Bart is a file and folder backup tool, which transfers changes from multiple source directory trees to destination trees. When run, it will copy any files which have changed since the last run, bringing the destination up to date with the source in an efficient way, copying only files required.

Bart can read from a list of source directories, so not only can it keep your My Documents folder backed up, but also any other data stored on your drive in other locations. Direct the target of each of these folders at a network drive on another machine, a second hard drive in the same machine, or removable media such as a USB pen drive. When first run, all the files will be copied, and then on subsequent runs only the files which have altered will be updated, new files copied, and deleted ones removed.

Bart keeps the target completely in line with the source. It does not perform two-way synchronisation. If a file in the target was changed, on next run of Bart, it would be replaced with the file from the source.

Source

The source can be either a single file, or a directory. If a directory is used, then a checkbox controls whether all subdirectories are also copied. Multiple source directories can be chosen, so that all your data areas can be backed up at once.

Destination

The destination folder is kept synchronised with the source. Any changes which are made to the destination would be overwritten the next time Bart is run - to this end do not edit files in the destination, or save anything new! The syncronisation is one-way, and is complete.

Exclusions

An exclusion list can be set for each task, so that certain files can be ignored. To back up a photos directory, but leave out thumbnail files, the pattern "thumbs*" would be added. Multiple file specifications can be made, such as "*obj;*pdb;*aps;*.sbr;*.pch;*.idb;*.res", and full paths can be excluded by specifying them. "d:\photos\2004;thumbs*;00_index*;*gif" would omit the 2004 folder, and also skip over any file starting with "thumbs" or "00_index" and any ending with "gif".

Exclude directories by specifying the whole directory, eg "c:\program files\firewall".

Exclude files by specifying the filename, eg "persfw.conf", not the whole path "c:\program files\firewall\persfw.conf"

Command line

The following can be specified on the command line:

• -runall - Bart will run all enabled jobs, show the balloon summary and quit
• -show - When used with -runall, the main dialog is displayed while the jobs are running
• -stay - Bart will stick around once it's finished running the jobs. Clicking any buttons in the interface if -show is specified will also cause it to remain
• -shutdown - the computer is shut down once the jobs have been run with no errors reported
• -ignoreerrors - if -shutdown has been specified and errors were found, shut down anyway
• -datelog - save detailed logs to different files, named as the date they were generated
• -logexclusions - also write files which are skipped to the detailed log file
• -file - open the specified job file

c:\program files\bart\bart.exe -runall -show -shutdown

This will start Bart, run all the jobs, and at completion the computer will be shut down

Logging

Bart writes an HTML-based log file (log.html) of its operations, a CSV with details of each run (summary.log), and pops up a task-tray balloon when the tasks are complete.

Versions

v1.01 - First release

v1.10 - 22nd July 2007

• The source can now be just a single file
• Command line parameters added
• Directory exclusion is no longer case-sensitive
• Directory recursion is optional
• W2000/XP/Vista - can now cancel a job mid-way through a large file
• The bytes copied are reported
• summary.log is written with details of each run

v2.00 - 1st March 2008

New features

• -file command line option to open a job file other other than default.job
• -ignoreerrors command line added
• Safe mode - will not ever delete any file in the destination
• File progress bar
• Option to "check for locked" before copy
• Save, load and new job files, may also drop job files onto the dialog
• "Clear log" button added
• Can now pause jobs
• Displays running statistics
• Listing an exclusion which starts with a backslash excludes it relative from the source

Changes

• Displays recurse/safe/check modes and destination in job summary list
• List of exclusions edited easier then the previous single line
• Summary log file now stores the name of the job file and task within it run
• "Run the selected job" now at the top of the job right-click menu, rather than Run All
• Editing jobs is disabled while jobs are running
• When a directory is deleted from the destination, the count of all files it contained is now included in the 'deleted' total
• Can now open the main interface when just "-runall" has been specified
• Files with less than 4 seconds difference in their modification times are considered the same; FAT32 has a less accurate time stamp
• Copes with RO files
• Will only shutdown if there are no errors during any job

Fixes

• Large file size reporting bug fixed
• F1 keypress error removed
• Redraw flicker of the job list is less pronounced
• Problem with sources ending with a backslash fixed

2.01 - 12th December 2008

• Fixed double size reporting of last file in stats on RHS of dialog

2.11 - 17th May 2009

New features

• Added the "Run Selected" button
• Added each task last run date
• Added scanned count and size
• Added -datelog command line switch
• Added -logexclusions command line switch
• Added -noballoon command line switch
• Added Fake mode

Fixes

• Problem specifying a target as just a drive (e:) when that is empty, removed
• A job file specified with the "-file" command line switch no longer has to exist

2.12 - 20th June 2009

Fix

• Bug meaning source files with just an older modified date than the destination not being copied fixed, see this forum post

2.13 - 24th June 2009

Fix

• Excluded directories are no longer deleted from destination when Safe Mode is enabled

2.14 - 5th October 2009

Fix

• Non US English case changed bug fixed - changing the case of, say, a Greek character would mean the file was deleted from the destination on the next run, and replaced the run after that

• Jobs can now have colours assigned to them
• Control-o will open the File Open dialog

2.15 - 21st November 2009

New

• Total job count, and disabled job count displayed

2.16 - 20th March 2010

New

• Compact display option
• Two menu items to enable or disable all tasks
• Bart prevents the computer going to sleep while a job is running

• Now works again with Windows 2000

bart.zip (51k)