Backup creates two files that are not identical

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1

Gramps version: 5.1.5 - OS: Linux Mint 21.2 with Mate 1.26.0
When I create a backup of my Gramps database I get the backup file where I have directed:
Brown Family_2023-11-24.gramps 16.1 kb Gramps XML database
But I also get a file in my user home folder:
Brown Family-2023-11-21-14-21-20.gramps 16.1 k Gramps XML database
I used the Linux “Meld” app to compare the two file, they are not the same. I have used the first file to import the database to a different computer, seems to work fine.

  1. Why the 2nd file? Is this a bug or a feature?
  2. Should I save the 2nd file are can I delete all of them?
  3. Can I use the 2nd file as a database import? If so does it give me something more or less then the 1st file?
2

those 2 backups were done on different days nov 24 vs nov 21.The 2nd file looks like it was an automatic backup.

3

The 2nd file is an automatic backup, made when you close Gramps, and it knows that the file was changed.

Backup files are compressed in Gzip format, and the archive stores the timestamp of the uncompressed file, which is the actual Gramps XML. The actual XML files are most likely identical, because they only contain the export or backup date, no time.

4

Does the backup upon exit on 5.1 make that distinction? More intelligence for the autobackup is added in the 5.2 version.

  • 0011916 : don’t auto-backup if nothing has changed
  • 0011813 : Add more interval choices to automated backup

But those are for the timed backup. Perhaps the backup on exit already some intelligence?

5

Yes it does. I see no automatic back-up when I don’t make changes.

There is a problem in 5.1 though, when I make changes, and then load another tree. In that case, it will not make a backup on exit when I don’ make a change in that other tree, and it won’t backup the 1st, because I didn’t exit Gramps when I switched.

In other words, backup on exit is exactly what it is, on exit, not on close.

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6

Backup on Close

That sounds like a good feature request to file when MantisBT comes back online.

It could reference:

relatedship ID Status Project Description
related to 0012563 acknowledged Gramps “Abandon changes & Quit” performs unnecessary “Backup on exit”
related to 0012088 confirmed Gramps Backup on exit feature skips some backups
related to 0011558 acknowledged Gramps Exit is not abortable when backup upon exit fails
related to 0011916 resolved Gramps Please don’t auto-backup if nothing has changed.
related to 0012922 confirmed Feature Requests Add option to also Backup on close as No automatic backup when switching databases/trees only Backup on exit
7

I made that already, July this year. It was also in your screen shot.

https://gramps-project.org/bugs/view.php?id=12922

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8

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