Personal Backup

Command line options

When starting the program using a desktop link or invoking it from another program (e.g. the Windows Task Scheduler) you can control it by setting the following command line options:

none:

The program starts with its normal desktop window.

@[OptionFile]

The command line options are loaded from control file [OptionFile]. If [OptionFile] does not contain a full path it must be in the installation path of the program.

[TaskFile]:

The user is prompted for the designated operation for the backup task [TaskFile]:

• Edit the task: Load task and show configuration
• Start backup: Immediately start the backup (like /force)
• Cancel: no more action

The file [TaskFile] may contain a path or a placeholder. If no full path is specified the file is searched in the default task directory.

/auto:

Starts the automatic backup. (A link using this option is inserted from the program into the startup section of your windows start menu when you have selected one of the automatic backup options).

#[n] /force:

Starts immediately all (# /force)) or one (e.g. #1 /force) of those tasks configured for automatic backup.

[Filelist] /force:

Starts a backup of all tasks specified in the filelist (separate filenames by spaces). The filenames may contain a placeholder. The default extension (buj) is appended automatically.
The option "[Filelist] /force"is very useful in connection with the windows task scheduler. So it is possible to execute several backup tasks at individual times. I
Sample: PersBackup.exe C:\Backup\BackupA.buj C:\Backup\BackupB.buj /force

[Filelist] /restore:

The restore jobs specified in [Filelist] (filenames separated by spaces - e.g. Rest-1 Rest2)) are started. The filenames may contain a placeholder. The default file extension (rsj) is appended automatically. Prior to this you have to configure and save the restore jobs (see Restore data from backup).

[Filelist] /clean:

The cleaning jobs specified in [Filelist] (filenames separated by spaces - e.g. Clean-1 Clean-2) are started. The filenames may contain a placeholder. The default file extension (cuj) is appended automatically. Prior to this you have to configure and save the cleanings jobs (see Cleanup the backup directory).

/gap:[Value]

Value specifies a time slot for the files to be backuped:

yyyymmdd

All files last changed at the specified date are saved (e.g. /gap:20080521 = 21.5.2008).

yyyymmdd-yyyymmdd

All files last changed between the specified dates are saved geändert wurden (e.g. /gap:20080521-20090315 = 21.5.2008 - 15.3.2009).

+yyyymmdd

All files last changed after the specified date are saved (e.g. /gap:+20080521 = from 21.5.2008).

-yyyymmdd

All files last changed before the specified date are saved (e.g. /gap:-20080521 = until 21.5.2008).

thhnn

All files last changed at the actual day after a specified time are saved (e.g. /gap:t0835 = today from 8:35).

dx

All files last changed at the last x days are saved (e.g. /gap:d14 = last 14 days).

q

When the backup starts a dialog window is displayes to set an individual time slot (e.g. /gap:q).

Comment: yyyy = year, mm = month, dd = day, hh = hours, nn = minutes, x = number of days

/showlog

Show the log file.

/end:[Option]:

Defines which action has to be done after Backup, Restore or Clean (see above):

shutdown

Starts the preselected automatic backup and shuts down the system (also useable as [filelist] /shutdown). If you want to make a backup before shutting down your computer create a shortcut on your desktop using this command line option. For shut down with backup double click this icon.
Note: Windows 2000/XP shuts down the system, but does not switch off the computer (for this see option /poweroff). Windows 98 makes a power off after this option.

poweroff

This option is similar to /shutdown, but the computer is switched off after shutdown (only Windows 2000/XP - on Windows 98 use instead the option /shutdown).

logoff

This option is similar to /shutdown, but just logs off the current user.

restart

The system shuts down and performs a restart.

Note: You can omit /force in connection with /end:[Option].

/prompt:[Option]

Defines how dialog and status window are displayed during backup. The settings are similar to those at automatic backups.

wait

Wait for user prompt.

delay

Close status window after short delay.

quiet

Display no progress and status (see quiet).

error

User prompt is required on errors. Otherwise the window is closed after delay.

/quiet

Starts the backup as background job. No progress window ist displayed. To inform you that a backup job is running a small animated icon appears in the task bar. You can click on this icon to have a look at the progress.

/hide

Suppress the splash screen on startup.

/speed:[Option]

Defines the priority of the backup process against other applications.

fast

Backup is done using higher priority as normal.

slow

Backup is done using lower priority as normal.

 

/user:[Name]:[Password]

If using a backup destination on a network drive which requires a different user account you can specify name and password of this user.

/ini:[Filename]

The user configuration (e.g. the settings for automatic backups) are saved in the file PersBackup.ini. This file is located by default in the directory %userprofile%\Application Data\PersBackup. Using this option you can select an alternative configuration file at any other location (e.g. E:\MyBackupConfiguration\Backup-1.ini).
The log file is located in the same directory (in the above example: E:\MyBackupConfiguration\Backup-1.log. The filename may contain a placeholder.

/taskdir:[Directory]

Directory specifies a special path to the task files. This replaces the default path in My Files. You should use this option together with /ini:.. when starting the program e.g. from an USB stick to save the task files by default on the stick. The filename may contain a placeholder.
Example: \pb41\persbackup.exe /i:%progpath%\pb41.ini /t:%progpath%

/backupdir:[Directory]

If Directoryis a full path (e.g. G:\Backup) it will be used instead of the destination path defined in the task.
If it is a relative path (e.g. Test\Diff) an additional subdirectory witll be created beneath the target folder. So it is possible to configure backup schedules using Windows scheduled tasks. This option is used by the program addition PbPlaner.

/mode:[full|diff|incr]

This option overwrites the settings of the specified backup task and does a full or differential resp. incremental backup in within a backup schedule.

/zipname:[Name]

Name is used for the zip-file instead of the name defined in the task.

/lang:[xx]

Select the language (at the moment english and german). The command line option overrides the program preferences.

xx = de	german
xx = en	english

/log:[n]

Use the special settings for the log file. The value [n] specifies the mode:

0	no protocol
1	short protocol
2	long protocol
3	extended protocol

/wait:[n]

When the backup is done a state window is diplayed for a short time (see Menu > Options > View). Using this option you can set this time in the command line (e.g. with immediate tasks using /force). The time value gives the delay time in seconds, the value 0 means that the state window must be closed by the user.

/disable

There is no entry is created in the Startup folder of Start menu.

/narrow

The program starts in a narrow window without toolbar (left) and options for automatic backup (right). This is useful if for service purposes only a reduced screen resolution is available. You can switch to the normal window using the menu command Options > View.

All options can be shortened (up from Vers. 3.3):e.g. /force = /f = /for

Examples:

Placeholders for paths

You can use the following placeholders for file paths in the command line:

• %perspath%: Path to the folder My Files
• %apppath%: Path toApplication Data
• %profile%: Path to User Profile
• %user%: Name of the logged-in User
• %computer%: Name of the Computer
• %desktop%: Path to Desktop Folder
• %favorites%: Path to Favoriten Folder
• %progfiles%: Path to Progam Folder
• %progpath%: Installation path of the program (Default: C:\Program Files\Personal Backup 5).

Examples:

for Ini-File in C:\Program Files\Personal Backup 4:

Command line: ...\PERSBACKUP.EXE /i:%progpath%\pb.ini

for task in C:\Dokuments and Settings\<Name>\My Files\PersBackup:

Command line: ...\PERSBACKUP.EXE /i:%perspath%\PersBackup\backup-1

Control file:

You vcan write all options line by line to a file instead of the command line: Each line must contain one option or filename. At the line end a comment may be added separated by a semicolon. Do not use quotation marks on paths containing spaces.

Example: