>>>>>I am looking for suggestions on backup procedures to include in an application. Ideally, it would need to include compression and flexibility regarding files to backup and where they will be backed up to.
>>>>>
>>>>>Thanks in advance.
>>>>
>>>>I use DynaZip. Works great with VFP and comes with sample VFP code to get you started. Just remember that open files will not be able to be included in this kind of backup [and most other backup methods as well].
>>>
>>> One way to get around the open file problem is to create a function that will SELECT * FROM all your tables to a backup area. Then you can zip the resulting tables. This way you never have to worry about the file being open.
>>>
>>>
>>>Wayne
>>
>>Just wandering, shouldn't it copy the DBC as well - I think that Copy To will leave the copied tables without long names and stuff, so if you simply restore from these tables, I'm not sure what you'd get, or even if you just create empty new tables and append from unzipped tables... I think it should have some Copy .... Database ... clause. Ideally, a good way would then be to scan through all tables in a .dbc and
>>

copy to ("backup\"+juststem(dbf()))  with cdx database ("backup\"+juststem(dbc())

>
>Good point. Applies to my reply as well.
>
>I haven't tried to implement a backup-scheme using only native VFP code since before I was using DBCs. Usually my employer or client has relied on "normal" backups done by the server. Because usually it's been possible to time them so that you didn't have to worry about the tables being open, so not getting backed up.
>
>Cheers,
The alternative I am suggesting should not be your actual enterprise data backup. You should always use a tape backup of all your files. I am suggesting that you can backup your important data at any time by using the SELECT even if your users are in the system.
We actually used this approach one time when we had to back up our data hourly. We were getting power spikes/outages often, almost every day.
One thing to look at - that you mention - is that your dbc needs to be backed up as well. However, this is a table as well and can be backed up in the same manner.

Wayne