Text Back-ups
The "text back-up" method of backing up will copy the data in your database to a separate back-up file. You will always be able to recreate your database from such a back-up file, even if you have updated the version of your HansaWorld Enterprise application since making the back-up.
To create a text back-up file, follow these steps:
- Use the [Module] button in the Master Control panel or the Ctrl-0 (zero) (Windows and Linux) or ⌘-0 (Mac OS X) keyboard shortcut to go into the System module.
- Click the [Routines] button in the Master Control panel and then [Exports]. Alternatively, use the Ctrl-E (Windows and Linux) or ⌘-E (Mac OS X) keyboard shortcut. The Exports window is shown:
- Double-click 'Company Text Backup' (if you wish to back up the data in the database relating to the single Company currently selected) or 'Database Text Backup' (if you wish to back up the whole database) from the 'Exports' window.
Usually, you should use the 'Database Text Backup' option, as this is the only choice that backs up the entire database. You must use it regularly for your safety and peace of mind. Some registers and settings (e.g. the Configuration setting, Mailboxes and Conferences) are stored at database level, not Company level. These will not be exported by the 'Company Text Backup' option, even if your database only contains a single Company. Attachments also will not be exported by the 'Company Text Backup' option. This option is intended for use in the situation where you need to move all the information relating to a specific Company from one database to another.
In a multi-user system, you cannot use the 'Database Text Backup' option on a client machine (it will not be included in the 'Exports' list illustrated in step 2). You can only use it on the server machine, when no other user is logged in and when you access the server database using the GUI application. If it is not convenient to work from the server, use the automatic timed back-up feature from a client.
If you are using the command line server application (Mac OS X or Linux), you can use the automatic timed back-up feature from a client, or you can create a back-up file on the server by typing into the Terminal:
- ./HansaWorld --backup
This will launch the HansaWorld server application, which will then create a back-up file and then quit.
If you are using the service application (Windows), you will need to place the --backup parameter in a "parameters.txt" file before launching the application, as described in the 'Launching the Server with Parameters ' section on the Loading an Existing Database and Company page. When the back-up file is complete, the application will quit (you may need to monitor the log file (named "hansa.log") to see when the application quits). Remove the --backup parameter from the "parameters.txt" file before restarting the application.
- The 'Specify Text Backup' window appears. This offers you 40 characters with which to describe the back-up file that you are about to create. If it becomes necessary to restore from a back-up, this description will be shown in the list of importable files to help you select the correct one.
Enter an appropriate description and click [Run].
- If you have chosen to back up the whole database and you have more than one Company, you will now be asked to log in to any that you have not yet used in this work session. For reasons of security, if you are not able to log in to every Company, the back-up procedure will be halted. After logging in to every Company, return to the 'Specify Text Backup' window illustrated in step 4 to continue the backing-up procedure (the 'Specify Text Backup' window will be hidden behind the Master Control panel).
- A dialogue box will open, allowing you to name and place the export file. Enter the name of the file in the filename area and locate it in the appropriate directory in the usual way. The name of the back-up should include the date the back-up was made. For ease of importing later, it is recommended that you do not include spaces or other non-alphabetic characters in the name of your back-up file, and that you give it a .txt extension. More details are on this page. Then, click [Save].
It is recommended that you save the back-up file in a folder or directory named "Backup" which should be in the folder or directory containing the HansaWorld Enterprise application. All back-up files in this folder will be shown in a list of importable files if it becomes necessary to restore from a back-up.
A message window informs you about the progress of the export.
When the export is finished, you are brought back to the 'Exports' list. Close it using the close box.
! | Under no circumstances should you edit or change a back-up file with another program. |
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In this chapter:
