
In a previous section, we touched briefly on the fact that
MRBackup supports three backup modes:
AmigaDOS
Fast Disk
SCSI Tape
MRBackup provides you the flexibility to choose the mode that is
best suited to your needs (or budget!).
AmigaDOS Backup Mode
The AmigaDOS backup mode provides full compatibility with
AmigaDOS and its tool set. That is, you can manipulate the files
in an AmigaDOS backup set with the standard Amiga tools such as
DIR, LIST, COPY, TYPE, etc. When backing up to diskette, MRBackup
creates disk volumes (currently OFS) which are accessible to the
AmigaDOS filesystem. MRBackup also employs no hardware-specific
"tricks" in this mode. If the disk hardware is supported by
standard Amiga software, MRBackup will handle it (if you find an
exception to this, please let us know!).
One important item to note is that you are not required to backup
files to floppy diskettes. If you are fortunate enough to have a
"spare" hard disk or a hard disk with removable media, you can
29
MRBackup Professional Backup Operations
use either for your backup destination. You can also perform
backups from one directory to another.
MRBackup preserves all file attributes when backing up and
restoring files. The file protection word (HSPARWED), comment and
modification date are all maintained. This is true for all backup
modes.
Fast Disk Backup Mode
The Amiga's original filesystem, while providing a great deal of
recoverability, suffers from poor performance. This is especially
notable when accessing floppy disks. This can be overcome
somewhat by adding more disk buffers via the AddBuffers command
or using a floppy disk accelerator (caching program) such as
ASDG's Facc-II.
MRBackup addresses this problem by providing a new diskette
format. In a sense, this format is analagous to a streaming tape
drive. Floppy disk head movement is minimized. The diskette is
formatted as data is written to it and slightly more data can be
written to the diskette (without using any compression
techniques). Also, files are automatically split across volumes
in Fast Disk mode, meaning that there is no unused space on your
backup diskettes. At the same time, a high degree of integrity
and recoverability has been designed in. Though this format
cannot be read by the AmigaDOS filesystem(s), you will most
likely prefer to use it for most general-purpose backups because
it is so fast.
If you feel uncomfortable about storing your files in a non-
standard format, take heed! MRBackup's fast disk backup mode is
NOT proprietary! If you would like documentation describing the
fast disk backup format, send $5.00 to TTR Development for a
diskette containing documentation and C language source files.
Another interesting feature of Fast Disk mode is that you can
backup TO A FILE OR ANY STREAM-ORIENTED DEVICE! The file, in
essense, simulates a very large capacity floppy diskette. You can
then manage this backup file as a single entity. If you're
fortunate enough to be connected to a networked file server with
lots of available disk space, the advantages are tremendous! You
can perform a full backup without changing disks, saving your
backups in remote files which fully preserve their AmigaDOS
attributes.
30
MRBackup Professional Backup Operations
SCSI Tape Backup Mode
As you might have guessed, this mode supports a streaming tape
drive with a SCSI (Small Computer Systems Interface) interface.
It is essentially the same as Fast Disk mode, except that
additional support and modified error-handling behavior are
invoked for the tape drive.
A SCSI tape handler is provided with MRBackup. To use it, you
must perform the following steps:
Copy the tape handler, mrtape-handler to the L:
directory:
COPY MRBackup:L/mrtape-handler L:
Add the supplied device mountlist entry to your
DEVS:Mountlist file, using a text editor. The mountlist
entry provided with MRBackup is named "mountlist.tape".
It contains the following:
MRTAPE: Handler = l:mrtape-handler
StartUp = "128/scsi.device/4/0"
Stacksize = 4000
Priority = 5
GlobVec = -1
#
You may need to change the "Startup" line. The expression
to the right of the equal sign (=) has the following
format:
"<buffer_size>/<device_driver>/<device_number>/<flags>"
The beginning and ending double quotes are required if
you are using the standard AmigaDOS Mount command (not
required with the ARP mount command).
