MinimServer complexity (was Configuration Backup)

[simoncn]

(26-09-2014 16:02)DavidHB Wrote:  The scenario I had in mind was MinmWatch running on, say, a PC, saving the .config file from the NAS to a location on the PC, using a standard file save dialog. There are catastrophes that would destroy both those locations, but they are, I think, somewhat less likely than catastrophes that destroy only one. If the PC has off site backup, that pretty much covers all the bases.

Thanks for clarifying your suggestion. MinimWatch is intended as a remote control for the local MinimServer UI (as exposed on systems with a GUI such as Windows and Mac). I don't think it would be appropriate to start adding extra facilities such as remote file backup and restore.

I will think some more about this. It's only a problem for ReadyNAS and QNAP because the user doesn't have direct access to the location of the minimserver.config file on these NASs. How do other NAS apps handle configuration backup?

Quote:That said, I accept that there are other options. It is pretty easy to build a text file by copying and pasting entries (especially the more complex ones) from the Properties window. If you can get to the .config file, you can also copy and paste from there into, for example, the Properties window of another instance of MinimServer. I copied entries from one Properties window to another when I set set up the instances of MinimServer I run under Windows and Linux, and that worked pretty well. But I'd still argue that a simple 'Backup' button is the method a non-technical user is most likely to use.

David

It is very risky to copy and paste entries into a minimserver.config file. The syntax isn't documented and some of the properties have constraints on their values and/or dependencies on the values of other properties. Doing this is likely to cause problems and isn't supported. Copying a minimserver.config file from one NAS to another can also cause unexpected problems.

Restoring a complete backup minimserver.config file that was written previously by MinimServer on the same NAS should usually be OK. When doing this restore, MinimServer shouldn't be running.