Cobian Backup, External drive. Tips

  • Thread starter Thread starter MsOsWin
  • Start date Start date
M

MsOsWin

Short version of my "tips". Long boring details in next post. :-)


Pics are worth a thousand words :)

I create a new list based on schedule and type of backup; either Incremental or Full (However CB help shows how to manually
command one full backup from an Incremental Task, so my lists are all incremental type.)

Create the first task. Set schedule, etc. leave the Include and Exclude ("Special") tab alone for now.

Close and shutdown all cobi exe's.
Open .LST file in text editor.
Add all wildcard masks by replacing line:
ExcludeFiles=desktop.ini,thumbs.db,*.bak,*.tmp,*.wbk,*.xlb
(I find Exclude files masks more useful, so never use Include masks, but I assume same process is best for IncludeFiles)

proper appearance after restarting all CB exe's
http://img160.exs.cx/img160/6291/taskmasksafterlstedit7ca.jpg
improper appearance
http://img160.exs.cx/img160/967/taskmaskscobibak67vo.jpg

Clone your task.
Rename your clone. Edit your clone by dragging appropriate folders or files. ("Files" tab)

For unique Tasks such as Program settings,
1 Drag any unique folders to Exclude tab.
2 Add unique wildcard masks as usual:
http://img160.exs.cx/img160/2137/entermaskcobibak64fl.jpg
or shut down all CBs and manually edit ExcludeFiles in the task(s) in your lst file(s)
I'm rather sure that all Double-Quote characters must be eliminated from the ExcludeFiles line.
 
Long details, same pics.

MASKS PROBLEM.
Normally you add wildcard masks with this:
http://img160.exs.cx/img160/2137/entermaskcobibak64fl.jpg EnterMaskCobiBak6.jpg

But you cannot paste comma-separated series of masks. I tried using various formats, quotes, omitted spaces, omitted commas,
additional double or single quotes, etc. Nothing worked.
The failure of this messed-up mask entry is shown quickest:
1 In "Property" window, the series is contained by double quotes, which Cobibak seems to read as one big impossible
mask.
Example: You, the user, enters
*.bak,*.tmp,*.wbk,*.xlb

http://img160.exs.cx/img160/967/taskmaskscobibak67vo.jpg TaskMasksCobiBak6.jpg
In "Special" (Exclude/Include) tab, notice the masks *appear* as you entered, on one line with comma separators. But the
Property Value shows double quotes around your entry, as a single messed-up mask.
"*.bak,*.tmp,*.wbk,*.xlb"

2 In "Property" window, the Size of Source files (summed) calculates that no masks are excluded.


HOW TO FIX.
Open each lst file in text editor. Paste series of exclude masks at this line:
ExcludeFiles=desktop.ini,thumbs.db,*.bak,*.tmp,*.wbk,*.xlb
See the fixed result
http://img160.exs.cx/img160/6291/taskmasksafterlstedit7ca.jpg TaskMasksAfterLstEdit.jpg
Notice each mask is listed on its own line in the "Special" (Exclude/Include) tab. Notice the double quotes in Property Value are
gone.


You still can manually add masks for unique backups, such as program setting files (ini, rdf, , ,)
1 Begin by pasting this into lst file:
ExcludeFiles=desktop.ini,thumbs.db,*.bak,*.dll,*.exe,*.jar,*.tmp,*.wbk,*.xlb


2 In Cobian, Task Properties dialog, have "Special" (Exclude/Include) tab open.

Do a Windows search of program's "root folder". Sort by date.
Inspect dates of files, perhaps opening a few files to look for indications of customizations related to your install.
From this, create further masks.
Also, you may choose complete folders (such as Cache folders), or choose individual files. Drag these to Cobibak's Exclude
tab.

Example (for Mozilla Profile) of resulting exclusions after DRAGGING from program folder:
[your path]\Cache\*.*
[your path]\Cache.Trash\*.*
[your path]\News\*.*

I'm not sure if my Cache Excludes were ignored (excluded). I put my Moz cache files into their own folder, so they're not in the
"root folder" I'm backing up.

One 'quirk':
Your lst edits *won't show* in Cobian Backup main UI, until you shut down all parts [1] of the app, then restart Cobu.exe[2].





1 I'm not completely sure which exe's must be halted and restarted, but Cobu.exe puts the Cobibak crescent icon into
Systray, from where I re-open the UI normally.

2 My Cobibak is installed as an app, not a service, because it wouldn't install as a service.
 
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