The <buffer_size> parameter is specified in multiples of
K (K=1024). The example value of 128, above, provides
double-buffering for the WangTek model 5XXX-ES tape
drives, which have an internal 64K buffer.
The <device_driver> parameter specifies the device driver
to be used to talk to the device. Use "scsi.device" with
the CBM A2091 SCSI controller. Consult your owner's
manual if you are using a non-Commodore SCSI controller.
31
MRBackup Professional Backup Operations
The <device_number> parameter specifies the SCSI device
number, usually established by jumpers or DIP switches on
your tape drive.
The <flags> entry is provided for a future compatibility
option and should be set to zero.
Once the above steps have been performed, you must mount the
MRTAPE: device. This is done with the following command:
MOUNT MRTAPE:
You may then specify MRTAPE: as your Backup Path. You may also
automate the device mounting process by placing the above command
in your S:Startup-Sequence (or S:StartupII) file.
Backup Schemes
You may not have even thought of it, but there are several
approaches to backing up your system. Each has its advantages and
disadvantages. You may use one or more of them, depending upon
your use of the Amiga. MRBackup is so flexible that you may come
up with several more not detailed here.
The Full Backup
A full backup is the most desirable method if time and available
backup media are not factors. A complete "snapshot" of your hard
disk partition(s) is taken, fully reflecting the state of your
machine at that point in time. If you are using floppy disks to
backup a large partition, however, you may find this approach
quite burdensome. Given MRBackup's flexibility however, you will
quite likely find a mix of backup techniques that satisfy your
needs.
Another thing to remember is that much of your commercial
software already has a backup - the original disk (or the backup
you made of the original disk if you followed typical vendor's
instructions). If you have lots of commercial software installed
on your hard disk, you should probably consider excluding the
files which don't change (programs, examples, etc.) via the
backup filter. This will dramatically cut down on the time and
media required for a "full" backup.
32
MRBackup Professional Backup Operations
Incremental Backups
Incremental backups provide a reasonable alternative to the full
backup if the proper procedures are followed. The incremental
backup consists of a full system backup followed by one or more
partial backups. The partial backups record only the files that
have changed since the full backup was performed.
The "File Modification Date" Incremental Backup
Each time a file is written (modified), the AmigaDOS filesystem
sets the file's modification date to the current date and time,
as set in the Amiga's time-of-day clock. MRBackup can take
advantage of this fact by comparing file modification dates
against the Test Date setting in the main window. Only files
changed on or after the Test Date are selected for backup.
A typical backup scenario for a date-sensitive backup might be:
1. Perform a full system backup to backup media set 1.
2. Perform incremental backup to backup media set 2.
3. Perform incremental backup to backup media set "n".
4. Repeat the sequence starting with step 1.
In the sequence above, there is an implied delay between steps.
Depending upon your requirements and confidence level (degree of
self-discipline?), the delay may range from several hours to a
week or more (not much more!). You might choose a one month cycle
(i.e. step 1 is repeated on the first Saturday of each month).
Notice that multiple media sets (tapes, floppies, files, etc.)
are required. When performing incremental backups, you must not
destroy your previous backup set(s).
There is some room for variation here, however. You might want to
maintain just two sets of backup media. The first set would
contain the full backup, while the second set would contain all
files which changed since the full backup was done. In this case,
each time you perform the incremental backup, more backup media
will be required to hold the additional files, assuming a dynamic
system where files are being changed on a daily basis.
The "Archive Bit" Incremental Backup
33
MRBackup Professional Backup Operations
In addition to maintaining the file modification date, AmigaDOS
also maintains an archive indicator bit in each file protection
word. Specifically, AmigaDOS clears the archive bit whenever a
file is modified. Backup software, such as MRBackup, can set this
bit when a file has been successfully backed up. When the Test
Archive Bits gadget is set to ON, only files with cleared archive
bits will be backed up. If the Set Archive Bits gadget is also
on, MRBackup will set the archive bits of all files which have
been backed up.
The sequence to observe when performing the archive bit backup is
similar to that used for the date sensitive backup. However, you
MUST use a different set of backup media for each unique step.
