BackUp ZC [Support Thread]

It works fine until recently. Two days ago, when I run it, there was nothing shown on screen and got a message in log file as "PHP Parse error: syntax error, unexpected '""' (T_CONSTANT_ENCAPSED_STRING), expecting ')' in (... the path...)/backup_zconfig.php on line 69".
zen-cart version: 1.5.1
php version:5.4.25
BackUp ZC version: 1.1

guess it is a php version problem. Is anybody use it on php version 5.4.25 or higher?

Just a quickie. Does anything get stored on the server by default. If it does is their a way to only download with nothing backed up to the server. Server space is an issue and I do not want to add files, just download them.

Tried to install on Zencart 1.5.3 site, getting a very unhelpful "[an error occurred while processing this directive] " when I try to run the backup tool. Linux server at Bluehost. Any ideas of where to start looking, please?

skipwater:

I have gotten a lot of inquires about this.
Here is the response I have been giving.

As for running as a cron/automated that is not a problem, what the problem is setting it up for the users.

What I have not worked out as of yet is the level of the user.

1. A novice user would need a window that would build the cron script for them.
2. With that the user still needs cpanel or other knowledge to activate and run the cron. (support issue)
3. Storing the backup on the server uses space and if run under a cron the drive space will fill up fast. (out of sight out of mind)
4. Yes could overwrite/delete older archives but who sets the ages of the archives and how many.
5. The archives are stored in the same location/server that might need the restore.
6. Must if not 95% of users do not have a second server on line to hold backup/archive files.

I have supplied the user manuals for the 2 class files in the zip file that are the core of BackUp ZC with that and a little knowledge of php a cron/automation script could be made.

What I have been thinking about is adding a timer/reminder in ZC admin to tell the user they should backup.

BackUp ZC was created with the mind set of before anyone changes files of there ZC site they could back up. Also after they have added products to there ZC site they could backup the sql.

And lastly have a backup of there ZC site that is known to be up to date and with no errors.

Skip
I realize this post is over 4 years old, but I was wondering if there are instructions for creating a cron job available?
With regards to item 3 & 4 I would definitely create a second cron job to sweep/auto-clean the backup folder periodically so filling up drive space is not an issue. Alternately I have been looking into options to sweep the contents of the backup folder into a cloud storage (like Dropbox, Box, or Amazon S3).

Is there a way to automate the backup using this module??

Well....I skimmed through all the pages in the thread.....If I missed it I apologize for asking the question again....

Does "Backup ZC" work with ZC version 1.5.4?

Thanks.....:smile:

MM

skipwater:

Each web account gets xxxx MB of drive space. It sounds like you have maxed out your drive space.

Are you storing the files on the web server or downloading them?
Also how many total MB is BackUp ZC saying there is?

If you are backing up Zen Cart database each day and creating a zip file. Then all the sql files and all the zip files are adding up to your drive capacity. If you are downloading then the zip file will not be on the server but all the sql files will be, and they are adding up.

There is much debate on how often a backup is needed and how to store the backup information on a media that is archival.

My suggestion is that you back up once a week at a minimum, and any time you change something. Leave one backup on the server and download and archive the rest. Then and only then delete the rest off the server.

Note: BackUp ZC is a server intensive application it uses all the power that the server allows. So please run when your site traffic is low. This will help your hosting company and make for a happy server.

Skip

Hi. Is this different from the create backup / restore function provided by my web-hosting company's admin panel? Just wondering if I should just use either one or both.

Just to make sure, is the latest version compatible with Zen Cart v 1.5.4?

And I see you mention about storing the backup information on a media that is archival. So do I just store the old backups on my computer / USB or is there somewhere better for storing old backups? This is my first time setting up an online store.

Last, if I choose to backup my Zen Cart database with BackUp ZC, is the backup zip file actually all the Zen Cart files on my server? In the case of restoring my Zen Cart site, I will delete all the Zen Cart files from my server and just upload the unzipped backup files back to the server?

Thanks!

There has been no response to the last query for about a month and a half. I also would like to know if there are any plans (or if it functions now) to make this plugin work with ZC 1.5.4.

Mal

I installed the current version of Backup ZC (when you open the zip it says 1.1) on a fresh ZC 1.5.4 install (as in first plugin/anything installed but the ZC files) and it worked exactly as expected. As with everything, your mileage may vary.

