Lost Forum Files

Bob Hansen · Post by **Bob Hansen** » Mon Jan 20, 2003 10:40 pm

I am stunned and upset, don't know which is stronger.

I am sure you will be doing something to solve this is in the future like doing a basic, redundant, daily backup.

Can you also do something for us to help you? Suggestion:

It would be nice if we could easily send ourselves a copy of any posting that we submit. A simple check box or part of out profile setting. I know that the forum software is not yours, but maybe those types of tools are there, just not being used.

Another tool that has been missing, is an easy way to download forum topics to our own local databases for reference.

I am now thinking I may have to create some macros to do both of these, but maybe you could do it faster?

Would be good to get some ideas of the specs from the forum users, so it could just be done once.

Example of some specs:
1. Copy individual message
2. Copy entire Subject thread
3. Copy entire Index Category
4. Format download contents in csv for generic import capablility. Fields to include Subject, Originator, Original Date/Time, Body of message, Replies, Name of Replier, Replied date/time, body of message
5. Don't need emoticons, signatures, font formatting, images, active links, etc. just the pure data.

If similar loss problem occurs again, then we could provide you with copies of messages that your primary and secondary backups could not provide.

Post by **Marcus Tettmar** » Mon Jan 20, 2003 11:21 pm

I'm not very happy myself!!! We do perform daily backups. But it would appear the last few were corrupt. I am very sorry! It has been a very horrible day and I am extremely dissatisfied with our hosting providers and will be looking for a new co-location provider and putting better backup/restore solutions in place.

Bob Hansen · Post by **Bob Hansen** » Tue Jan 21, 2003 12:33 am

Give us grin Marcus.....we only lost one week of info.

(I have had a similar experience with a provider, and now do my own backups, regardless of what they say they are doing).

Re my comments on making a macro to download contents, I have had some subsequent thoughts.

This info must already be in a database. How about putting the database on an FTP site that we could download from? It might be easier to update the FTP database each day when you do your own backups.

Using a csv database would allow each of us to use our own favorite methods to save this info. Multiple database could be created in weekly/monthly buckets or something similar to that.

That would allow for smaller downloads, only having to pick up the newer date buckets that we do not already have.

Now we would have a real use for the VB database routines with Macro Scheduler that have been documented.

FTP access could be limited to registered users with password access.

I am starting to ramble, just throwing some thoughts out there. Need to stop now.

We will recover.....tomorrow will be a better day.

armsys · Post by **armsys** » Tue Jan 28, 2003 2:46 am

Hi bob,

1. Ideally http://www.mjtnet.com should have a complete perfect backup.
2. Responsibility isn't an one-way business. Again, idealistically speaking, forum members should have saved some wonderful postings. I did, but only for a few threads, alas.
3. As a matter of fact, the loss wasn't enormous. All brilliant posts remain intact such as Eric D's classical Jan 11 post (see: http://www.mjtnet.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=161).

Eric D is exceedingly generous in posting his complete banking sevice app composed in Macro Scheduler. It's one of most beautiful, elegant, and stylish code I have ever read before! Every freshman of Macro Scheduler will benefit from carefully studying Eric D's script line by line together with a cup of cappuccino.

Bob, thank you for voicing your concerns. Happy scripting.