As an aside, MRBackup does not prevent you from doing a backup
which combines date testing with archive bit testing. However, it
is advised that you choose one method or the other for desirable
results.
The Project Backup
If you're a developer, you may be concentrating all of your work
in a specific directory hierarchy. Likewise, if you're a graphics
artist, you may have a specific area in which you work. In these
instances, it is recommended that you do daily "full" backups of
these selected areas. This can be accomplished by setting the
Home Path to the name of the topmost directory for the project
area and setting the Test Date gadget to January 1, 1978 and
setting the Test Archive Bits gadget to "No".
Also, you may wish to define specific backup and compression
filters for each special project area.
The Backup Process
Once you're sure that all backup settings are correct, you may
begin the backup process. This is done by selecting the Backup
command from the Project menu or by typing the keyboard shortcut,
Right-Amiga + B. MRBackup's main window will disappear and a
smaller Status Display window will appear. This window informs
you of the progress of the backup. As the backup proceeds, pop-up
requesters will instruct you to insert/remove media as necessary
as well as alert you to other bits of information, error
conditions, etc.
34
MRBackup Professional Backup Operations
The first backup step performed is a scan of all files specified
by the Home Path. While MRBackup is scanning, the Current File or
Directory gadget in the Status Display window will display the
name of the directory being scanned. Once the scan is complete,
MRBackup will present its file selector. The file selector
displays the list of files that were considered eligible for
backup, according to the backup parameters you have chosen. It
then gives you the option to omit certain files (or groups of
files) from this list. See the section entitled The MRBackup File
Selector for details on its operation.
Assuming that you completed the file selection process by
clicking the OK button in the file selector window, MRBackup will
proceed to backup your files. If you have selected either
AmigaDOS or Fast Disk backup mode, you will be prompted to
insert/remove diskettes as MRBackup requires your assistance.
MRBackup does not currently provide support for the Amiga Floppy
Disk Carousel since, according to our knowledge, it doesn't exist
- ha ha!.
When the backup is complete, make a quick check of the Errors
gadget in the Status Display window. If it is non-zero, it would
be a good idea to check the backup log to determine the nature of
the errors before assuming that the backup set is acceptible.
35
MRBackup Professional Restore Operations
Restore Operations
The file restoration process is the inverse of a backup. You
would most likely do a full restore when rebuilding a disk
partition. A partial restore might be done to recover files which
were deleted accidentally.
The following MRBackup settings come into play when performing a
restore operation:
Home Path - the target ("to" location) for the restore.
Backup Path - the source ("from" location) for the
restore.
Disk Selection Icons - optional selection of backup path
(overrides Backup Path).
Backup Mode - indicates the type of backup set we are
restoring from.
Decompression - sets the upper code size limit for file
decompression. Files compressed with code sizes larger
than this limit will be restored in their compressed
state.
Buffer - specifies the amount of memory to be used for
file I/O buffering (same as backup).
Decompression Filter - compressed files whose names match
one or more of the patterns in this file will not be
decompressed during a restore.
Log File - records errors and progress messages during
the restore.
Error Handling - establishes the type of error handling
employed during the restore.
Voice On/Off - enables/disables MRBackup's speech
capability.
There are some interesting (and important) items to be aware of
when performing a file restore operation. During a backup,
MRBackup preserves the complete directory hierarchy for the files
which are backed up. This may be cause for some confusion.
Consider the following example. You perform a backup with the
36
MRBackup Professional Restore Operations
Home Path set to "DH0:" (your first hard disk partition). A
portion of the files selected might look like
ARexx
ARexx/Docs
ARexx/Examples
ARexx/Tools
Docs
Docs/Amiga
Docs/Graphics
Docs/Utilities
... etc.
If you later restore the backup set with the Home Path again set
to "DH0:", your files will be restored to the same level in the
hierarchy.
When you do a backup and specify a subdirectory as the Home Path,
the full directory hierarchy from the "top" of the partition
through all levels included by the Home Path is preserved. For
levels higher than the Home Path, only the directories are
preserved (files are ignored). When you restore such a backup,
the Home Path must be changed to the name of the partition (e.g.
