Notes for rotating backups

A so-called “rotating backup” creates copies in changing target directories. This way you always have several versions and thus more security.

You can use Easy2Sync to create rotating backups. But you should note a few things:

•	All base directories that are used by the rotation must already exist. Easy2Sync will not create them. (Easy2Sync will, of course, create subdirectories as usual, but not the base directories.)

•	Only the task types “Copy” and “Overwrite” are supported; not the task type “Synchronize.” (You can find an explanation about task types here.)

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The warning level may change. For example, a normal file deletion can result in a warning for an asynchronous file deletion. Since these warnings were designed for the task type “Synchronizing,” it is not really a problem and the correct actions will be performed anyway.

The reason for this behavior is the way that rotating backups were implemented. Easy2Sync stores the last known state for every file, but does not keep an extra version for each rotating directory. If a file was deleted (in both directories), and then the rotation kicks in, it looks (from Easy2Sync’s perspective) as if the file suddenly reappeared. As stated above: This changes the warning level, but the correct action will be taken anyway.

Rotating directories are used when you use one of the following placeholders in a path (preferably the target directory for the Copy/Overwrite operations):

•	%HOUR% / %HOUR2%

=> Current hour: normal (0-23) / with leading zero (00-23)

•	%DAY% / %DAY2%

=> Current hour: normal (1-31) / with leading zero (01-31)

•	%WDAY_GER% / %WDAY_ENG%

=> Current weekday (complete word): German / English

•	%WDAY_GER2% / %WDAY_ENG2%

=> Current weekday (2 letters): German / English

•	%MONTH% / %MONTH2%

=> Current month: normal (1-12) / with leading 0 (01-12)

•	%MONTH_GER% / %MONTH_ENG%

=> Current month (complete word): German / English

•	%MONTH_GER3% / %MONTH_ENG3%

=> Current month (3 letters): German / English

•	%YEAR2% / %YEAR4%

=> Current year in 2- / 4-digit format

You can use a placeholder for time-independent rotation by using two characters, separated by a dash and enclosed by percent signs. Examples:

%1-3%

%A-F%

For each synchronization, Easy2Sync “jumps” to the next value. Let’s use a less abstract example. You might specify the following configuration:
Task type: Copy 1 to 2

Base directory1: C:\MyData\data.pst

Base directory2: X:\MyBackup%1-5%\data.pst

When synchronizing the first time, X:\MyBackup1\data.pst will be used. When synchronizing the second time, X:\MyBackup2\data.pst and so on. When the sixth synchronization is performed, Easy2Sync uses the first directory again.

Synchronize Outlook