Definition of Add, Update, Freshen

[Badders]

Hi,

Could someone define exactly what -a, -u and -f do in PACL 6?

This is in respect to the following?

File not in archive
File in archive but with timestamp same as on disk
File in archive but with timestamp earlier than on disk
File in archive but with timestamp later than on disk

Here are my thoughts:

-a Adds new files to archive (what happens to files already in the archive? Do they get updated? Only if they're different? Only if they're newer?)

-u same as -a but doesn't add new ones

-f same as -u but only if they are newer

Thanks,
Badders

[TBGBe]

Originally Posted by Badders

-a Adds new files to archive (what happens to files already in the archive? Do they get updated? Only if they're different? Only if they're newer?)

-u same as -a but doesn't add new ones

-f same as -u but only if they are newer

I (almost) agree...
-a : add : Adds new and replaces any existing (no checks)

-u : update : re-adds only existing files (no checks)

-h : freshen : only adds existing which have been modified or later date than in archive.

-f : folders : don't add empty folders

[Badders]

-f : folders : don't add empty folders

(makes mental note - don't use command parameters of competitors products )

So, I guess my real question is:

Is it possible to freshen the existing files in the archive and add any new files?

[TBGBe]

That is the same result as add - it won't remove existing files if that is what you're concerned about.

[Badders]

It's not quite the same as an add. I want it to add new files - yes, but not re-archive files which haven't changed.

I realise it won't remove any files from the archive.

The background is that I have many large database files in the archive which don't change very often. Occasionally a new database comes along which needs to be added to the archive. I don't want it to spend time needlessly re-archiving all the other databases which haven't changed. The database files are between 5GB and 25GB but compact down to a couple of GB.

I don't mind running PACOMP twice. Once with -h and once with -an (new option for (a)dd (n)ew only).

[TBGBe]

Originally Posted by Badders

... I don't want it to spend time needlessly re-archiving all the other databases which haven't changed. The database files are between 5GB and 25GB but compact down to a couple of GB.

Why not use the "archive flags" control ( -aa ) - in combination with "clear flag" (-ca)?
Then if a file hasn't changed the flag will not be set and PACL won't re-compress it.

[spwolf]

using archive flags is the best way to do any update.

[Badders]

Originally Posted by spwolf

using archive flags is the best way to do any update.

True - that's certainly an option. Thanks.