Bart

Backup files and folders by synchronising just changes

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 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 there! The synchronisation is one-way, and is complete.

Note:
The destination directory is changed to have the same file content as the source. If you set a directory or drive root which already contains any files, this means those will be deleted. Create a new empty directory and use that as the destination.

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 will be shut down once the jobs have been run, as long as there were no errors in any of the tasks
-ignoreerrors - if -shutdown has been specified and errors were found, shut down anyway
-datelog - save detailed logs to different files, named as the date on which the job was run
-logexclusions - also write files which are skipped to the detailed log file
-file <filename> - open the specified job file
-noballoon - do not display a tray icon balloon when the job has completed
-auto - run silently with no user interaction, or windows: use this for running Bart from a Scheduled Task
-showdetlog - open the detailed log file when the job completes
-letter:x - set 'x' as the variable drive. To use this letter in the "Destination directory" type a ? - e.g. ?:\users

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

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.

AvviaBackup

Bart user Piero Pratesi has written a companion app (in Italian) named AvviaBackup which helps locate a certain removable drive connected to your machine, and then launches Bart with the -letter command line parameter filled in. To use it, create a folder named ZZZZZZZZZZ_NON_CAMBIARE_NOME on the root of your drive, and then an empty file in that folder named ZZZZZZZZZZ_SEGNAPOSTO_BACKUP.TXT. Put the exe in the same location as Bart, and then run:

AvviaBackup.exe -letter:

Pascal source code is also included in the download, which is below.

Versions

v3.1 - December 2019

New

Added -sleep
"No prefix" added to current file name CStatic, can maximise, selection hilight now blue, "very safe" mode
"..." buttons in edit dialog
Added "error to warning" option in jobs

Changes

Disabled items also have a struck out font
Full path listed when a file is deleted
Much more debugging written to file when set, ProcessReparsePoint added
Space toggle enabled
High DPI support added
App is now statically linked

Fixes

DeleteFile now uses Unicode path, edited and duplicated tasks are scrolled into view
Can no longer insert < or > into job names
Exclusions are no longer _stat'd, bug with new exclusions not being deleted from destination
Stop button disabled along with Pause
DST and FAT handled in IsFileIdentical
Jobs running > 24h no longer truncate their running time

v3.00 - 23rd December 2012

New

Full Unicode support
Progress bar
-showdetlog command line option
"Rename files in destination if just the case has changed" task option
Added "Keep system awake" options
"Clear log window" menu item
App can be fully portable by using 'bart.ini' rather than the registry
Status bar
Double-click a log line to copy it to the clipboard
Debug mode
"Do not copy files with exactly one hour modification difference" option