NBA2K10: Backup Script for Your Precious Game Save Files!!

[instant000]

backup_nba2k10.zip

This will serve as the readme for the script file "backup_nba2k10.bat"

If you will notice, I attempted to use "variables" as much as possible within the file, and then I will just explain what the variable are, and you can modify them, to suit your situation. Honestly, I decided to set this up before I ever played a single game, only because I read this forum, and was "afraid" of losing any hard-owned work in the "my player" mode.

driveletterc = This is just used to refer to a driveletter. On the default setup in Windows XP or Windows 7, the game saves your data on this drive.

driveletterd = This is also used to refer to a driveletter. What you want to consider is that this probably works best if this drive is a "removable" one. The reason being is that if your hard drive crashes, you will have your data backed up somewhere else! If you are unlucky enough that you cannot do this (I feel sorry for you.) To avoid rewriting the script, you can just change this setting to point to drive "c" instead of "d" ... though be careful and do remember that you were warned. (Note: Some times systems have a Drive "D" that is just a part of the Drive "C" and you're still on the same hard drive, or, it is on the same computer, which is still not that fantastic. .... try to use a removable drive for this, if at all possible.)

backupdir = the directory where your files are backed up to. You are reminded again that this works best if the drive you are using is not the same one where your other files are ... what's the point of backing up a system onto itself? You still lose the files. If you wanted to use the one in the example I provide:

logdir = This is the file that you are using to log what happens when you run this job. I recommend using the extension .txt, so that the file will be easy to open up to read later on.

savedir = This refers to the directory that stores your saved files for your game.
In Windows XP, this is your save directory:
"C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\Application Data\2k Sports\NBA 2K10\Saves\"
In Windows 7, this is your save directory:
"C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\2k Sports\NBA 2K10\Saves\"
[[[[Note: Please substitute the actual "username" that applies in your case. If your computer has a "default" set-up, then the name is probably "Owner".

scriptdir = This refers to the folder where the script files are located. If this folder does not exist, then you must create it.

workingdir = the folder where the work on the job is done. Note that this folder actually gets cleared out in the end of the script, so don't worry about its getting clogged up.

backupfile = this is whatever you are calling your backup file. In this case, I chose to call it "backup.zip". You may feel free to call it NBA2K10backup.zip, for example. The important part, is the file extension. From what I read in the documentation, the 7-zip program (freeware) that is being utilized in this example does not care what file extension that you use. I just feel it is important to note that Windows does recognize the .zip file extension by default, and you are advised to use that one, for that reason alone.

logfile = this is the file that stores the logs of what occurs when running the script. If something fails (for whatever reason). This file is created, and you can look at it, to figure out what you did wrong.

zipper= This is the program that zips up the files that you are saving in your "save" directory. I am using 7zip. It does what I need. I included the zipper with the downloads. As the program is free to use as we choose (according to their own website) this should not be an issue. If you somehow "do not trust" the file, then feel free to download it yourself, from "http://www.7-zip.org".

Explanation of the different file extensions: (ext01,ext02,ext03 ...)
.cfg (config)
.LSF (NBA Today)
.PPF (player progression)
.REC (game records)
.ROS (roster)
.SLD (Game Sliders)
.STG (Settings)
.USR (user profile)
.FXG (association)
.FDC (draft classes) ]ShadowGrin[
.CMG (My Player)
Note: These are the ones that I have gathered so far. If there are more, then feel free to consider those, and share on the forum.

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Extra Tip 1 of 4: Making directories.

If you are having some issue, with making the folders for using this job: (doubt it, but just in case)
(1) Get to a command window
a. in windows xp, do start > run > "cmd" and hit "enter"
b. in windows 7, hit the windows icon > in the search box, type in "cmd" and hit [enter]
(2) Enter the following lines, hitting "enter" after each line
md d:\backup\nba2k10
md d:\backup\nba2k10\log
md c:\scripts\nba2k10
md d:\backup\working
(3) After the folders have been created, simply type in "exit" and hit [enter] to exit the window.

Extra Tip 2 of 4: Don't Backup files you do not need. Feel free to modify, by "remarking the lines for the files that you feel no need to backup". This can save you a little disk space, on your backup drive. To remark a line, just type "rem" in front of it.

Extra Tip 3 of 4:
Scheduling the Backup: In the future, if you want to run this backup, (I actually recommend using a scheduled task for this.) you can double-click the executable. I prefer to run it as a schedule task, several times a day. (Actually, I set it to run every 30 minutes from 5 pm to 7 pm, as that's the usual time I'm on the computer at home.)

Extra Tip 4 of 4:
Archival. Not nothing much to worry about, to tell the truth. Zipped up, my backups are about 1 MB each. They'd have to get pretty large before I start worrying about how much space they take up. But, in an interest in completeness:
If you are paranoid, you could just not delete your ".archive" files. I note that my zipped backups are about 1 MB in size. As I make 4 backups a day, that's about 4 MB. If I did those all year long, I'd have just over 1 GB. So, it may not even be worth worrying about. If you are at a point where using 1 GB of disk space over the course of a year causes you a storage issue, you might want to invest in a larger hard drive.

You can basically use this job (backup_nba2k10) setup as a template, to make your own archival task. (Basically, you can use additional file extensions, to name your files) (Or, you can use additional directories, which is what I prefer, but its only a personal preference.)
Anyway, this is what you would do:
a. delete all your files with ".archive" extension
b. rename all of your files with ".old" extension to ".archive" extension
c. rename all of your files with ".zip" extension to ".old" extension
d. schedule this to occur, once a week. This provides you with a couple weeks worth of backup protection, but also frees up space after the files get to be a couple weeks old, by which time you probably don't want them.

