Backing up

[Oldsoftboss]

Am I Able to program an access button ( or maybe a desktop shortcut to run a third party property) to backup my database once a week (when our office remembers !) The database is about 3meg but zips to under 1, small enough to fit on a floppy.

Thought whilst typing, Do I need to backup the whole data base or only the tables.

Any assistance would be appreciated

 

[John.Woody]

Is you're db split? Front end forms reports, Back end Tables? if so you might decide to back up the tables only as long as you have the front end copied somewhere else.

You could develop a seperate maintenance db to handle backup I use the command line of winzip calling it through the Shell command. You could also use the maintenance db to handle compacting and repairing of the main db files as well.

HTH

 

[Oldsoftboss]

John,
thanks for your reply.
My db is on a stand alone computer. I have shown our office staff how to back up the whole database to a floppy through winzip but "it all seems a bit hard" to them.
I am interested in the command line parameters for winzip so they can double click a desktop short cut after the database is closed.

 

[John.Woody]

You need to install wzcline.exe from the winzip website and then something like this.

Shell ("C:\Program Files\Winzip\Wzzip D:\yourpath\yourzip.zip C:\yourfolder\yourfile.mdb"), vbMaximizedFocus

If you read the winzip help you'll find you can back up single files or whole folders using their command line switches. I also look to see if the zip file exists first and delete it using the kill command.

HTH

 

[Oldsoftboss]

G'day John'
I got on to the winzip website last night and downloaded the wzcline file, wnt to install it and an error came up "file corrupt or incomplete!" So I said stuff this and went to bed. Will try to download again. P.S It looks like I'm heading in the right direction, but could you explain the kill command a little further.
Thanks again
Dave

 

[John.Woody]

Dave

Look at the kill statement in your access help file or search this site. It's been answered more elequently than I could ever do

 

[roland_access]

Something that we do where i work:

The DB structure doesnt change much at all, but the data in the main table does a lot. All we do is export the data in text file format (inc. field names) straight to floppy.

Export your main table once and click the advanced tab and save the export spec. Then make a macro that exports (delimited) that table using that spec. Add Message boxes to insert floppies etc. Then attach the macro to a button on a form.

All the users have to do is click the button, insert a disk at the Message Box prompt and click OK!