FossaMail Backup Tool Option Not Working...

Development discussions for FossaMail
gmeades

FossaMail Backup Tool Option Not Working...

Unread post by gmeades » 2017-01-15, 02:04

I realize the FossaMail Backup Tool is a free tool, and there may be no one supporting it, but I just tried it and found a feature not working as designed, and thought I'd mention it, in case someone would like to look into it and fix it.

When the "Options" button of the Backup Tool is pressed, there is a checkbox one can uncheck for "compression".
I had wanted to save the backup in uncompressed form, so I could transfer files from the profile to Thunderbird,
if needed, in the future. However, the checkbox does not stop the backup from being compressed and given the
".fmbackup" extension.

I tried backing up, unchecking the checkbox a couple of times, but it seems this function does not work, at least with my operating system.

OS: Windows 7 64-bit

User avatar
ag0044
Moonbather
Moonbather
Posts: 55
Joined: 2012-04-28, 16:29
Location: Australia

Re: FossaMail Backup Tool Option Not Working...

Unread post by ag0044 » 2017-01-25, 05:18

As an experiment, can I suggest that you try running the tool with the compress option ticked, and then run the tool with the compress option unticked? I just did that. The first resulted in a file that was about half the size of the second, in about twice the time.

I *think* what you might be looking for is an extension called ImportExportTool: https://freeshell.de/~kaosmos/mboximport-en.html

Or, you could just add ".zip" to the end of the backup's filename (2017_01_25_00.fmbackup -> 2017_01_25_00.fmbackup.zip), open the file with a zip manager, and extract the files you want?

Or, you could just copy the entire Profile folder to another place.

Just some of my random thoughts which may, or may not, be randomly useful.
Usually, I'm wrong. But, sometimes, I'm right.
Usually, I'm Left. But, sometimes, I'm Right.
Usually, I'm left-handed. But, sometimes, I'm right-handed.

gmeades

Re: FossaMail Backup Tool Option Not Working...

Unread post by gmeades » 2017-01-25, 18:19

Thanks ag0044...!

I tested them out, and each of your solutions worked just perfect.

I had manually copied the profile for backup purposes before, usually when moving mail to a different machine,
but for some reason have never been inclined to set up a backup program to keep the backup current, and
rarely remembered to do it manually. When I saw the Fossamail backup tool, I thought a one button solution
would make it more likely I'd be to back up the email from time to time, especially if I added it as an item in
my Start menu. Then I discovered the items I mentioned in my post.

1. Using the FossaMail Backup Tool works just fine if you save as compressed, then rename to .zip when files are needed.
2. The ImportExport Addon works perfectly too, and saves one from having to follow the arcane location path to manually export the profile as well.

Both were excellent solutions, which make saving backups far easier than manually doing it...

Maybe one of these days I'll set up automatic backups, but until then these will work quite nicely...

Thanks so much for the help... much appreciated....! ;-)

UPDATE: I just set up and ran a Windows 7 backup and was reminded of why I had never set up a permanent backup
on the computer. It creates an encrypted folder, which can't be used to access individual files inside of the
profile or to transport the profile to another machine. So, these solutions above are far better for my purposes.

User avatar
ag0044
Moonbather
Moonbather
Posts: 55
Joined: 2012-04-28, 16:29
Location: Australia

Re: FossaMail Backup Tool Option Not Working...

Unread post by ag0044 » 2017-01-26, 09:17

My pleasure. It's good to be able to actually contribute something.
Maybe one of these days I'll set up automatic backups, but until then these will work quite nicely...
I used to think that I might do something like that, but the official tool is so easy to use - a double-click and a click - and so effective that I couldn't do it any better. I did think of putting together an old-fashioned batch file that would close FM on schedule, and run some sort of backup. But then I realised that I'd quite possibly be in the middle of writing something when it wanted to kick off. By the time I thought through some of the possibilities and setting up subroutines, I decided that using the official tool manually is simpler - and is now an established part of my Sunday Night Shutdown/Reboot routine (along with the PM equivalent).
Usually, I'm wrong. But, sometimes, I'm right.
Usually, I'm Left. But, sometimes, I'm Right.
Usually, I'm left-handed. But, sometimes, I'm right-handed.

User avatar
Moonchild
Pale Moon guru
Pale Moon guru
Posts: 36575
Joined: 2011-08-28, 17:27
Location: Motala, SE
Contact:

Re: FossaMail Backup Tool Option Not Working...

Unread post by Moonchild » 2017-01-27, 12:48

For the record, the only difference the option makes is that it uses archive compression or not.
I made this selectable, because compressing a profile and all e-mail in it can take a (very) long time if you have a lot of mail stored.
The backup format will otherwise be always the same (a 7-zip compatible archive).
{{This headspace for lease}}
"Seek wisdom, not knowledge. Knowledge is of the past; wisdom is of the future." -- Native American proverb
"Linux makes everything difficult." -- Lyceus Anubite

Locked