DH0:, DH1:, etc.) to which you want the files recovered. Of
course, if you wish to restore your backup set to a lower-level
hierarchy, you are free to select any valid Home Path.
It is important to note that MRBackup will not overwrite an
existing file with a file which has the same or earlier
modification date. During the restore, a message will be
displayed to the screen and written to the log file for each file
that is skipped because of this condition. If you really intend
to restore the older versions, you must first delete or rename
the newer files (or rename the directory that they reside in).
37
The MRBackup File Selector
The file selector is presented to you during backup and restore
operations to enable you to "fine tune" the list of selected
files. Before we discuss its operation, let's take a quick look
at the graphical objects that make up the file selector. In the
discussion that follows the term entry refers to both files and
directories.
Current Level
This gadget reports the nesting level of the directory
you are currently viewing. The top level is zero.
Up
When you click the Up gadget, the next higher directory
level is displayed and the Current Level gadget is
updated accordingly.
Include Pattern
This is a string gadget which works in conjunction with
any of the Select buttons (later). The Include Pattern is
a filename matching pattern (as used in the MRBackup
filters) which is applied to each filename when one of
the Select buttons is clicked. Only those names matching
the pattern will be selected. If the Include Pattern is
blank, no include matching is performed.
Exclude Pattern
This is a string gadget which works in conjunction with
any of the Select buttons (later). The Exclude Pattern is
very similar to the Include Pattern, except that
filenames matching the pattern will be excluded from
selection when a Select button is clicked. If both
Include and Exclude patterns are specified, the Include
pattern is applied first.
Select all
When the Select all button is clicked, all files in the
selector file list are selected.
Select all, this level and below
This button causes all entries at the current level and
lower (higher level numbers) to be selected.
Select all, this level only
This button causes all entries at the current level to be
selected.
38
MRBackup Professional The MRBackup File Selector
Deselect all
This button has slightly different behavior, depending
upon the Current Level setting. When the Current Level is
zero (top level), all entries are deselected. When the
Current Level is non-zero, all file and directory entries
except the parent directories for the current level are
deselected.
Deselect all, this level and below
This button causes all entries at and below the Current
Level to be deselected.
Deselect all, this level only
This button causes all entries at the Current Level to be
deselected.
Entries
This gadget reports the total number of entries (files
and directories) contained in the file selector list.
No. Selected
This gadget reports the total number of entries currently
selected.
Disk Est.
For backup operations, this gadget provides a rough
estimate of the number of disks required to hold the
files currently selected. If file compression is enabled,
the Compression Estimate value (entered by you) is
factored into the disk estimate. The disk estimate value
is meaningless for restore operations.
OK
Click this button when your file selection is complete
and you wish to proceed with the current operation
(backup or restore).
CANCEL
Click this button when you wish to terminate the current
operation (backup or restore).
Current Directory (unlabeled)
The long gadget at the bottom of the file selector window
displays the full name of the current directory. It is
empty when the Current Level is zero.
39
MRBackup Professional The MRBackup File Selector
The files available for selection/deselection are presented in
the large box at the left of the file selector. Just to the right
of this box, you will see a scroll bar. When there are more files
at a given level than can be viewed in the selection box, the
drag bar (rectangle within the scroll bar) will be sized in
proportion to the number of visible vs. total entries. You may
click and drag this bar to reveal other entries at the current
level. You may also scroll the list one item at a time by
clicking on either of the small buttons at the bottom which have
arrow indicators on them.
Each time you click on an entry in the list, it will toggle
between selected and deselected. An entry in the selected state
is highlighted by a dark background. Directory entries and file
entries are represented by different colors. To view the contents
of directories (and their subdirectories), position the mouse
pointer over a directory entry and double-click (two clicks, in
rapid succession) on the entry. The display box will be redrawn
with the contents of that directory and the Current Level
indicator will be incremented. To return to the previous level,
simply click on the Up button.
