Rules: Why is it so hard?

[francisbrand]

Hi,

 

It may be me but I am finding rules very hard to fathom.

 

What I'm Trying to Do

I want to take a monthly backup of the client computers (mixed Macs and Wins) user Documents, Pictures, Movies (i.e just user docs not system ones).

 

What I've Tried

Having failed I thought I'd just concentrate on the Macs to work out what is going on. I have tried Folder Mac Path is FolderType. This backups nothing. I could do "contains" which will work but it also backs up other non user docs in deep files.

 

Am I missing something about the rules? I could just make favourites but just feel that it is inelegant. Happy to do if I know I am barking up a wrong tree.

 

 

Thanks.

[Scillonian]

Hi

 

The Windows version of Retrospect comes with built in selectors for user documents— are these not included with the Mac version?

 

In the Windows version the selector is called 'Documents and Settings' and has rules for both Windows and Mac OS 9/X.

 

John

[twickland]

I have tried Folder Mac Path is FolderType. This backups nothing.

Mac Path is the directory hierarchy leading to the file or folder. "Is" means you're specifying the exact, complete path; "contains" would mean you're specifying a partial path. The fact that no files are being backed up means that whatever path you actually specified doesn't exist or doesn't contain any files. For example, "Documents" as a complete folder Mac path would not exist, whereas "Folder Mac Path contains /Documents/" specifies at least one (and likely more than one) real directory path.

 

If the documents you want to back up are always found in one or more specific paths, use of this function is probably a good way to go. Take a look at the predefined rule "User Files and Settings." If this is too broad, perhaps you can use it as a basis for a more-restrictive rule. You can create very complex rules using a combination of includes, excludes, ands and ors. At some point, though, you may decide that backing up a few more files than is absolutely necessary isn't such a bad thing.

 

If you reply back, please give us more specific details about the actual rule you created and attempted to make work.