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how to backup a text file every hour in windows 7

Posted: 20 Jul 2018 22:27
by batemanj
Hello,

I have windows 7 Pro on my laptop and I need to automate backup of a text file every hour with unique backup file name with date stamp.

For ex. My file name = scratch.txt and the backup file name should be scratch-201807210100 (at the time of 1:00 hours) and scratch-201807210200 (at the time of 02:00 hrs) and so on...

Please advise me on how to do this? I'm admin of this laptop.

Thanks!

Re: how to backup a text file every hour in windows 7?

Posted: 20 Jul 2018 22:36
by Squashman
Create the batch file and then open up Windows Task Scheduler to create a scheduled task that repeats every hour.

Re: how to backup a text file every hour in windows 7?

Posted: 20 Jul 2018 23:08
by batemanj
Thanks I should have been more clearer.

I know a batch script and keeping it in task scheduler would do but I dont know anything about batch scripting. Appreciate if someone could provide it.

Re: how to backup a text file every hour in windows 7?

Posted: 21 Jul 2018 00:13
by Squashman

Code: Select all

@echo off
FOR /F "tokens=2 delims==.-" %%G IN ('wmic os get localdatetime /value') DO SET "dt=%%G"
set "dt=%dt:~0,12%"
copy "scratch.txt" "scratch-%dt%.txt"

Re: how to backup a text file every hour in windows 7?

Posted: 21 Jul 2018 06:35
by batemanj
Many thanks Squashman :D

It worked like charm with time stamp of minutes as well.

Best regards,

Re: how to backup a text file every hour in windows 7?

Posted: 21 Jul 2018 10:24
by batemanj
It's working if i run the batch file from command prompt but not working from task scheduler because of lack absolute paths of the scratch file.

I tried to change it to copy

Code: Select all

"d:\scratch.txt" "d:\scratch-%dt%.txt"
but this not working. Could you please modify it to set absolute paths?

Thanks!

Re: how to backup a text file every hour in windows 7?

Posted: 21 Jul 2018 10:27
by Squashman
batemanj wrote:
21 Jul 2018 10:24
It's working if i run the batch file from command prompt but not working from task scheduler because of lack absolute paths of the scratch file.

I tried to change it to

Code: Select all

copy "d:\scratch.txt" "d:\scratch-%dt%.txt"
but this not working. Could you please modify it to set absolute paths?

Thanks!
Your example is an absolute path.