This file provides temporary documentation about the MegaBack alarm utility. MBALARM is a companion utility that relies on MegaBack option and index files to help manage the backup process. If you have any questions about this utility, contact the Patri-Soft Beta test BBS at 714-352-2825. MBALARM is still in beta testing as of March 20, 1992. If you would like the latest copy of MegaBack, call the support BBS. Alarm/Reminder Utility Included with MegaBack is its MBALARM utility that may optionally be implemented to remind you when backup is needed. MBALARM has many options to let you specify how often, and when, you are to be reminded backup is needed. MBALARM is a stand alone utility that may be run at any time, but it is usually implemented in your system's AUTOEXEC.BAT file so it is automatically run every time your system is started. Its normal mode is to check for backup once each day, and scan your system to determine if backup is needed. When it determines backup is needed, you will be prompted to indicate if backup is to be started, or skipped. Placing the following two lines in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file will implement MBALARM with its standard options. \MEGABACK\MBALARM IF ERRORLEVEL 1 \MEGABACK\MB The first line runs the alarm utility. The second line starts MegaBack if MBALARM has set ERRORLEVEL to 1 indicating backup is to be started. The following command line parameters may be placed on the MBALARM statement. They modify its operation to best suit your needs. /A Include All files, updated or not in backup scan. Use to determine the amount of data to be backed up for full volume backup. /CD:nn Check for backup nn days since last backup. Normally, MBALARM checks once a day to determine if backup is needed. Use to delay checking for backup to every nn days. /CD:4 causes MBALARM to remain inactive until 4 days since the last backup. /M Cause MBALARM to check backup every time it is started, instead of only one time each day. /NC Prevent clearing of the display during MBALARM processing. /ND Don't display statistics or backup status on the display during MBALARM processing. Take appropriate backup action based on parameters supplied. Do not let user decide if backup is to be started. This parameter also sets the /F (force) option. /NL Do not let the user select the option to display a list of directories to be backed up when asked if backup should be done. /NS Don't scan directories to determine if backup is needed and display totals of files needing backup. The decision to backup will be made solely on the number of days since the last backup, or on the users decision. /NX Ignore eXclusion criteria and count all updated files found on the scanned drives. Normally MBALARM uses MegaBack exclusion criteria to ignore files regularly excluded from the backup process. /F Force backup when it is needed. Do not let user select if backup is to be started. /FD:nn Force backup after nn days since last backup. Like the force (/F), except force is not implemented until nn days after the last backup. Use to give the user the option to backup for a few days, then force a backup. /D:xx Disk volumes to be checked. You may provide an optional list of volumes to be scanned to determine when backup is needed. If this list is not provided, the list provided in MegaBack options is used. If both are absent, the current drive is scanned. /XM Print exit message on the display showing the value MBALARM set ERRORLEVEL to before it ended. MBALARM Examples: Following are examples of different MBALARM implementations: To check for backup once a day, and ask user if backup is to be started: \MEGABACK\MBALARM To check for backup once a day, and force backup when needed: \MEGABACK\MBALARM /F To check backup every time your computer is started, and ask user to indicate if backup is to be started: \MEGABACK\MBALARM /M To check for backup once a day, and force backup once a week: \MEGABACK\MBALARM /FD:7 To check for backup every other day, and force backup once a week: \MEGABACK\MBALARM /CD:2/FD:7 Don't scan to find any updated files. Ask user each day if backup is to be started: \MEGABACK\MBALARM /NS Adding MBALARM to AUTOEXEC.BAT file Use the DOS, EDIT command, EDLIN command, or your favorite text editor, to modify your AUTOEXEC.BAT file to include MBALARM statements. If you are unfamiliar with the AUTOEXEC.BAT file, or its function, consult your DOS reference manual. The MBALARM statements may be added at any location in the file, but are usually added at the end, before control is given to DOS or another application. Following is a sample AUTOEXEC.BAT file before MBALARM statements are added: SET COMSPEC=COMMAND.COM PATH C:\DOS50;C:\BAT PROMPT $P$G DOSKEY SHARE MODE CON: RATE=25 DELAY=2 DOSSHELL Following is the same example with the MBALARM statements added: SET COMSPEC=COMMAND.COM PATH C:\DOS50;C:\BAT PROMPT $P$G DOSKEY SHARE MODE CON: RATE=25 DELAY=2 REM ************************ \MEGABACK\MBALARM /CD:2/FD:7 IF ERRORLEVEL 1 \MEGABACK\MB REM ************************ DOSSHELL