Melissa, I have the following general information about ebase backups ... (see below)
I strongly recommend keeping not just a backup of ebase, but a sequential archive of backups. More than once, I've found a problem in our database that was _also_ in the most recent backup. I've had to revert to older archive backups to identify the best backup to use to revert to/fix the problem. While this info doesn't cover zip disks per se, you can just copy your .zip files (compressed ebase archives created by WinZip, nothing to do with zip disks and zip drives) to your zip disk. More complicated to get going, but easier once installed & running, is to have a look at the Perl script discussed on the ebase list over the past couple of days. If you or someone in your office can install & cofigure Perl on your machine, this may be a good option. If not, the directions below will get the job done. Regards, Eric Johnson Colorado Environmental Coalition -------------------------------------------------- Making ebase backups... (for users of Windows operating systems) 0. Backup often. You should consider creating a new backup archive file of your ebase data every day that you do significant data entry into ebase. In my office, backups are made 3-5 times a week. 1. Quit ebase. Your backup will be corrupt if ebase is running when you make the backup. If you use ebase in an office with other users who use your ebase over a network, you must also make sure that other users are not using ebase. If you use FileMaker Pro Server for ebase, you must also close its open ebase session (be certain that all users have logged out before you close ebase from within FileMaker Pro Server). 2. Create a new folder for your ebase archives. This folder must not be in your ebase folder. It's probably best to put it in your "My Documents" folder or another similar place where you keep data. You will be keeping a sequential series of backups of ebase in this folder. 3. Create a new WinZip archive. Download winzip from www.shareware.com and install it if needed. Once installed, most versions of Windows allow you to make a new WinZip archive file by right clicking in a blank spot in your ebase archives folder, going to NEW and choosing New WinZip File. 4. Rename the file with today's date. A 4-digit year, 2-digit month, 2-digit day, and perhaps 4-digit time naming system is recommended, because it uniquely identifies when the backup was made, and makes it easy to sort through archives without confusing months, years, etc. For example, a winzip file for an ebase backup made on September 10, 2001, at 1:47 p.m. would be called 200109101347_ebase.zip (for this system to work, you must use 4 digits for year, 2 for month, 2 for day, etc.). 3. Double-click the new (empty) WinZip archive to open it. 4. Drag your entire ebase folder into the WinZip window. Don't drag your ebase archives folder into this window. Drag the actual ebase database folder into the WinZip window. 5. Check (select) the options that save full path &/or extra folder information in the archive. The correct settings (& what they are called) varies depending on your version of WinZip. Then, click "ADD" to start the archiving process. 6. When the 'green light' shows, you can quit WinZip. While the red light shows in the WinZip window, the program is still working and should not be interrupted. 7. Remember that archives should also be stored off-site. Your data is valuable. If your office had a disaster, would it be lost forever? One option for off-site storage is to burn a CD of a month's worth of ebase archives every month. Other users keep their archives on Zip disks. I make two CDs of our ebase archives about once a month, and store the CDs in separate locations. If necessary, I can retrieve a version of our ebase data from within a few days of any date necessary since the archives began to be saved. Getting into the habit of making regular database archives is the most difficult aspect of doing ebase backups. Once you are able to easily use WinZip, you'll find that ebase backups take very little time, yet protect you from enormously expensive and/or time-consuming database disasters. -----Original Message----- From: Melissa Selsor [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Tuesday, April 09, 2002 2:06 PM To: TechRocks Support Subject: [support] backup Hello. I just started using ebase and am beginning to back up ebase to a zip disk via a zip drive. Does anyone have a step by step explanation of how to back up the files onto a zip disk? Thanks! __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! 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