40
MRBackup Professional The ARexx Interface
The ARexx Interface
The Amiga's multitasking operating system is one of its
distinguishing features. The typical Amiga user is apt to be
running several programs at any given time. With the addition of
ARexx (the Amiga implementation of the Rexx language), programs
equipped with an ARexx "port" can communicate, share resources
with one another or be operated under "remote control" of an
ARexx program.
The MRBackup ARexx Port
MRBackup provides an ARexx interface which allows many of its
operating parameters and features to be accessed this way. It is
possible to run multiple "copies" of MRBackup. Thus, MRBackup
creates a unique ARexx port name for each instance of MRBackup
that is run. You can determine the ARexx port name by selecting
the About item from MRBackup's Project menu. The ARexx port name
will always be of the form:
MRBackup_#<number>
where <number> is the number assigned to a given instance of
MRBackup. Typically, with one copy of MRBackup running, the ARexx
port name will be MRBackup_#1.
Using ARexx with MRBackup
This is not an ARexx tutorial. If you are unfamiliar with ARexx,
you will have to obtain appropriate documentation. ARexx is
bundled with AmigaDOS version 1.4 and beyond. It can also be
purchased from
William S. Hawes
P.O. Box 308
Maynard, MA 01754
(617) 568-8695
MRBackup's implemenation of ARexx requires that the results
option be enabled, since many commands return a value. Include
the following statement in all of your MRBackup ARexx scripts:
options results
Commands which don't have a specific return value will set the
41
MRBackup Professional The ARexx Interface
result variable to either "OK" or "FAIL" to indicate success or
failure.
Each MRBackup ARexx script must have a filename extension of
".mrbk" (e.g. DailyBackup.mrbk). Here is an example script which
manipulates MRBackup's voice setting (on or off) and demonstrates
its effects:
/* voice.mrbk */
/* MRBackup: turn voice on and off. */
signal on ERROR
signal on BREAK_C
/* Enable command results. */
options results
/* Make sure that MRBackup is running. */
if ~(Show('P', 'MRBackup_#1')) then do
say "You must run MRBackup first."
exit 1
end
/* Select MRBackup's ARexx port. */
address "MRBackup_#1"
/* Bring MRBackup's screen to the front. */
poptofront
/* Inform the user as to what is going to happen. */
'notealert "This test turns the voice option off and on."'
/* Turn the voice capability off. */
'setvoice "no"'
/* Check the result of the previous command. */
if result ~= "OK" then do
say "I could not turn the voice option off!"
exit 1
end
/* The following message should be suppressed. */
'speak "You should not hear this message."'
if result ~= "OK" then do
say "Attempt to speak failed."
exit 1
end
call Delay(50)
42
MRBackup Professional The ARexx Interface
/* Enable MRBackup's voice capability. */
'setvoice "yes"'
if result ~= "OK" then do
say "I could not turn the voice option on!"
exit 1
end
/* This time, the user should hear the message. */
'speak "This message is being brought to you by Ay Rexx."'
if result ~= "OK" then do
say "Attempt to speak failed."
exit 1
end
exit 0
/*--- Control-C interrupts come here. ---*/
break_c:
say "*** Control-C recieved. Stopped by user. ***"
exit 5
/*--- ARexx-detected errors come here. ---*/
error:
say "Error"
exit 6
/*--- End of script. ---*/
You will find a set of example ARexx scripts in the "ARexx
Scripts" directory on your MRBackup program diskette. Please
refer to them when you need help in creating your own
MRBackup/ARexx applications.
MRBackup's ARexx Commands
This section details each of the ARexx commands supported by
MRBackup. In the following discussion, certain notation
conventions are adopted:
Command parameters (arguments) are often specified with
enclosing angle brackets <>. The enclosed word or phrase
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MRBackup Professional The ARexx Interface
connotes the type of value which should be substituted.
For instance, a parameter denoted as <path> could take a
value such as "DH0:Devs/Printers".
Optional parameters are enclosed in square brackets [].
