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Discussion SOLVED Is "save as" sufficient as a backup?

M

Mobie

Guest
Does "save as" save everything you need to restore a game should something happen to your computer? I know it will not save the GameMaker application, but will it save all other relevant files for your game?

I make a system image on an external hard drive every month or so. But I "save as" to a thumb drive multiple times a day. Is that sufficient for never losing my work?
 

RekNepZ

GMC Historian
Check the thumb drive and see if the relevant files are there. I think there's a way to export a single backup file that isn't simply doing save-as though.
 
W

Wayfarer

Guest
I do backups using a batch file. Here's a basic version:

  1. Put the following into Notepad:
    Code:
    @ECHO
    robocopy "C:\copyfromhere" "D:\tohere" /COPY:DAT /DCOPY:T /E /R:5 /W:1 /NP
  2. Edit "C:\copyfromhere" and "D:\tohere" (for example: "C:\GM\yourgame" "D:\Backup\yourgame")
  3. Save it as "something.bat" to somewhere easily accessible (or you can make a shortcut etc)

Make sure you enter the correct values for "C:\copyfromhere" and "D:\tohere"... I don't want to be blamed if you copy over something :p

When I use it, I've made a program that automatically dates backups, but if you're only concerned about a single folder this'd work.
 
C

Claire

Guest
Save as should make a complete copy of your project, so this method would work, or the export menu option will create a .YYZ file which is a compressed but also complete copy of your project. However I would suggest looking into source control such as git as this is a better method of keeping project history than manual backups.
 
M

Mobie

Guest
Save as should make a complete copy of your project, so this method would work, or the export menu option will create a .YYZ file which is a compressed but also complete copy of your project. However I would suggest looking into source control such as git as this is a better method of keeping project history than manual backups.
Check the thumb drive and see if the relevant files are there. I think there's a way to export a single backup file that isn't simply doing save-as though.
I do backups using a batch file. Here's a basic version:

  1. Put the following into Notepad:
    Code:
    @ECHO
    robocopy "C:\copyfromhere" "D:\tohere" /COPY:DAT /DCOPY:T /E /R:5 /W:1 /NP
  2. Edit "C:\copyfromhere" and "D:\tohere" (for example: "C:\GM\yourgame" "D:\Backup\yourgame")
  3. Save it as "something.bat" to somewhere easily accessible (or you can make a shortcut etc)

Make sure you enter the correct values for "C:\copyfromhere" and "D:\tohere"... I don't want to be blamed if you copy over something :p

When I use it, I've made a program that automatically dates backups, but if you're only concerned about a single folder this'd work.
Thank you all very much.
 
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