Readerware Database Backup Preferences are used to determine when and how Readerware backs up your database.
Automated Backup
Readerware can automatically back up your database. You decide where the backup files are stored and how
many backup files you want to keep. Readerware can create a new backup automatically when you close
the program or on request.
As new backup files are created Readerware takes care of deleting older backup files so you can control the amount
of spaced used for backup files.
If you use a cloud drive like Dropbox, OneDrive or Google Drive, Readerware can save your
backup files to your drive folder and they will be synced to the cloud.
Use the options on this page to configure how Readerware backs up your database.
Exit Preferences
If you update your database Readerware can prompt you at exit to backup your database. If
this option is checked Readerware will display the prompt. You can select Yes
to start the backup, No to close Readerware without running the backup or Cancel
to return to Readerware.
When you select the Yes option to backup your database, one of two things will happen
based on your automatic backup settings. If the Use automatic backup settings option is checked,
Readerware will run the automatic backup and exit. If the option is not set, Readerware will launch the
Backup Wizard
and you can select your options and view the results as you run the wizard.
The Reset database changed setting on manual backup option determines what happens after you manually
backup your database using the File->Backup Database menu item. If not set and you updated the database
during the current session, the backup is run. If set and you updated the database, ran a manual backup
but did not make any more changes after the manual backup, the database is considered to be unchanged so
no backup runs at exit.
Automatic Backup Settings
Start by checking the Use automatic backup settings option. The other fields will be disabled
until this option is checked.
To set up an automatic backup you must tell Readerware where to store the backup files, the folder you
want Readerware to store them in. Click on the Browse button to select the folder. You also need to
tell Readerware how many backup files you want to keep. This can be between 5 and 25 backup files.
By default the automatic backup settings are only used when you close the program. If you select
the File->Backup Database menu item, Readerware will launch the
Backup Wizard.
If you would like Readerware to run an automatic backup when you select this menu item, check the
Use automatic backup settings for manual backup option
How the automatic backup works
When an automatic backup is run Readerware will create a new backup file.
The file name will consist of the database name and a date and time stamp. For
example if you have a database called "Books" Readerware might create a backup file
called "Books Backup 2018-11-21 15-46-36.zip". The time stamp uses a 24 hour clock,
so each backup file name will be unique and you can backup any number of times each day.
After creating the new backup file Readerware will delete any extra backup files over
your count setting.
When you close Readerware without changing the database, Readerware will just close, no backup is run.
If only the Use automatic backup settings option is checked, Readerware will automatically backup
your database at close whenever the database has been changed.
If both the Prompt for backup at exit if database changed and the
Use automatic backup settings options are checked, then Readerware will first ask you
if you want to backup your database. If you reply Yes then the automatic backup is
run.
If neither the Prompt for backup at exit if database changed or the
Use automatic backup settings options are checked, then Readerware will just close
without backing up your database. You should only use these settings if you are backing up
your database another way.
If your database is fairly small, you can run the backup every time. However if your database
is quite large the backup could take some time. In this case you can select the prompt option too
and maybe run the backup when you are done for the day.
It is essential to backup your database regularly to protect your valuable data.
Readerware automatic backup makes this process efficient and painless.