MEPro does not backup on Logoff or Restart

[Jeff Cleveland]

On examination of the file where my automatic macro file backups are kept, there is no indication of backing up the macro file on Logoff or Restart. Perhaps my assumption is incorrect that Logoff and Restart should cause file back up when I have selected Options > Preferences > General > Backup > "Backup every time the program is closed".

 

I will enter a bug report if file backup is supposed to occur in this instance.

 

Jeff Cleveland

[terrypin]

On examination of the file where my automatic macro file backups are kept, there is no indication of backing up the macro file on Logoff or Restart. Perhaps my assumption is incorrect that Logoff and Restart should cause file back up when I have selected Options > Preferences > General > Backup > "Backup every time the program is closed".

 

I will enter a bug report if file backup is supposed to occur in this instance.

 

Jeff Cleveland

 

Jeff,

 

FWIW it seems OK here.

 

On my PC the files Filename.mex, Filename.000, Filename.001 etc are all in the folder

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Insight Software Solutions\Macro Express Pro

 

I just made an arbitrary edit to a macro and terminated ME Pro. A new Filename.mex and Filename.001 appeared in the folder. Identical behaviour to ME 3.

 

---------

 

Duh - as I hit the send key I realised I'd hastily mis-read your post, sorry! I rarely log-off (and can't do so right now) but assume I'd find the same as you. Did ME 3 backup on log-off?

 

This post will vanish as soon as I re-discover the Delete option...

 

 

--

Terry, East Grinstead, UK

[Jeff Cleveland]

Terry,

 

I do not know about ME3. I was a beta tester for Pro and have not used ME3 in a couple of years - I use Pro exclusively.

 

Pro does backup on a Terminate but not Logoff or Restart. I really need automatic backup at Logoff or Restart.

 

Jeff

[Cory]

I'm just speculating here but is the log off giving MEP enough time to back up? I know logging off a session sequentially closes applications and some that take a while to close up shop like by Bit Torrent client are unceremoniously killed before they're done. And it's worse with the more applications you run. Especially apps like Climate. Windows users have cried for years that it takes too long to shut down or log off but what they didn't' realize is most of that time is waiting for non-windows applications. So I think in Vista they're less tolerant of delays. You might try closing every running app and process before choosing to log off and see how it goes.

[Jeff Cleveland]

Friends and Colleagues:

 

I put in a Feature Request for MEP to backup the macro file on a Log off or Restart if that has been selected.

 

Jeff Cleveland

[kevin]

Jeff,

 

You (and others) have reported that backups do not occur when you log off and that logging off has long delays if Macro Express Pro is loaded. Both of these issues are caused by the same thing.

 

When Windows shuts down (or logs off a session) it sends a message telling the programs that are running to close. Macro Express receives this message and begins its shutdown process, including backing up the macro file.

 

As with most (all?) file handling in Windows, Macro Express does not actually do a file copy. Instead it sends a message to Windows requesting a file copy. When Windows starts shutting down (or closing a session) it can get into a condition where it stops responding to things like file copy requests (or it can start going very slowly).

 

If your macro file is fairly small then the backup occurs quickly enough that Windows is still responsive and things shut down correctly. But, as the size of your macro file grows you approach a critical size where shutting down is not reliable. Sometimes it will work and other it will not. With very large macro files you will get the 'cannot close' message every time you close Windows.

 

This problem is more pronounced with Macro Express Pro for several reasons. The macro files are somewhat larger, multiple macro files can be open, the program files are larger and there are more of them and Macro Express Pro uses multiple threads. Each of these contribute to make Macro Express Pro to take longer to shut down than Macro Express.

 

Windows Vista makes the issue even worse. Because of the complaints Microsoft has received about the length of time it takes to shut down a computer running Vista they have changed how the shutdown process works. Vista sends a shutdown message but does not wait for the program to respond that it has finished shutting down and it just closes things. This means that even though Macro Express and Macro Express Pro close quickly the backup of the macro files may not occur.

 

(As a side-note, this is also the reason that Macro Express does not have a macro activation that occurs when either Macro Express or Windows shuts down.)

 

Our recommendation is to disable backing up the macro file when Macro Express Pro closes if you are receiving 'cannot close' messages when shutting down or logging off from windows. This also applies if your backups are not completing when you log off of Windows.

 

There are several ways to work-around this issue:

 

1. Use the new backup option that causes a backup to occur at a specific time each day. This option is also useful for those who never turn off their computers.

 

2. Create a macro to backup your macro files and then log off or shut down Windows. To initiate a backup open Macro Explorer and type Alt+fb.

 

3. You could also write a macro that uses the Copy File/Files command to copy your macro files.

[Cory]

I would like to suggest you simply disable backup if using Vista or late versions of XP. In Vista we have a stripped down version of Volume Shadow Copy that they call "Previous Versions". Simply right click any file, Properties, Previous Version and you have a way back machine. No need for backups.