Complete Dolt Newbie Question that I don't see in any of the forums

[Trentide]

Ok, I feel like a complete idiot. Here goes....It is suggested in some of the forums to back-up your work in case of mishaps. How is that done exactly? Back-up files on the server? On my computer? What files do I need to back-up; remote php files, gifs, and css files? Local Ones? All of them? Please let me know. Here's my info: I have OSCommerce on my webhosts server. I don't have OSCommerce in my local sites files that I have created in Dreamweaver. Thanks, Jason

[wizardsandwars]

Typically, backing up your files can be done it several ways. Basically, it means to preserver the original contents of a file you are making changes to.

 

I normally back up in 2 different ways. First, about once per week, I do a full backup. I use an FTP tool to copy the entire contents of my public_html to my desktop. This can actually be automated wiht some webhosts.

 

Second, when I am goign to make changes to a file I do an individual backup. Before making the change, I make a duplicate of the file iwht a different name. Sometimes I just rename the file from filname.php to filename_OLD.php.

 

I recommend using both of these backup types.

[knifeman]

Ok, I feel like a complete idiot. Here goes....It is suggested in some of the forums to back-up your work in case of mishaps. How is that done exactly? Back-up files on the server? On my computer? What files do I need to back-up; remote php files, gifs, and css files? Local Ones? All of them? Please let me know. Here's my info: I have OSCommerce on my webhosts server. I don't have OSCommerce in my local sites files that I have created in Dreamweaver. Thanks, Jason

In your oscommerce admin section go to tools and backup the database.

Also you need a complete backup of your files. Do you have Cpanel at your web host? If so, Cpanel has a backup utility where you can choose to download a backup of the files for your entire site.

 

Tim

[Trentide]

Thanks for such a quick response. I'll going to incorporate both methods in my work. Thanks Again, -Jason-

[MSP]

Second, when I am goign to make changes to a file I do an individual backup. Before making the change, I make a duplicate of the file iwht a different name. Sometimes I just rename the file from filname.php to filename_OLD.php.

Just as an addition to this, I like to do something like filename_backup_61009.php where the numbers represents the date you made the backup. This helps further down the track when you start ending up with the same file modified many times and you will always have a backup at each different stage. In the example above, I used 6 from 2006, 10 to represent October and 09 for today's date = 61009

[Trentide]

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!