PsiFS: Menu Entries

The PsiFS backup feature uses the disc name and media unique identifier (if available) to identify each disc, maintain status and configuration details. Hence, it is recommended that each disc is given a unique name. PsiFS attempts to use other methods of identification to avoid problems with multiple SIBO or EPOC devices, but these are not always reliable, so default disc names like Internal should be changed before the backup options are set.

The top of the window shows the name of the backup. Below this is the drive containing the disc, and the time and date of the last backup of this disc. If the previous backup is incomplete, for example if it was aborted or an error occurred, then (P) is appended after the date and time. Finally, the current status or activity is displayed.

There are five buttons in the window:

• Open - Open a filer window for the directory containing the backup files.
• Abort - Abort the current backup operation for this disc. Clicking with Adjust leaves the window open.
• Backup - Start a backup operation for this disc. Clicking with Adjust leaves the window open.
• Options - Display the backup options for this disc. Clicking with Adjust leaves the window open.
• Close - Close the window.

The backup operation uses action windows to display progress information and to allow interaction when required.

• Advanced - Open a window showing the advanced backup options. It should not normally be necessary to adjust these settings.
• Cancel - Close the window without applying any changes. Clicking with Adjust leaves the window open, but resets the options to their previous values.
• Set - Save and apply the displayed options. Clicking with Adjust applies the changes without closing the window.

Always use these settings - Enable or disable backup operations from starting automatically when the backup window is opened or an automatic backup is due. If this option is enabled then a five second countdown is provided to enable the backup to be aborted or the options to be changed.

• Perform automatic backup - Enable or disable automatic backups of this disc at pre-defined intervals. If this option is selected then the following additional options are available to control the backup interval:
  • Each time connected - start a backup each time the disc is connected.
  • Every day - start a backup the first time each day the disc is connected.
  • Every week - start a backup the first time each week the disc is connected.

• Keep previous versions - This sets the number of backup versions that are kept. If this is set to 1 then only the most recent backup is stored. Higher values improve security, but require more disc space.
• Store changes only - Enable or disable incremental backups. If this option is selected then only the files deleted or changed are stored for previous backups, otherwise all files are stored. The most recent backup always contains all files from the disc.

• Disc name - the name of the disc. It is not possible to configure this value to be ignored if not media unique identifier is available.
• Drive letter - the drive letter used to access the disc.
• Media unique identifier - an eight digit hexadecimal value uniquely identifying a disc. This value may not be available for the internal disc of SIBO devices or for discs not formatted by a SIBO or EPOC device. It is not possible to configure this value to be ignored.
• Machine unique identifier - a sixteen digit hexadecimal value uniquely identifying EPOC devices.

If an Ignore option is set then the corresponding value is not used when checking for a match. Changing these options may not take immediate effect.

• Options - The options and status for the backup of this disc. This file must not be edited by hand.
• Backup - The most recent backup of this disc.
• Full-x - Previous complete backups of this disc. The most recent previous backup is called Full-1, with older backups called Full-2, Full-3 etc.
• Changes-x - Previous incremental backups of this disc. The most recent previous backup is called Changes-1, with older backups called Changes-2, Changes-3 etc. These files only contain the files removed or changed between backups.

All backup files are written in tar format, using the fltar RISC OS specific variant to preserve attributes and date stamps accurately. However, PsiFS can reliably read all of the tar file variants supported by !SparkFS, including arctar, comma and unix.

Any tool that supports the fltar variant of tar files can be used for restoring backups. Alternatively,the *PsiFSTar command may be used.