Backup to server using Automator?

[stanlee]

Has anyone had success setting up an Automator workflow which will automatically backup to a networked server? I've downloaded the 'backup folder' action and have also managed to get a workflow to connect to the server, but the solution still eludes me!

Any bright ideas anyone???

 

[Ric]

Hi,

I haven't used the "Backup Folder Action" myself but I shall download it and have a look...

From what to what are you backing up, if you see what I mean...

Mac to PC, Mac to Mac...

Are you trying to do a full Backup or just an Incremental Backup...

Regards

Ric

 

[stanlee]

Thanks Ric, I'm trying to backup from a G5 to a networked linux server.

The backup action:
http://www.automatorworld.com/archives/backup-folders/

I'm new to Automator but surely this must be possible - I can already connect to the server using Get specified URL>Connect to specified server, but I'm not clear about how to set the rest up. I want to do an incremental backup (I assume this only replaces altered files), set up automatically via an iCal alarm (I've read this is the way to schedule it). It's a shame BackUp doesn't work with servers...

many thanks for the offer of help

Stan

 

[Ric]

Hi Stan,

First go to the source and check that you have the latest version.

If you download it from there you get a few Sample workflows and quite a good readme...

The way I read it...

1) Get Specified Server -Your Server

2) Connect to Server

3) Unlink Action 2 and 4 -very important !

4) Get Specified Finder Items (in here add in two folders-depending on what you set, the first will be the source "the folder to get backed up" and the second will be "where it gets backed up to")

5) Backup Folder Action


Just doing a quick video aid...

regards

Ric

 

[Ric]

Hi Stan,

watch the movie, here

Depending on how you set up your keychain the Server request...etc shouldn't show, have left them in for visual puposes...

Instead of using the get specified server-->connect to server...you can replace those two with a Get Specified Finder items--> an Alias of the folder where you are backing up to !

regards

Ric

 

[stanlee]

Hi Ric

It's getting close but not quite working yet. I think I need to start with 'get specified url', then 'connect to server', (with your way it's asking me for the server address half way through). It connects fine to the server using above method - I can see the connection appear on my desktop. The problem is that it seems to forget the location of my backup folder on the server once it's disconnected. My backup folder loses it's path within 'get specified finder items', but having said that it has created the 1st subfolder of the work folder I wish to backup - it is however empty, and I received this error message:

'Applescript error. Finder got an error. An item with the same name already exists within the destination (-15267)'

Perhaps it's all working but can't write to that folder for some reason?

...scratching my head ...

Stan

 

[stanlee]

oops, I'll watch the video now - thank you!

Stan

 

[stanlee]

Wow, thanks for the movie - that's what I call 'service'!

I've a feeling I have a problem writing to the server - getting some strange error messages. When i do it manually now I'm getting errors because of filename too long / unsupported characters. I've no idea why as it's a linux server and I'm on a mac! I'll have another look through your method and get back to you.

thanks again

Stan

 

[Ric]

No problem !

regards

Ric

 

[stanlee]

Hi Ric

I followed your video step by step. I'm still getting a strange error -
'Applescript error. Finder got an error. An item with the same name already exists within the destination (-15267)'
Any ideas about this glich?
Also, by entering my userassword within the URL I can connect straight to the server (without clicking 'connect'). Still doesn't get me there though!

Will perservere

Stan

 

[Ric]

Hi Stan...

'Applescript error. Finder got an error. An item with the same name already exists within the destination (-15267)'

Is there a file already there ? with the same name ?

What version of OS X are you on, this was done using 10.4.3, which has the new version of Automator...

regards

Ric

 

[stanlee]

It's weird. I empty the destination folder, run the workflow and it gets as far as creating the first subfolder, then a subfolder within that, however no files are copied and the process cancels at this point. So it looks like it can create the folders, but when it copies the contents it tries to copy the folders again (I'm guessing here...). I've since discovered that I have problems copying manually to the server anyway - some files are fine but others seem to have filenames which are too long or contain characters (-) which it doesn't like. makes non sense to me as I'm on OSX and the server is linux - it shouldn't have a problem with long filenames. perhaps this is the root of the problem.

