RoboVersion

Based on Robocopy, Roboversion is a script based on PowerShell capable of not only mirroring a folder system, but also versioning all of its files. A simple, yet effective, backup solution.

Usage

Opening a PowerShell console, run ". "PATH_TO_FOLDER/RoboVersion.ps1";"(The "." is important!), where "PATH_TO_FOLDER" leads to the "RoboVersion.ps1" file.

With that, the command Roboversion will properly call a function.

Parameters

-OrigPath, -OP:

• Path to the origin-folder, which contains the files to be mirrored.

-DestPath, -DP:

• Path to the target-folder, which will contain the copies and versions.

-VersionLimit, -VL, -V:

• Total of versions allowed before replacing old ones.
• Needs to be between 0 and 99999. Default is 5.
• Optional.

-RemotionCountdown, -RC, -R:

• Number of times the script needs to be run before the removed file is permanently deleted.
• Needs to be between 0 and 99999. Default is 10.
• Optional.

-Destructive, -D:

• Forces the number of versions and removed to be within the parameters given.
• Default is false.
• Optional.

-ListOnly, -LO, -L:

• Lists only, don't do any changes.
• Default is false.
• Optional.

Examples

• Roboversion -OrigPath "D:/Test/MyFolder" -DestPath "D:/Test/BackupFolder" -VersionLimit 3 -RemotionCountdown 5 mirrors all files from "MyFolder" to "BackupFolder", creating up to 3 versions, and having all removed files deleted after running the script 5 more times.
• Roboversion "D:/Test/MyFolder" "D:/Test/BackupFolder" -V 3 -R 5 does the same thing.
• Roboversion "D:/Test/MyFolder" "D:/Test/BackupFolder" -V 3 -R 5 -D does the same thing, but all versions above 3 are decreased, maybe causing old versions starting from 1 to be deleted as needed. The same happens with remotions as well.
• Roboversion "D:/Test/MyFolder" "D:/Test/BackupFolder" -V 3 -R 5 -L only lists the changes it would do, but no actions are made.

Behaviour

• Mirroring a origin-folder into a target-folder, it can do different things in different situations:
  • New File:
    • A file does not exist on target-folder.
    • A simple copy is made.
  • Modified files:
    • A file had been modified on origin-folder, and it's present on target-folder.
    • A copy is made, marked as a new version, and the original file is replaced by the one present in the origin-folder.
  • Removed files:
    • A file is not present on the target-folder, but it is on target-folder.
    • A copy is made, marked as removed, and the original is deleted.
• Versions:
  • If a file "filename.ext" has a new version, it's named "filename _version[v].ext", where v can range from 1 to VersionLimit.
    • When all numbers are occupied, version 1 is deleted and all others are renamed, leaving version VersionLimit free to be occupied.
      • Versions above VersionLimit are ignored.
    • Removed versions are ignored.
  • If Destructive is marked, then all versions that happen to be above VersionLimit are decreased to fit within the limit.
  • If VersionLimit is 0, then no versions are created. Modified files are simply copied over.
    • Using with Destructive results in all versions being deleted.
• Remotions:
  • If a file "filename.ext" is marked as removed, it's named "filename _removeIn[r].ext", where r can range from RemotionCountdown to 0.
    • All of its versions are also marked: "filename _version[v] _removeIn[r].ext".
    • Everytime the script is run, the number decreases. If its 0, then it's permanently deleted.
  • If a folder "foldername" is marked as removed, it's named "foldername _removeIfEmpty".
    • When all of its content are deleted and the folder is empty, then it's permanently deleted.
  • If Destructive is marked, then all remotions that happen to be above RemotionCountdown are decreased to fit within the limit.
  • If RemotionCountdown is 0, then no remotions are created. Deleted files are simply deleted.
    • Using with Destructive results in all remotions being deleted.
• Note:
  • All files on origin-folder that contains "..._version[...]...", "..._removeIn[...]..." are ignored.
    • All folders that contains "..._removeIfEmpty..." are also ignored.
  • Files that begin with a "." are understood as a extension without a name: ".filename" results into versions named " _version[v].filename".
  • The space before the mark is optional: "filename _version[v].ext"(With space) is the same as "filename_version[v].ext"(No space).
  • Versions and remotions can be manually renamed, respecting the 1-99999 and 0-99999 ranges.
• Caveats:
  • Newly created folders with no files are not listed, but are still copied over.
  • Before processing files, it needs Robocopy to list them all. That can be a little slow.
    • During the listing process, a file will be temporarily created on the target-folder. That's the only way for Robocopy to list files with special characters on it's name.

