MarkBook File Management and Backup

    MarkBook^®     section 12-1

File Management and Backup
The image below is part of the Explorer screen from MicroSoft Windows® XP. Windows® '95, '98, NT, ME, and 2000 are similar. Reach this screen from your main Windows screen by clicking on Start, selecting Programs, and clicking on Windows Explorer. Windows 3.1 has an equivalent screen called File Manager. Any of these Microsoft programs let you view your file organization. They also facilitate the movement and copying of those files and this is one way that you can use to copy and backup your MarkBook data! You can also use the Backup feature described in section 3-2.

This teacher has opened Windows® Explorer which looks at the directory information on the computer. The left Folders box shows two Drives - a 3 1/2 Floppy (A:) Drive and an S3A9937D001 (C:) drive (i.e. the hard drive). Note that the C: drive has been "opened" as evidenced by the minus sign inside the square to the left of the drive icon.

Data and software on the C: drive are shown in yellow "folders" or "directories". For instance BRL2 is a directory with other folders inside and it is not "open" (meaning not being explored at the moment). Comment Banks does not have other folders inside it. MkBk2002 has been opened by clicking inside the square to the left. Copying Files Screen

This changes the + sign to a - sign. If you wish to close the folder again, click on the minus sign.

The teacher has also clicked on the name MkBk2002 in the left window. This action causes a list of all contents of 'MkBk2002' to appear in the right window. This includes all File Folders (contain multiple files and/or other subfolders) and all single files such as 4Levels.scm. The class folders also show below the directory at the left.

All folders with MB----02 are 02/03 classes that the teacher has constructed using MarkBook. These are the data File Folders for these classes. Each Folder contains one file for each of marks, texts, seating plan, student identification, attendance, etc. The name of the class is embedded inside the folder name e.g. BIO3AO-02 or 7X in this image.

This teacher is in the act of backing up the data for a class. Since the Folders are on this computer's hard (C:) drive, this teacher wishes to copy the data folder onto a diskette in the (A:) drive as a backup. The user could also employ MarkBook's built-in Backup routine described in section 3-2.

The teacher has used the cursor to highlight the MBBIO3AO-0202 folder - note the blue background. To select multiple folders, mouse click on the first one, and then hold down your Ctrl button on your keyboard while clicking on the other selections. Also highlight your MarkBook configuration files MKBK7PRG.CFG. This saves any settings that you like which are different from MarkBook's supplied defaults.

Once all files to be copied are highlighted, use "drag and drop" to transfer onto the 3 1/2 Floppy (A:) drive symbol. Grab any one of your highlighted folders with the mouse, and move (i.e. "drag") the cursor over top of the 31/2 Floppy (A): drive symbol. Note that the target drive also highlights as you get the cursor over it. Once A: turns blue, release the mouse button (i.e. "drop") and all highlighted folders and files will copy onto the diskette in the floppy drive.

If you already have an earlier copy of these files or folders on the diskette, Windows® will warn you that the file already exists. If you are copying a more up-to-date set of data, follow the Windows® prompts to replace your old diskette files with the newer ones.

Keep your backup diskette in a safe place away from magnetic sources, excessive heat, and moisture. If you do not keep your files on your hard drive, and use only diskettes, make a copy of the diskette regularly. Keep the second backup diskette in a different location from the first.

When finished with Explorer, click on the upper right X (not shown) or click on File and then on Exit.

An alternative to this copy technique is described in section 3-2.

"Windows" is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.

Manual: Go to section 12-2 for MarkBook class file management for administrators and guidance teachers.