Backup Options for newbie to VFP9

Can someone please advise me on how to perform backups to either a CD or a memory stick from a menu choice

Referring to a previous thread re the zip libraries, how would I call these libraries then actually perform the physical backup to the CD or memory stick The users want VFP9 to completely run this routine for them without any intervention except either inserting a CD or placing the memory stick in the USB.

Previously, the 2.6 app used the run pkzip then copied the file to a disk drive.

Thanks

Sammy32

Visual FoxPro1

You can use an external ZIP library. Generally using an ActiveX or DLL that does the ZIP seamlessly is a better idea. I use DynaZip (See http://fox.wikis.com/wc.dll Wiki~DynaZip), but there are others on the market, some open source.

Just make sure you have all tables and databases closed before you do this.

Writing to a mounted device (CD or memory stick) is not a problem as it looks to VFP (and Windows) as just another drive. You could use the same routines you'd use for a diskette, checking if it is inserted, has enough free space, etc.

The link provided points to samples of DLL usage. Just ask if you need more.

Direct link to Dynazip:

http://www.dynazip.com

Other choices:

Xceed ZipLibray
http://www.xceedsoft.com/products/ZipCompL/

EEVA ZIPMASTER
http://www.eetasoft.ee/zipmaster.htm

Might I recommend that you look at MSBackup. As VFP programmers, we often tend to jump at the chance to try our hand at solving a problem using VFP. Now, I will be the first to admit that I too have been guilty of this, but there are times when a better tool is available. VFP is very good as a datacentric development tool, but it really isn't a good backup program. MSBackup may not be the best either, but it will do the job quite nicely for you in most instances. Best of all, you can schedule it to run all by itself in the middle of the night - and you don't have to program a thing.

Oh, I would agree. We do backups to tape with an external utility. They run at night and get rotated properly.

I just suggested a way to deal with ZIP files to answer the question directly.

Thanks everyone for your assistance. I'll get the users to schedule a backup, but I'll zip the files using the zip utility you mentioned.

Sammy32