In these cases, the command's behavior with the optional
parameter specified is contrasted with its behavior when
the optional parameter is given.
Literal text values (e.g. "OK", "FAIL", etc.) are
specified as quoted strings.
MRBackup's ARexx commands are listed here, in alphabetical order.
command backup
result "OK"or "FAIL"
description This command starts a backup operation. Prior to
issuing the backup command, all backup parameters
(filter specifications, compression settings, etc.)
should be set to their desired values.
command getbackpath
result MRBackup's current Backup Path specification.
description This command obtains the current Backup Path
specification and returns it via the result
variable.
command getbfilterpath
result MRBackup's current Backup Filter specification.
description This command obtains the current Backup Filter
specification and returns it via the result
variable.
command getbufsize
result The current Buffer Size value.
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MRBackup Professional The ARexx Interface
description The getbufsize command obtains the current Buffer
Size value (expressed as a multiple of "K", where
"K" = 1024) and returns it via the result variable.
command getcfilterpath
result The current Compression Filter specification.
description The getcfilterpath command obtains the current
Compression Filter specification and returns it via
the result variable.
command getdfilterpath
result The current Decompression Filter specification.
description The getdfilterpath command obtains the current
Decompression Filter specification and returns it
via the result variable.
command getcompression
result "None", "12-Bit", "13-Bit", "14-Bit", "15-Bit",
"16-Bit"
description The getcompression command obtains the current
Compression code size setting and returns it via
the result variable.
command getdecompression
result "None", "12-Bit", "13-Bit", "14-Bit", "15-Bit",
"16-Bit"
description The getcompression command obtains the current
Deompression code size setting and returns it via
the result variable.
command gethomepath
result MRBackup's Home Path specification.
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MRBackup Professional The ARexx Interface
description The gethomepath command obtains MRBackup's Home
Path specification and returns it via the result
variable.
command getlistpath
result MRBackup's Listing Path specification.
description The getlistpath command obtains MRBackup's Listing
Path specification and returns it via the result
variable.
command getlogpath
result MRBackup's Log Path specification.
description The getlogpath command obtains MRBackup's Log Path
specification and returns it via the result
variable.
command getformatting
result "None", "Quick", "Normal"
description The getformatting command obtains MRBackup's
current Formatting setting and returns it in the
result variable.
command gettestdate
result the current Test Date value
description The gettestdate command fetches the current Test
Date value (used for backup operations) and returns
it in the ARexx result variable. The date is
formatted according to the current date format.
command listing <yes_or_no>
result "OK" or "FAIL"
description The listing command enables or disables MRBackup's
listing output, depending upon the <yes_or_no>
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MRBackup Professional The ARexx Interface
parameter which must be either "YES" or "NO".
Example:
listing "YES"
command notealert <message>
result "OK" or "FAIL"
description The notealert command provides access to MRBackup's
informational requester. The text of <message> will
be presented in a requester. The user must click
the requester's OK button before program execution
will proceed. The <message> string may contain
embedded newline (line feed) characters.
command poptofront
result "OK" or "FAIL"
description The poptofront insures that MRBackup's screen is
the frontmost screen.
command quit
result "OK" or "FAIL"
description The quit command instructs MRBackup to terminate.
When used, this must be the last command issued to
MRBackup.
command restore
result "OK" or "FAIL"
description The restore command instructs MRBackup to perform a
file restore operation according to MRBackup's
current settings.
command setarcbits <yes_or_no>
result "OK" or "FAIL"
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MRBackup Professional The ARexx Interface
description The setarcbits command instructs MRBackup to
enable/disable the setting of file archive bits
during a backup operation. If the <yes_or_no> value
is "YES", archive bits will be set upon successful
completion of a backup.
command setbackpath [ <path> ]
result "OK" or "FAIL"
description The setbackpath command instructs MRBackup to adopt
a new Backup Path specification. The <path>
parameter, if supplied, must be the name of a valid
device, directory or filename (depending upon the
current backup mode). If <path> is not given, the
user will be presented with MRBackup's file
requester.