Mal

The backup excludes files with XX in the button column. How can I include them?

youradminfolder/backup_zconfig.php

// ***********************************************************************
  // Set default exclude directories
  // ***********************************************************************
  $exclude_files = array("".DIR_FS_CATALOG."cache",
  						 "".DIR_FS_CATALOG."extras",
  						 "".DIR_FS_CATALOG."pub"
  						 );

Though you should just delete the extras folder anyway...not needed.
the pub folder is only useful if your selling downloadables, as its the folder the symlink goes in for download waiting for the customer to download. So if your not selling downloadables you can delete the pub folder also.

barco57,

Thanks for your reply. I want to be sure I understand your reply.

I do sell downloads. Could you explain why 'PUB' is in both pieces of code and Extras should not be backed up?

I want to better understand.

There is two sections of code that look like PUB duplicated.

Here is the code in the

// ***********************************************************************
// Note each directroy or file name must be surrounded with double quotes
// and a single comma with no space separating each.
// DIR_FS_CATALOG = Zen Carts root files system path you must use this and
// just add the directory you want excluded.
// Rember that directories names are case sensitive!
// ***********************************************************************
/* Sample Exclude
$exclude_files = array("".DIR_FS_CATALOG."cache",
"".DIR_FS_CATALOG."pub",
"".DIR_FS_CATALOG."admin",
"".DIR_FS_CATALOG."download"
);

*/
// ***********************************************************************
// Set default exclude directories
// ***********************************************************************
$exclude_files = array("".DIR_FS_CATALOG."cache",
"".DIR_FS_CATALOG."extras",
"".DIR_FS_CATALOG."pub"
);

// ***********************************************************************

The first section is a commented out example of setting up exclusions.
extras is just a folder of troubleshooting tools that should be removed on a production site, nothing ever changes in there.
If you sell downloads you could backup pub, but things in there change all the time, symlinks get added and removed, and you would never want too restore the pub folder in its entirety because you would add symlinks back in for stuff that was already downloaded by the client. Unless your storing other stuff in the pub folder (tsk, tsk).

This may sound like a very basic question but here it is.

How do i restore the database from the SQL file created by Backup_ZC?

Hi Zen Cart Experts
I am running BackUp Zc version 1.1 on Zen Cart 1.54. Here is my problem: I have a live store in my root directory and a test store in another sub directory on the same server using different databases. Using the BackUp ZC in the test store there are absolutely no problems, mod works like a charm and very fast. On the live store in the root directory, first in runs very sloooooooowly. At this time I can do an sql backup and I can do a admins directory backup even if it does do it slowly. I can not however do an includes directory backup or a complete backup. It just times out and gives a 500 error.
The includes backup is for 8.07MB and the complete backup is for about the same. As a matter of fact the file sizes for the downloads on the test store and the live store are about the same. As I said the test store backup goes lickety split for a complete backup and the live site one just crawls, eventually does either or sql backup or a admin directory backup but not a includes directory or full backup, just times out. Followed all the suggestions in this thread about eliminating directories, increasing the timeout time etc, etc, etc. Any Ideas or suggestions?
Need further information just ask.

fjbern1943:

Hi Zen Cart Experts
I am running BackUp Zc version 1.1 on Zen Cart 1.54. Here is my problem: I have a live store in my root directory and a test store in another sub directory on the same server using different databases. Using the BackUp ZC in the test store there are absolutely no problems, mod works like a charm and very fast. On the live store in the root directory, first in runs very sloooooooowly. At this time I can do an sql backup and I can do a admins directory backup even if it does do it slowly. I can not however do an includes directory backup or a complete backup. It just times out and gives a 500 error.
The includes backup is for 8.07MB and the complete backup is for about the same. As a matter of fact the file sizes for the downloads on the test store and the live store are about the same. As I said the test store backup goes lickety split for a complete backup and the live site one just crawls, eventually does either or sql backup or a admin directory backup but not a includes directory or full backup, just times out. Followed all the suggestions in this thread about eliminating directories, increasing the timeout time etc, etc, etc. Any Ideas or suggestions?
Need further information just ask.

One of my clients has the exact same problem. Works great on the test store but on main site getting Internal Server Error.

I follow the steps upload all the files to the position you mention. but cannot see in the Admin->Tools. is anyother thing I missed
my zencart is ver 1.5

soso838:

my zencart is ver 1.5
Which 1.5.x do you have?

I follow the steps upload all the files to the position you mention. but cannot see in the Admin->Tools. is anyother thing I missed
my zencart is ver 1.54

Hi DrByte

It looks like that this plugin isn't compatible with PHP7. PHP7 has quitted mysql_connect. Could you update it? Thanks.

su35:

Hi DrByte

It looks like that this plugin isn't compatible with PHP7. PHP7 has quitted mysql_connect. Could you update it? Thanks.
Hmmm. I never use this plugin. I do use the "Backup MySQL" plugin though, and it's PHP7 compatible ... but only does MySQL backups, not PHP files.