Automated database backups

Since version 7.0, BioNumerics can take a backup of any database that was created in the software with default settings. This functionality is available from the BioNumerics startup screen. Note that database backups can only be generated one by one in the user interface. However, database backups can also be created from the command line and a Windows batch script similar to the one shown below will back up all databases in your BioNumerics home directory and store the resulting .bnbk files in the specified backup directory:

set homedir=C:\Users\Public\Documents\BioNumerics\Data
set backupdir=C:\Users\Public\Documents\BioNumerics\Backups 
cd %homedir% 
for %%d in (*.dbs) do ( 
    "%ProgramFiles%\Applied Maths\BioNumerics\bn.exe" -homedir="%homedir%" -dbmanagement="backup" -backupfile="%backupdir%" -silent=1 -database="%%~nd" 
) 

Simply copy the above code into a text file with extension .bat and save it. Note that you might need to change the home directory, backup directory and/or installation directory (i.e. the directory where the bn.exe file can be found) to the situation at hand.

Double-clicking the .bat file will create the database backups, although most likely you want backups to be automatically created on regular intervals. For this purpose, you can create a “scheduled task” in Windows (see http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/12444-task-scheduler-create-new-task.html) and specify this .bat file as “Action to run” every day at a moment when the BioNumerics software is not in use (e.g. 2:00 am).