command setbfilterpath [ <path> ]
result new backup filter file name
description The setbfilterpath command instructs MRBackup to
adopt a new Backup Filter specification. The <path>
parameter, if given, must be the name of a valid
text file containing MRBackup backup filter
specifications. If <path> is not given, the user
will be presented with MRBackup's file requester so
that a file may be selected. Note that this command
always returns the backup filter file name in
effect upon its return. To test for failure, test
the ARexx rc variable for a non-zero result.
command setbufsize <value>
result new buffer size value
description The setbufsize command instructs MRBackup to use a
new buffer size for backup/restore operations. The
<value> parameter is expected to be a number
expressed as a multiple of "K" (K = 1024). For
example, a <value> of 64 would result in 65536
bytes being allocated for MRBackup buffering
operations. The return value is always the buffer
size (again, in K) in effect upon return from this
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MRBackup Professional The ARexx Interface
command. If an error is detected, the ARexx rc
variable will contain a non-zero error code.
command setcfilterpath [ <path> ]
result new compression filter file name
description The setdfilterpath command instructs MRBackup to
adopt a new Compression Filter file name
specification. If <path> is given, it must be the
name of an existing text file containing valid
MRBackup filter patterns. If <path> is omitted, the
user will be presented with MRBackup's file
requester so that a file may be selected.
This command always returns the name of the
Compression Filter file in effect upon its return.
To check for command failure, test the ARexx rc
variable for a non-zero value.
command setcompression <code_size>
result "OK" or "FAIL"
description The setcompression command instructs MRBackup to
use a new compression code size for subsequent
backups. The valid values for <code_size> are:
"None", "12-Bit", "13-Bit", "14-Bit", "15-Bit",
"16-Bit"
command setdecompression <code_size>
result "OK" or "FAIL"
description The setdecompression command instructs MRBackup to
use a new decompression code size limit for
subsequent backups. The valid values for
<code_size> are:
"None", "12-Bit", "13-Bit", "14-Bit", "15-Bit",
"16-Bit"
command setdfilterpath [ <path> ]
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MRBackup Professional The ARexx Interface
result new decompression filter file name
description The setdfilterpath command instructs MRBackup to
adopt a new Decompression Filter file name
specification. If <path> is given, it must be the
name of an existing text file containing valid
MRBackup filter patterns. If <path> is omitted, the
user will be presented with MRBackup's file
requester so that a file may be selected.
This command always returns the name of the
Decompression Filter file in effect upon its
return. To check for command failure, test the
ARexx rc variable for a non-zero value.
command sethomepath [ <path> ]
result new Home Path specification
description The sethomepath command instructs MRBackup to adopt
a new Home Path specification. If <path> is given,
it must be a valid pathname that satisfies the
requirements for the Home Path. If <path> is not
given, the user is presented with MRBackup's file
requester so that a new Home Path may be selected.
This command always returns the name of the Home
Path in effect upon its return. To check for
command failure, test the ARexx rc variable for a
non-zero value.
command setinfogadget <message>
result "OK"
description This command provides a means for an ARexx script
to place a text <message> in MRBackup's Info
gadget. Example:
setinfogadget 'I am about to start the backup.'
command setlistpath [ <path> ]
result new listing pathname
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MRBackup Professional The ARexx Interface
description The setlistpath command instructs MRBackup to adopt
a new Listing Path specification. If <path> is
given, it must be a valid device name (e.g. PRT:,
PAR:, etc.) or file name. If <path> is not given,
the user will be presented with MRBackup's file
requester to allow a selection.
The setlistpath command always returns the Listing
Path specification in effect upon its return. To
test for an error, check the ARexx rc variable for
a non-zero value.
command setlogpath [ <path> ]
result new log file name
description The setlogpath command instructs MRBackup to adopt
a new Log Path specification. If <path> is given,
it must be a suitable device, console or file
specification for MRBackup's log messages. If
<path> is not given, the user will be presented
with MRBackup's file requester to allow a new
selection.
