Fab's AutoBackup 6 Pro - a must have tool for techs

[fabs]

This might seem a bit trivial, however ...

Would it be possible to have an English language setting with dd/mm/yyyy date format, please – perhaps 'English International'? It would save a lot of mental juggling for English speakers outside the US.

Alternatively, expose the date/time format in the AutoBackup.ini file or the translatable strings, so we can do it ourselves.

Thanks for considering.

I am trying to get the current short date format. That should fit everyone need without have to put any additional setting.

 

[HFultzjr]

That should not be really an issue since these files are hidden and cannot be used as this.

True, but when they can't find "my file", I can show them why it's "not there" and not working, as it was only a temp file.

 

[fabs]

True, but when they can't find "my file", I can show them why it's "not there" and not working, as it was only a temp file.

I guess I should add an option in order to let choose if these files should be copied or not. Is that what you are meaning?

 

[HFultzjr]

I guess I should add an option in order to let choose if these files should be copied or not. Is that what you are meaning?

That would be WONDERFUL!
Thank you for being great.

 

[fabs]

Would it be possible to have an English language setting with dd/mm/yyyy date format, please – perhaps 'English International'? It would save a lot of mental juggling for English speakers outside the US.

I have made several changes (in fact, a lot since dates are called in every logged instruction). Now, the program uses the current system short date format. This way, no more mental juggling except if you are working on a foreign computer. This will be in the next update.

 

[FremontPC]

If this would be a convenient time to include bringing over the original folder time/date stamp, I have some customers that organize their folders that way.

 

[fabs]

If this would be a convenient time to include bringing over the original folder time/date stamp, I have some customers that organize their folders that way.

The program only lists the files to copy. If their directory tree does not exist, the folders are created. This is why the time stamp is not kept: the folder has just been created. This is something I cannot change easily without introducing bugs.

 

[fencepost]

For the folder date/time stamps you may be better off just using Robocopy for their Documents folder.

The big strength of Fab's is more in getting all of the rest of the important items tucked away in the profile, there are lots of ways to grab the documents.

 

[NJW]

I have made several changes (in fact, a lot since dates are called in every logged instruction). Now, the program uses the current system short date format. This way, no more mental juggling except if you are working on a foreign computer. This will be in the next update.

That's good news, thank you.

I think it's a bit over-complicated (for you), because the date/time format only needs to be consistently in the technician's locale – as the technician is likely to be the only person to see it – with no regard for the locale setting of the computer under test. Don't forget that the short date format may only have two digits for the year (worse, US English has an option for yy/MM/dd!), which could cause even more confusion if the machine's format isn't known. Personally, I'd be happy to see the present logfile date/time format (yyyy-mm-dd - hh:mm:ss) used throughout AutoBackup.

The reports (InstalledSoftwareList.htm, PrintersList.htm) are the ones that cause me most problems as they are most likely, for me, to be read on a different day to when they were saved or have multiple reports from the same machine.

 

[fabs]

That's good news, thank you.

I think it's a bit over-complicated (for you), because the date/time format only needs to be consistently in the technician's locale – as the technician is likely to be the only person to see it – with no regard for the locale setting of the computer under test. Don't forget that the short date format may only have two digits for the year (worse, US English has an option for yy/MM/dd!), which could cause even more confusion if the machine's format isn't known. Personally, I'd be happy to see the present logfile date/time format (yyyy-mm-dd - hh:mm:ss) used throughout AutoBackup.

The reports (InstalledSoftwareList.htm, PrintersList.htm) are the ones that cause me most problems as they are most likely, for me, to be read on a different day to when they were saved or have multiple reports from the same machine.

So, it looks like I have done all of this for nothing now, at least for the folders and files names generated by Fab’s AutoBackup. If I understand your request, you would like to see reports for printers and installed software with the date like yyyy-mm-dd - hh-mm-ss in their names so you can easily see how it was at a given date if there are more than one report right?

 

[fincoder]

I would like to see the Default Apps transferred or restored. I don't mean the actual apps, but the settings for which apps are default. Just for default browser and email. It might be difficult to apply the default app settings but the defaults could be logged so the tech can manually set the defaults after installing the apps.

 

[NJW]

So, it looks like I have done all of this for nothing now, at least for the folders and files names generated by Fab’s AutoBackup. If I understand your request, you would like to see reports for printers and installed software with the date like yyyy-mm-dd - hh-mm-ss in their names so you can easily see how it was at a given date if there are more than one report right?

Sorry, I should have made my original request more clear. Yes, I was only concerned with the date in the generated reports, but having the date and time added to the filenames (in the same way as the AutoBackup log file) would be useful.

This is separate to keeping original folder timestamps, requested by other people.

 

[fabs]

Sorry, I should have made my original request more clear. Yes, I was only concerned with the date in the generated reports, but having the date and time added to the filenames (in the same way as the AutoBackup log file) would be useful.

This is separate to keeping original folder timestamps, requested by other people.

Got it but it complicates the restore process a bit: if there are a huge number of these reports and you are performing a restore job, the desktop will be flooded with such htm files. To work around this, 'Printers List' and 'Installed Software List' will be created and all the files will be copied in them.

 

[NJW]

To work around this, 'Printers List' and 'Installed Software List' will be created and all the files will be copied in them.

Okay, I understand. Perhaps a single folder ('AutoBackup'?), to contain the report files and the log file? Actually, I can't imagine having multiple reports for the same backup/restore job and I don't normally leave the reports on the Desktop before returning the machine to the client.

For my use case, I keep a copy of the report files in the client's dossier for future reference. (Completely separate from any backup and restore, I sometimes use FAB to only generate a report of installed software and printers for client records – for 'before' and 'after' doing work, for example, or if there is something unusual about which software or printers are installed.)

 

[fabs]

Okay, I understand. Perhaps a single folder ('AutoBackup'?), to contain the report files and the log file?

I will stick with 'Printers List' and 'Installed Software List' because of the people who brand the program and remove the 'AutoBackup' name.
In my opinion, that is the best possible compromise.

 

[NJW]

I will stick with 'Printers List' and 'Installed Software List' because of the people who brand the program and remove the 'AutoBackup' name.

Okay, I hadn't considered that. (But the log filename retains AutoBackup ...)

In my opinion, that is the best possible compromise.

It's your software – I'm just a happy user!

 

[fabs]

Okay, I hadn't considered that. (But the log filename retains AutoBackup ...)

That is right, this is something that should be fixed too.

 

[fabs]

It's your software – I'm just a happy user!

I have just sent a download link to a development build with the requested changes. Is that fine for you?

 

[Diggs]

I've got a bit of a question I haven't seen answered. Do you put down FABs restore right after your OS install or do you wait until all the apps/programs (that are covered by FABs: Firefox, Thunderbird, Chrome, etc.) are installed and then you put down your FABs restore? I've done it both ways but I'm not sure works best.

 

[cypress]

I've got a bit of a question I haven't seen answered. Do you put down FABs restore right after your OS install or do you wait until all the apps/programs (that are covered by FABs: Firefox, Thunderbird, Chrome, etc.) are installed and then you put down your FABs restore? I've done it both ways but I'm not sure works best.

I wait until all the programs are installed and then do the restore. I just feel it is easier that way.

Someone can correct me if I am wrong.