SmartSave is a relocatable module which takes effect when you save any file. It checks to see if you already have a file of the same name on disc, and if so it renames it by adding an incrementing two-digit number to the name of the old file before saving the new file. This provides for backups to be automatically generated, and avoids the loss of files due to over-writing.ŷ
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Clicking on this application opens a Filer window containing the SmartSave relocatable module and a Basic file containing the source code for the module.ŷ
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The module can be loaded by double-clicking on its icon. Once the module is loaded, it is possible to disable its action completely by using the following star command:ŷ
Ŵ*SmartSaveOff☓ŷ
To re-activate it, use the command:ŷ
Ŵ*SmartSaveOn☓ŷ
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To install Smartsave automatically each time you turn on your computer, you will need a command such as the following in your !Boot file:ŷ
ŴRMload adfs::My_Disc.$.Modules.SmartSave☓ŷ
giving the full path the location of the module, as in this example.ŷ
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In more detail, SmartSave operates as follows:ŷ
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If you save a file called "MyFile", SmartSave will check to see if "MyFile" already exists. If it does, the existing file will be copied as "MyFile01" before the new version is saved as "MyFile". The next time the file is saved, the existing "MyFile" will be copied as "MyFile02", and so on. Thus "MyFile" itself will always be the latest version, while all other versions will be numbered from 01 upwards, with 01 being the earliest version.ŷ
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If the suffix reaches 99, no new versions can be saved and an error will be generated. It is recommended that you clear out old versions long before 99 is reached! Since filenames under RISC OS can only be 10 characters long, if the original filename is greater than 8 characters, it will be truncated before adding the suffix. Thus "RonLetter" will be copied as "RonLette01", and "SpriteFile" as "SpriteFi01".ŷ
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SmartSave has been tested with Edit, Draw, Paint, DeskEdit, Wordz, TextAid, Ovation and Impression among others, and should work with most RISC OS applications. However, there are a variety of different methods used by applications for saving files, and SmartSave cannot cater for all possible combinations. In these cases, even if the previous file is not copied with a suffix, SmartSave should not prevent the saving of the new file with the original filename, so you are not likely to lose any work as a result.ŷ
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Further details of the module's operation are given in the accompanying article in this month's magazine.ŷ
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€WARNING!!☓ŷ
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Some commercial applications, notably PipeDream4, write to their program disc when it is first accessed, as part of the installation procedure. SmartSave can upset this procedure, and in some cases render the application unusable. Make sure that SmartSave is not installed, or is de-activated, before opening a directory viewer for the very first time on any commercial application disc.ŷ
