shell backup script

xtremeclones · 10-02-2006, 12:58 PM

Hey guys,

i need to make a shell script that automatically saves a copy of a .ini file to a specified directory and saves it with the date.

for example at 7pm everynight it saved me.ini to /home/me as me.ini.20061002

i also need help knowing how to put it in the cron conifgutation.

can anyone please give me a hand with this.

thank in advanced.

b0uncer · 10-02-2006, 01:21 PM

I'm not a bash script master myself, but you could try the following (please test it first with some unimportant file): create a new text file in which you put the following:

Code:

#!/bin/sh
filedate=$(date +"%F_%H.%M")
cp /path/to/your/me.ini /home/me/me_"$filename".ini

Then save it as "me_copy.sh" (or whatever you like). Then make it executable:

Code:

chmod +x me_copy.sh

...and run

Code:

crontab -e

and add this line there:

Code:

0 19 * * * /path/to/me_copy.sh

And that should work, hopefully at least

I didn't check that, so try it out yourself.

EDIT: read man date for more information about how to format the datestamp. And every time that is run, it overwrites (if that's default) the older file (unless it asks something, in which case that doesn't run -- check man cp). So you might want to add something to the script so that it copies the older file off first, and then the new one instead.

MOS JEFF-INITELY · 10-02-2006, 01:33 PM

check this link for cron: http://www.unixgeeks.org/security/ne...ix/cron-1.html

I think this is the line you want for a copy:
cp me.ini /home/me/me.`date +%m.%d.%y`

you can change the format of the date output there are many ways just man date.

peace.

xtremeclones · 10-03-2006, 02:13 PM

Thanks, ill give it a shot today.

again thanks for the help!!