I'm using 10.4.3 on a G5, latest backup folder action

I'll investigate what's happening with the server....

thanks, Dan

 

[Ric]

No problem !

let us know how you get on...

regards

Ric

 

[stanlee]

Hi Ric

I've tried a few mthods but it's not working for me yet. I've a suspicion it's something to do with the linux server, but anyway I get an error message at the 'backup' stage of the workflow:

"Can't make item 2 of {alias "Macintosh HD:Users:Stanesign:Ongoingdesign:"} into type alias. (-1700)"

Also, I get this error every time: "You gotta have two folders selected, sorry". I do have 2 selected so I've no idea why this appears.

I'm going to wait until the server software is updated in a couple of months, then I'll try again. It's nevere easy is it?! Thanks for your help anyway, I'm sure the solution will help many others.

Cheers

Stanlee

 

[Ric]

Hi Stanlee,

I get this error every time: "You gotta have two folders selected, sorry". I do have 2 selected so I've no idea why this appears.

have another look at the movie, and make sure that you have unlinked the action before the backup...

Have you another Mac or Server that you can try the workflow on, thus proving that the Linux box is the problem ?

regards

Ric

 

[Chucklz]

Seems to me to be an awful lot of work to get automator to do what you want. You are, however, attempting to reinvent the wheel. The "traditional unix" way would be to set up a crontab with rsync. Here is the manpage for rsync if you would like to attempt this from the shell.
http://optics.ph.unimelb.edu.au/help/rsync/rsync.html

However, there is a rather nice utlity for using rsync with a gui on OSX.
http://archive.macosxlabs.org/rsyncx/rsyncx.html

 

[Ric]

Hi there and welcome,

Where Automator is good is for people who have never 'looked' under the hood...

...not many old time Mac Users would have ever heard of crontab ;-)

I do agree that there are many utilities out there that will already do this, but sometimes the fun is in trying to do it a different way (think different !...sounds familiar...probably make a good ad campaign) anyway...

I have used RsyncX and found it to be very good, it all depends on the user's needs. What Stanlee is trying to do is (sorry stanlee) relatively easy to do, it appears though that stanlee has got a few 'permissions' problems with his linux box.

If you watch the video in the earlier post you can see how easy it 'should be'...and for a lot of Mac users they wouldn't want to touch the command line with a 10ft barge pole even if it was attached to a 12ft barge pole, if you know what I mean !

For anyone that does want to try this way then CronniX is a nice way to control crontabs.

If you fancy doing a quick tutorial for anyone that wants to use RsyncX or how to use crontabs, that would be appreciated.

regards

Ric

 

[judy]

I'm having the same problem as stanlee when i try to use Backup Folder to back up my home folder to an external firewire drive:

Applescript error. Finder got an error. An item with the same name already exists within the destination (-15267)

I can't figure out why this is happening, since the only stuff in the folder i'm backing up to is what Backup Folder put there.

Any ideas or solutions out there?

 

[Ric]

Hi there Judy and welcome !

I can only presume that there are some invisible files that are getting copied that are confusing AppleScript...

...it's very hard to 'see' what's happening without 'seeing' it, if you know what I mean !

I will try and replicate the problem myself later.

You could always use some alternate backup software, there's a few here https://www.mac-help.com/forums/showthread.php?t=118

regards and Happy New Year !

Ric

 

[judy]

Ric,

Thanks for your quick response. I think you're right about the hidden files. I have decided to use SilverKeeper instead.

People reading this might wonder why i don't just use Backup 3.0, but after about six weeks of progressive machine failure requiring multiple full-disk erases, reinstallations of Tiger, and Backup restores, i have been less than impressed with Backup's restore capabilities. My boyfriend says the problem was my computer, not Backup, which certainly could be the case, but now that i have a new iBook, i still don't trust the software (and have never much liked incremental backups anyway).

I am keeping Mac-Help bookmarked for any future issues i may come up against (hopefully far into the future). Thanks again