In Practice

"D:\myFolder"	Command	"M:\myBackup"
myFile.ext ("A")	Roboversion "D:\myFolder" "M:\myBackup" -V 4 (To create a inicial copy, same as Robocopy)	myFile.ext ("A")
myFile.ext ("B")	Roboversion "D:\myFolder" "M:\myBackup" -V 4 (Here, it creates a version)	myFile.ext ("B") myFile _version[1].ext ("A")
myFile.ext ("C")	Roboversion "D:\myFolder" "M:\myBackup" -V 4 (Another version)	myFile.ext ("C") myFile _version[2].ext ("B") myFile _version[1].ext ("A")
myFile.ext ("D")	Roboversion "D:\myFolder" "M:\myBackup" -V 4	myFile.ext ("D") myFile _version[3].ext ("C") myFile _version[2].ext ("B") myFile _version[1].ext ("A")
myFile.ext ("E")	Roboversion "D:\myFolder" "M:\myBackup" -V 4	myFile.ext ("E") myFile _version[4].ext ("D") myFile _version[3].ext ("C") myFile _version[2].ext ("B") myFile _version[1].ext ("A")
myFile.ext ("F")	Roboversion "D:\myFolder" "M:\myBackup" -V 4 (Now, any new versions causes the oldest one to be replaced)	myFile.ext ("F") myFile _version[4].ext ("E") myFile _version[3].ext ("D") myFile _version[2].ext ("C") myFile _version[1].ext ("B")
myFile.ext ("G")	Roboversion "D:\myFolder" "M:\myBackup" -V 4	myFile.ext ("G") myFile _version[4].ext ("F") myFile _version[3].ext ("E") myFile _version[2].ext ("D") myFile _version[1].ext ("C")
myFile.ext ("H")	Roboversion "D:\myFolder" "M:\myBackup" -V 2 -D (Too many versions! Only two is good)	myFile.ext ("H") myFile _version[2].ext ("G") myFile _version[1].ext ("F")
myFile.ext ("I")	Roboversion "D:\myFolder" "M:\myBackup" -V 2 (Using 2 instead of 4 now)	myFile.ext ("I") myFile _version[2].ext ("H") myFile _version[1].ext ("G")
	Roboversion "D:\myFolder" "M:\myBackup" -V 2 -R 30 (To reflect the deleted file)	myFile _removeIn[30].ext ("I") myFile _version[2] _removeIn[30].ext ("H") myFile _version[1] _removeIn[30].ext ("G")
	Roboversion "D:\myFolder" "M:\myBackup" -V 2 -R 30 (Running now, it only decreases the countdown)	myFile _removeIn[29].ext ("I") myFile _version[2] _removeIn[29].ext ("H") myFile _version[1] _removeIn[29].ext ("G")
	Roboversion "D:\myFolder" "M:\myBackup" -V 2 -R 30	myFile _removeIn[28].ext ("I") myFile _version[2] _removeIn[28].ext ("H") myFile _version[1] _removeIn[28].ext ("G")
	Roboversion "D:\myFolder" "M:\myBackup" -V 2 -R 1 -D (It's taking too long!)	myFile _removeIn[1].ext ("I") myFile _version[2] _removeIn[1].ext ("H") myFile _version[1] _removeIn[1].ext ("G")
	Roboversion "D:\myFolder" "M:\myBackup" -V 2 -R 1	myFile _removeIn[0].ext ("I") myFile _version[2] _removeIn[0].ext ("H") myFile _version[1] _removeIn[0].ext ("G")
	Roboversion "D:\myFolder" "M:\myBackup" -V 2 -R 1 (With 0, all remotions are deleted)

Inner Workings

Everything is based around Robocopy:

• All versions and remotions present on the target-folder are listed with a Robocopy command that only checks marked files.
  • Versions and remotions are renamed or deleted as needed.
  • (Unfortunadely, Robocopy does not allow to filter folders. So, all folders have to be listed by it and filtered by Roboversion. This can be a little slow).
• All files to be modified are listed with another Robocopy command that only lists differences.
  • New versions and remotions are created, renaming or deleting old ones as needed.
• Then a final Robocopy does the mirroring.

It all happens in five stages: UpdateVersioned, UpdateRemoved, UpdateToVersion, UpdateToRemove, and Mirror.

Dependecies

Developed using Robocopy.exe and PowerShell v5.1.