The setlogpath command always returns the Log Path
specification in effect upon its return. To test
for an error, check the ARexx rc variable for a
non-zero value.
command settestdate [ <date_string> >
result new Test Date specification
description The settestdate command instructs MRBackup to adopt
a new Test Date specification. If <date_string> is
given, MRBackup attempts to convert it to an
AmigaDOS date value (DateStamp). If <date_string>
is not given, MRBackup's date requester is
activated to allow the user to enter the new test
date.
The result will always be the Test Date in effect
upon return from this command. If a <date_string>
conversion error occurs, the ARexx rc variable will
be set to a non-zero result.
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MRBackup Professional The ARexx Interface
command setformatting <format_option>
result same as getformatting
description The setformatting command tells MRBackup what type
of floppy disk formatting to employ when doing a
backup to floppy disk (AmigaDOS mode only). The
<format_option> must be one of "None", "Quick" or
"Normal". The result will always be the formatting
option in effect upon return from this command. If
a bad <format_option> is specified, the ARexx rc
variable will be set to a non-zero value.
command setvoice <yes_or_no>
result "OK" or "FAIL"
description The setvoice command enables or disables MRBackup's
voice capability, depending upon the value of the
<yes_or_no> parameter. A "YES" value enables voice,
while a "NO" value disables it. Example:
setvoice "NO"
command speak <message>
result "OK" or "FAIL"
description The speak command requests MRBackup to utter the
text contained in the <message> parameter. The
<message> is only spoken if MRBackup's voice is
enabled (see getvoice/setvoice). Since MRBackup
uses the Amiga's translator, you might want to
experiment with certain sentences and phrases which
aren't handled correctly. For instance, "MRBackup"
sounds like "merbackup" while "M R backup" produces
more desirable results.
command splitfiles <yes_or_no>
result "OK" or "FAIL"
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MRBackup Professional The ARexx Interface
description The splitfiles command enables or disables
MRBackup's splitting of "big files", depending upon
the setting of the <yes_or_no> flag. A "YES" value
enables file splitting while a "NO" value disables
it. Note that this setting is only relevant to the
AmigaDOS backup mode.
command testarcbits <yes_or_no>
result "OK" or "FAIL"
description The testarcbits instructs MRBackup to test or
ignore file archive bits during backup operations,
depending upon the value of the <yes_or_no>
parameter. If <yes_or_no> is "YES", only files
whose archive bit is clear will be candidates for
backup.
command utilities
result "OK" or "FAIL"
description The utilities command activates MRBackup's
utilities window. Script execution will be
suspended until the user closes the Utilities
window.
command yesno <question>
result "YES" or "NO"
description The yesno command provides access to MRBackup's
YES/NO requester. The <question> parameter should
be a string containing a question. Script execution
will be suspended until the user responds by
clicking either the YES or NO buttons in MRBackup's
requester. Upon return, the result variable will
contain the user's response.
53
MRBackup Professional Technical Support
Technical Support
If you have a problem with MRBackup, think you've discovered an
"undocumented feature" or just need help, please call us! We'll
do our best to help you get the most out of MRBackup
Professional. Please be sure to send in your product registration
card!
TTR Development, Inc.
1120 Gammon Lane,
Madison, Wisconsin
(608) 277-8071
54
Table of Contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Working Directory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
CLI Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
WorkBench Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Support Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
The User Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
The Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
MRBackup Main Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
The Status Display Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
The Utilities Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Utility Command Buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
File Compression . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Compression Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Compression Estimating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Filter Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Filter File Format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Filter Patterns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Backup Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Compression Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Decompression Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Backup Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
The Backup Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
AmigaDOS Backup Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Fast Disk Backup Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
SCSI Tape Backup Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Backup Schemes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
The Full Backup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Incremental Backups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
The "File Modification Date" Incremental Backup . . . 33
The "Archive Bit" Incremental Backup . . . . . . . . 33
The Project Backup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
The Backup Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Restore Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
The MRBackup File Selector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
55
Table of Contents
The ARexx Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
The MRBackup ARexx Port . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Using ARexx with MRBackup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
MRBackup's ARexx Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Technical Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
56
