Database Administrator's Guide

Backup Script File

The dump script file is a plain text file that specifies your options. For example, when to perform a dump, what interval to repeat a dump, and what files to include in a dump.

Format

The script file consists of a series of instructions, each of which is given by a keyword followed by a space and an argument (e.g., the keyword !DAY followed by the argument “WED”). All script keywords begin with an ‘!’ and are not case sensitive (i.e., !DAY = !Day). Arguments are strings of letters, numbers, and punctuation, in the format shown below for each keyword (e.g., WED). New lines divide script keywords and arguments. Keep each keyword/argument pair on a separate line, as in the sample script shown after the list of keywords.

With the following two exceptions, the order of keywords does not matter:

The next to last script keyword must be !FILES, followed by an argument which is a list of the files to be dumped one file name per line. Do NOT include a file name on the same line after the !FILES keyword.

The last script keyword in the script file must be !END, which takes no argument.

Example

!TIME 23:00:00

!DAY Sun

!DUMP SYSTEM.BAK

!DELAY 600

!FREQ 168

!FILES

FAIRCOM.FCS

!END

This script schedules a weekly dump, at 11:00 PM on Sunday nights. The only file included in the dump is FAIRCOM.FCS. The system will wait until 11:10 PM (i.e., 600 seconds delay, after the starting time of 11:00 PM) for all active transactions to complete and then it will abort any transactions still active and begin the actual dump. The dump data will be saved in the file named SYSTEM.BAK.

Note: The FairCom DB Server configuration file can also control the way lingering transactions are aborted.

Note: The server opens the dynamic dump script when the dump is scheduled, reads its contents, then closes it. At dump execution time the server opens the script again, reads the contents and then closes it before proceeding to dump the files.