How do I...?

[Tramper]

I am returning to Retrospect after using other tools for a while. I can't seem to be able to do some things at all, not under "straight-forward" use anyway. So... how do I:

 

1. Select defined subvolumes under 'Selecting' ? (This seems a much clearer alternative to unmarking the relevant folders in Preview, IMO.) Using 'Volumes' is only selecting the system disk volumes, not the subvolumes I've defined in Retrospect.

 

2. How do I get Retrospect to back up empty folders ? This is essential really and must be possible somehow...

 

3. Where are the options to govern responses to file/folder/alias/link name conflicts ? (i.e. Where the source and destination have the same name but different "file" types.) Again essential, but I can't seem to find it.

 

I hope I can get a quicker response than my previous post! ;-)

[twickland]

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So... how do I:

 

1. Select defined subvolumes under 'Selecting' ? (This seems a much clearer alternative to unmarking the relevant folders in Preview, IMO.) Using 'Volumes' is only selecting the system disk volumes, not the subvolumes I've defined in Retrospect.

 

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If you've defined subvolumes under Configure> Volumes, they will be available everywhere in Retrospect: in the client configuration window, in the source selection window for backups, in the destination selection window for restores, etc. A triangle to the left of the volume name indicates you have defined at least one subvolume; click on it to reveal them.

 

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2. How do I get Retrospect to back up empty folders ? This is essential really and must be possible somehow...

 

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As long as you have not deslected the Save Snapshots option in your backup script, Retrospect will save the pathnames of your empty folders. Empty folders will then be restored by default if you restore using a snapshot and don't select the Minimal Folder Structure option (which is off by default).

 

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3. Where are the options to govern responses to file/folder/alias/link name conflicts ? (i.e. Where the source and destination have the same name but different "file" types.) Again essential, but I can't seem to find it.

 

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I'm not quite sure what you mean by "source" and "destination," as your question doesn't really make sense in Retrospect's use of those terms.

 

Retrospect keeps track of files/folders/etc. by pathname, except that it doesn't distinguish between upper and lower case. As long as the items don't have the same apparent (to Retrospect) pathname (which could only happen if the source volume's system permits the use of upper/lower case to distinguish between, say "File" and "file", as is the case for Linux clients), there won't be a conflict.

[Tramper]

Thanks --

 

1. I tried putting the name of my subvolume into the Name (Volume) option of the include/exclude options and it didn't recognise it. I'll try again. BTW, I'm not talking about selecting an entire volume, but excluding a subvolume that is a subset of the volume I'm trying to back up using the include/exclude options within Backup>Selecting.

 

2. I've managed to--eventually!--figure this out. Personally, while the set up the exists suits the implementation, I'd prefer to see Retrospect always deal with the empty folders, it'd be less confusing for users (IMO). Likewise is confusing how Preview shows empty folders as unmarked, when in fact they are recorded in a sense (in the snapshot as you say).

 

3. This is my fault in a sense. *If* I'm reading things right there are basically two forms of restores, either to completely replace an existing folder hierarchy or to restore to a new folder. What there isn't is a restore into an existing hierarchy, but noting what is there by following a set of rules as what to replace, etc. This is more easily visualised in a mirror/synchronisation operation, where content on both sides are changing and you are trying to map the changes in one (the source) to the other (the destination), but you want to be careful of file name and type conflicts. For example, if on the destination you decided to move a folder hierarchy to another position, but leave an alias to it in its place with the same name, you may not want the new alias in the source replaced with the folder hierarchy on the source. At the least you'd want a warning of a name+type conflict (same name, different type). Some backup/synchronisation programs for example refuse to replace a folder with a file or alias for example, as in principle the user could be losing data and instead flag a warning. (Phew, hope that's clearer, long paragraph...!)

 

I get the impression this isn't possible in Retrospect, that all you can do is restore to a new folder, then resolve this issue yourself. My currently feeling is that I may knock up a script to do this.