With just one click your work is saved and backed up with a sequential history and a development log.

• This is ideal for anyone developing an Excel workbook.

• Where a development history is required.

Click here to download Save and BackUp

Quick Overview

Save and BackUp - What happens?

• Saves your file.
• Creates a sequential BackUp copy.
• Prompts you to make an entry in the project log file.

Click here to find out how to load Save and BackUp

FAQs

The Toolbar and Menu Items

The Toolbar

Location of the new menu items

• "Save and BackUp"

• "Save and BackUp, Other"

If you choose to unload the add-in these items are automatically removed.

Save and BackUp in depth

Click on "Save and BackUp" and your work is saved and sequentially backed up. This is ideal for anyone developing an Excel workbook, especially where a development history is required.

Save and BackUp - What happens?

• The first time you save a file using "Save and BackUp" a new sub-folder is created using the same name as the file, but without the xls extension.
  • You can store all you backups in a separate directory which can also be on another drive or server.
• Off that sub-folder, a new sub-folder is created for each day you make a save.
• Each time you use "Save and BackUp" on that day, a date and timed copy of the file is made. So, if you make any mistakes, or want to review a previous version, you just open up the relevant version.

What if I haven't yet named and saved the file?

• You will be prompted to give the file a name the first time you use "Save and BackUp":

• If you change you mind, click on "Cancel" and no save or BackUp is made.

Making a log entry

• We named this demonstration file "Budget.Xls".
• Each time you use "Save and BackUp" you will be prompted to make an entry in the log file for this project.
• If you change your mind, click on "Cancel" and no save or BackUp is made.

• Below you can see the "Save and BackUp" result
• The file was saved in the "Development" folder
• A new sub-folder called "Budget" was created.

Here are some screen shots of what happens over a few days as a project develops.

• The first time a file is saved, "Save and BackUp" creates a sub-folder named after the file's name.
• It also creates sub-folders for each day you save using "Save and BackUp". The sub-folders are named in the format "yyyymmdd", so 7th March 2003 would be "20030307". This way your directories are listed in creation order.

• A file called "PROJECT.LOG" is created in the master sub-folder. This is a text file used to make notes about the project (see below).

• Each time you use "Save and BackUp" BackUp copies are created in the daily folders. Each copy has the date, time and a revision number appended to the name.

• After a few days you will have several sub-folders holding the BackUp copies of your project.

• The file "PROJECT.LOG" holds the comments you have made when using "Save and BackUp" and any random log entries you have made.

Configurable

The add-in comes with an INI file called “BygSaveAndBack.Ini” which is installed in the same folder as the add-in file. The INI file holds many settings, including date and time formats. You can access the file from the “Save and BackUp, Other” sub-menu.

File > Save and BackUp, Other > INI File

You can change certain items, such as date formats, by revising entries in the INI file:

For anyone who has never dealt with an INI, all you need to know is that it is a text file that you can edit with any text editor, such as Notepad.

By default, Byg Tools uses Notepad to edit the INI file. You can change this in the “Editor” section of the INI file.

A line commencing with a semicolon, ";", is a comment.

Lines commencing and ending with square brackets are section headings.

The remaining lines are variables. The variable name is on the left of the equals sign, "=", and the value it holds is on the right.

Below is the INI file supplied with "Save and BackUp".

; © Byg Software Ltd 2001, 2002, 2003

[User]
Name=Registered Name
Serial=999999999

; Formats used by date and time
[Formats]
FormatDate=dd-mmm-yyyy
FormatTime=hh:mm
FormatRevnum=3

[Editor]
Editor="Notepad"
;Editor="C:\PFE\PFE.EXE"

[Logging]
Log=True

[Backup]
Path=H:\MyFolder\EXCEL\MySaveAndBackups

[User]

• Your registration name and number go here

[Formats]

• Configure your date and time formats. Use a string Excel will recognise. Anything else may give unexpected results.
• The FormatRevnum variable determines how many characters are used when appending the revision number to the BackUp file.

[Editor]

• The default editor is Notepad, which should be sufficient for most purposes. You can use your own editor by putting the full path name in the Editor variable.

[Logging]

• set the Log variable to False if you do not want to be prompted for log entries (not advised).

[Backup]

• An alternative location to store all your backups created with Save and Backup.

Loading

• Run the file you have downloaded. It is a self-extracting .exe file called BygSaveAndBackUp.exe.

• The loader will default to the “C:\BygSaveAndBackUp” folder. You can change this to a location of your choosing by clicking on the Browse button

Installing an Excel add-in

• In Excel, on the Tools menu, click Add-Ins.

• If “Save and BackUp” is not listed in the Add-Ins dialog box, click Browse and locate where you installed the program (see above)

• Select the “Save and Back” check box.

• Click on "OK"

The "Save and BackUp, Other" menu

The “Save, Back and Other” menu consists of four items.

Alternatively, click on
File > Properties : Statistics
and the latest revision number is about half way down.

Save and BackUp is shareware

With a registered copy

• No banners appear if you have registered your copy.
• There is a minimal cost £6.30 (appx $10) to register.

With an unregistered copy

Registering

Do I have to register

• No, "Save and BackUp" is shareware - click here for more information

Is Save and Backup time limited?

• No. Even though "Save and BackUp" is shareware there are no time limits imposed on your use. However, if you continue to use it after 30 days you should register.

How do I register

• We accept credit card registration using "PayPal".
  The current registration fee is £6.30 (GBP), which is approximately $10 (USD).
• Or, registration by cheque is £11.75 (GBP) which must be in sterling and drawn on a UK bank.

Click here for the registration page

What happens next?

• A few days after registering your copy of "Save and BackUp" you will be sent a serial number and your registration name.

• Enter these into the welcome banner when you next load "Save and BackUp", or into the “User” section of the INI file.

• The INI file is installed in the same folder as the add-in file. You can open it by clicking on the option in the "Save and BackUp, Other" sub-menu.