How do I backup my Content Database?
Ron Knights
Posts: 1,805
I've spent all day learning to organize my stuff using Categories. I tried searching for info on backing up the database, and can't find any info. Help?!
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One way of backing up your categories is to go to Content Database Maintenance and run the Export User Data option. This will create one or more .dsx files with names starting with UserData and possibly with numbers (I think whether you get more than one depends on how many categories you have) in the Runtime\Support\ dierctory in your Library. Back up these files.
If you need to restore your categories, copy your backups back into Runtime\Support\ and run Re-Import metadata. You should see you Userdata file(s) at the top of the list, make sure they are selected.
I'm attaching a screenshot of where you can find the Database options.
I think there are other ways of doing it but this is the one I know.
If you don't use connect, just locate the libraries and copy and paste them to you back up drive is pretty easy. No idea if the same works if you do use connect.
I'm surprised they didn't make a specific "Backup Database" menu option! I have my libraries on my main Macintosh hard drive. I make a clone backup of the hard drive. Guess I'm covered?!
Should be; not a mac user, so is that a linked clone? Meaning it will auto update. Personally I don't like that as although it does keep it up-to-date, it also copies errors accross.
I have copies on various disks, some of which spend most of their time removed from the computer. :) Apparently I'm paranoid, according to friends. Cautious is how I prefer to describe it.
I can set up the program to auto-update. Sometimes I do, sometimes I just disconnect the drive when not in use.
As long as postgres is not running at the time - just do it when both Studio and DIM are shut down. some database systems can't handle starting up with a database that was in use when it was copied - don't know if postgres is one of them)
I use 2.5" Western Digital Passport portable drives to make clone backups of all my hard drives. I only recently moved all my DAZ stuff over to the 1TB internal drive. I hesitate to leave the portable drives continually connected. I only run the backup program when no other software is running!
You're cautious too I see. :)
Sometimes I am. Other times I go crazy and don't have backups when things go wrong!