Ok, I'm interested in knowing what methods other sysops use for backing up their files for TWGS. I'm told I need only back up the TW1, TW2. etc. folders. Is this correct? Also how often do you back up, and with what software.

Think this got moved up from the bottom of the to-do list just recently!

Interesting subject, I have only had a backup of thetwa file on hand as if you backup game at any interval hourly, daily etc It can cause some real out of sync errors even if only a few minutes later. Least that is my exp over the years. So if something happens in a game like a fouled up extern or whatever the players have to live with it or do a rebang.

River Rat
Alien Base

I make a back up of the entire TWGS directory with MSbackup on WinXP pro. just incase I loose a computer or drive or something. Always good to have all my scripts and data backed up.

Make sure you export the registry settings as well in case your server crashes.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SOFTWARE/Epic Interactive Strategy
Commander Data
http://www.MyTradewars.com

I backup our TWGS on a monthly basis. I have discovered that most backup software encounters a time out error because it needs access to files that are active in the games. For example, the aliens.dat, ferrengi.dat are but a few that most software can't backup if the TWGS is active. Also most backup software hiccup when they encounter a bloated twmail.dat file.

I use a combination. As River Rat pointed out, I make a backup of the game, exporting it in TWA format. I use our ScoreKeeper for this task during game rebangs at the end of each month. The ScoreKeeper takes the server down, checks and deletes any twmail.dat file over a certain size. While the TWGS is down, games that are schedules to rebang are rebanged, TWA's are exported, then the entire TWGS is backed up before the server comes back online. I found this to be the best for us, I get no errors in either the backup or the game. And I get fresh TWA's each time.

Thrawn,.. I don't suppose you'd be interested in sharing that scorekeeper would you
I use scheduler now to shut down the board at noon, then have a batch file delete all the mail.dat files, copy all the game files and the twgs files to a holding folder, then reboot the machine.  When it comes back up, TWGS is in the startup, so it comes back online and then I use a program called Second Copy to move those game files in the holding folder, to another machine.
Would be nice to have current .twa files and also have the rebang feature, but not sure how you've done this unattended.
Also am interested in how your scorekeeper knows when to bang a game.
 

The ScoreKeeper is codedin many phases. One phase is to reproduce key strokes as if I was present. I have it doing many tasks, as my job keeps me away. I've created it to know where to create and export TWA's, rebang games and what keystrokes are needed. Other phases include running the scores, stats, and more. Another phase runs TWXProxy to have our Online players module run. Another phase, and my biggest pride, is the OCSBot in the TradeWars Academy OCS TWGS.

Rebanging the game on a schedule worked out best for me. I have it coded to bang specific games every 3 months. So games A-H at end month 1, I-P end of month 2, R-Z end of month 3, A-H end of month 4, and so on.

I find it odd that I can open and read any file while TWGS is actively running and changing files, but a simply file copy operation doesn't work.  I'm at work at the moment but sometime when I'm home I'll have to try straight copies and see if they work.  If not, I may be able to write a backup utility that opens the file streams and just writes them directly to new files.  I'm not sure what would make that any different from a copy operation, but...
As for out of sync errors, there's a tedit option somewhere to resync the data in case of a time/clock change.  Going into tedit and using that option after restoring a backup SHOULD fix that.  (Should being the operative word; I haven't had to use it before so it may not work fully or properly.)  Heh, another thing I might be able to fix in the long run (once my library writes as well as reads), since I can manually update every time field in the data files with the new proper times if needed.

What do you think is the best time to run backup of game files?
Since it takes the game server off line to copy files, I was wondering when would be best time to schedule a daily backup to minimize effect and frustration of game players.
It seems that many players run scripts through the night to keep a watch on their resource while away from the keyboard. They will resume automatically when the server comes back up, but it is a disadvantage to those players not running a "keep alive" script as they could be running world trade or universe mapping to find that it stopped while the were getting some sleep (if they can durng a game in progress LOL)
I currently am doing mine at 6:30pm so pleayers are most likely to notice their scripts have stopped and can resume what they were doing as soon as the server goes back on-line.
What do you think?
 

I run mine at noon.  Most players during the week are at work then, and like you say, many run scripts and play through the night.  I made a batch file that shuts down TWGS, deletes the mail.dat files in each game, copies the TWGS and Game files to a backup machine, and reboots the computer.  TWGS is autostart, so when the computer starts, the TWGS is back online.

1) How important is it to delete the mail.dat files?
2) Is there an advantage of doing a complete reboot?
 

Mail files if they get to large can cause users to be unable to log into their games, and cause other issues as well.  The more aliens you have, the larger grids you have, the larger the mail file becomes.  Rather than have to trak it, I just delete it daily.
The reboot is just a precaution as my machine relies on Microsoft Operating systems.  If I'm not around, and something hangs, it will hopefully solve the problem.  Sofar I've had no issues, but it was a precaution.
 

I for one use to make backups once in a great while, now i don't make any as there was a time i did a restore and it caused enough problems i had to rebang the game anyway.  I just export my twa now if i made changes to or added a new game. As far as the twmail file I delete it only if I am having troubles with a game which is very rare.  I think people are blaming the twmail file for a lot of things when its another porblem.  On taking the board down daily to do backups can be very annoying to players as there isn't really a good time to do it.
I guess I really would like to know why a daily backup is needed and on the twmail file deleteing defeats the purpose of the file.
River Rat

Well, I can only speak for myself.  I've made enough mistakes that having at least a day old backup helps.  I backup the games and the TWGS folder together, so I can restore them in like fashion.  May or may not work, but sofar I've been lucky to have those files and what I've needed them for has worked.  As for time, your right, there is no good time, I've just advertised it's noon, It gives a 5 minute warning, and is back up at 12:07
The mail file,.. I know what you're saying, but when I started, and had people complaining of not being able to log into a game, I'd restart my server but it wouldn't solve the problem.  Delete that mail.dat file and suddenly problems went away.  So now rather than waiting till there is a problem, I take measures to prevent the problem.  Only thing you miss is 1500 sector figs reporting alien messages.  How many people actually read all that message traffic when you log in anyway? 

[/QUOTE]
 Only thing you miss is 1500 sector figs reporting alien messages.  How many people actually read all that message traffic when you log in anyway? 
[/QUOTE]
If there is a lot of alien hits in game I can see your point somewhat but ina game with no aliens or few I like to parse the data and see whats been happening, where people have been and even see how close they go to base if I am not online all the time.
On the backup issuse what could you mess up with after a game is banged and running.  If you delte a game or twgs by mistake then restoring day old data could make a big difference on outcome of game.