News and backup

The "News and Backup" batch file is a batch file on each laptop used to back up data.

Backup using the file

To back up, double-click on the "News and Backup" shortcut on your desktop.

Off line mode

When not hooked up to the network the batch file will backup data to the SD Card

On-line mode

When hooked up to the network, the batch file will perform the off-line work, but also back-up the data to the regional server and copy down a new version of CCMDB.mdb if available.

Operation of the file

For the most up-to-date workings of this file see the file itself and the change log News and Backup Change Log

The "News and Backup" batch file is a batch file on each laptop which does the following:

• checks if there is a newer version of itself (technically it's the caller batch file that does this...)
• back up c:\ccmdb_data\ccmdb_data.mdb to the SD card
• back up to server w 20 versions
  • delete Regional Server\Programs\<hosp>_<ward>\ccmdb.20
  • rename ccmdb.19 to ccmdb.20, ccmdb18 to ccmdb.19, ... ccmdb.1 to ccmdb.2, ccmdb.mdb to ccmdb.1
  • copy c:\ccmdb_data\ccmdb_data.mdb to Regional Server\data\<hosp>_<ward>
• check if there is a file Regional Server\Programs\<hosp>_<ward>\ccmdb.mdb; if so,
  • move the file from the regional server to c:\ccmdb_program
  • open the wiki to Log to show what has changed

Setting up the file on a laptop

If the laptop is set up according to Laptop Setup then the batch files and shortcuts will be copied down as part of the process. The only thing to do locally would be to edit parameters for location.

Master file location

If not already done during Laptop Setup, copy from master file location

• Regional Server\maintenance\laptop batches\* --> c:\batches

Edit parameters for location

To edit a batch file, right-click and edit the file. Don't double-click because that would RUN the file

batstart.bat contains lines that serve as parameters for the file to work in different locations. For the most part, all possible entries are present in the file, with the ones not applicable for a location "commented out". To comment out a line, put a ":" (without the quotes) in front of the line you don't want to run.

• edit parameters - only the "Location Specific Parameters" section of c:\batches\batstart.bat

Make a shortcut

This shortcut can be copied from

• Regional Server\Maintenance\Laptop_Files\Documents and Settings\All Users\Desktop

To make the shortcut manually

• Right-click on an empty spot on the desktop, click "New" and then "Shortcut"
• put the following into the wizard "Type the location of the item":
  • c:\batches\batstart.bat
• put the following into the name for the shortcut
  • News and backup
    • Please keep name consistent for communications

Testing News and Backup

After initial setup test that the backup works:

• make some change in ccmdb.mdb to update date stamp of file
• check that file with new stamp is on sd card
• check that file with new stamp is on Regional Server/data/<hsp>_<ward>

Information about the batch files

A two-file system is used to allow batstart.bat to actually look for a new backup.bat on regional server\programs\<location> before each run, allowing a central update of that file if necessary. This allows for centralized updating/tweaking/etc of the laptops.

Batstart.bat uses Robocopy, sort of an improved version of xcopy, which is available from Microsoft as part of one of their Server SDKs.