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Credits:

7-zip: http://www.7-zip.org

Can I use 7-Zip in a commercial organization?
Yes, 7-Zip is free software. You can use it on any computer. You don't need to register or pay for 7-Zip.

Can I use the EXE or DLL files from 7-Zip in a Commercial Application?
Yes, but you are required to specify in your documentation (1) that you used parts of the 7-Zip program, (2) that 7-Zip is licensed under the GNU LGPL license and (3) you must give a link to http://www.7-zip.org, where the source code can be found.

Save File Extensions: viewtopic.php?f=122&t=73401 Thread Title "What are all of the files that I need to save?"

.FDC file extension: "ShadowGrin" of http://forums.nba-live.com"

NBA 2K10: 2K Sports

Windows 7, Windows XP: Microsoft Corporation

This readme and the accompanying batch file: Lewis Lampkin, III Feel free to peruse my blog, at http://www.lewislampkin.com. If you care to, reach out to me on linked in at http://linkedin.com/in/lewislampkin.

The attachment should appear below.

backup_nba2k10.zip

[SkyLine03LT]

What is this actually for? If just to backup the files, can't we do it in an old copy/paste somewhere else way?

[instant000]

What is this actually for? If just to backup the files, can't we do it in an old copy/paste somewhere else way?

Yeah, you can. My idea was that it would do it automatically for me.

So, you could have a series of saves files automatically backed up for you.

[SkyLine03LT]

Oh ok, I see now

[reojohn285]

What is this actually for? If just to backup the files, can't we do it in an old copy/paste somewhere else way?

Yeah, you can. My idea was that it would do it automatically for me.

So, you could have a series of saves files automatically backed up for you.

It was not auto directed your files. You have to necessary took your backup then save it manually. So you can get it easily and also as same position. I hope that It would be helpful for it.

[instant000]

It was not auto directed your files. You have to necessary took your backup then save it manually. So you can get it easily and also as same position. I hope that It would be helpful for it.

reojohn285: I am not understanding your question. What is your problem with this?

Hrm, wait, is your problem that the backups are placed in a zip file? The actual intent behind that is to save some space for you, as without zipping the files up, the backup could be many times bigger, and then you *might* run into space issues, considering the idea of running the backups multiple times a day, for multiple days a year.

Now, I guess that you refer to the fact that the backups get zipped up, and you prefer to just have the files backed up, but not zipped up? In this case, I think a suitable modification would be to calculate the date and time stamp, and place that into a variable (already included in the batch file), and use that variable to "make a folder" by that variable name. After you make that folder, you can then copy your backup files into it. In this way, you do not have to worry about dealing with a zip file, if that bothers you .... but browsing a zip isn't that much more difficult than browsing a folder... Windows XP and Windows 7 include native support for zip files, so you can use those to view and inspect the .zip files, all day long.

This isn't that much of an issue, but I have a pre-laid out plan, for dealing with taking files from .zip , to .old, to .archive, to handle file archival ... but I think it requires a bit more thought, as to how to handle the folder re-naming, as folder's aren't usually named with file extensions, but I think I could possibly do that, to handle that for folders also, but I feel it might somehow get more clumsy, as the .zip gives you the ability to use a single file, and keep all of the saves within it ... a lot more compact, when you possibly additionally email the output ... which is also available.

Heck, I even think that I can address your issue now, come to think of it.

1. declare "date_time" variable
2. create folder by the "date_time" name
3. copy your backup files to that folder
4. zip up that entire folder
5. move the zip to another location
6. do not delete your "date_time" folder
7. now, we have a scenario that suits your wish (hopefully) and still suits mine, also.

is that what you're looking for?

i guess that people might want one or the other ... but without understanding your concern in a bit more detail ... i have no idea what you really want. i am grasping at straws here, as your statement was a bit incoherent, to put it lightly.


Please respond, so that I can properly address your issue.

To further explain myself ...

The idea here is that you make a command-line based script for something that you do manually. So, you then "schedule" the task for performing this backup, using the task scheduler included with your windows xp or windows 7 computer. Now, you could just double-click the .bat file, but you haven't necessarily made your life any easier, as the backup depends upon manual intervention, and the reason I use computers is as a machine to make life easier. Don't get me wrong, I really like automating tasks to make them occur faster, and/or with less input/error from me, but what I most prefer is scheduling tasks that I have automated, so that they can then occur effortlessly and automatically in the future. Seriously, I am able to have this script run periodically, *while* I am even playing the game!

The zipped files are date and time stamped, so, if you did some major goof-up at some point, you can go back and get that particular save game file from prior to that time, and restore it, and resume playing from that point. The more paranoid you are, the more often you can have the backups occur.

This script is flexible, as you can modify it, and adapt it to "any" PC data available. Why do I assert that? I include variables, so that you can easily modify the save locations, to suit your situation, and your computer. One thing you'll notice is that the user directory location was placed in quotes, as I was attempting to offer the flexibility to address Windows XP style directories, where the "Documents and Settings" and "Application Data" directories usually have a space in them ...which is actually poor design to anyone who has to actually work on this stuff, and Microsoft must have agreed, to have gone back to the "users" and "AppData" folder names, that do not include spaces. So, I guess an additional tip is that if you have spaces in your folder names (not recommended), to please enclose them in quotation marks.

For example:

Code: Select all

set driveletterc=c

set driveletterd=d

set backupdir=d:\backup\nba2k10

set logdir=d:\backup\nba2k10\log

set savedir="C:\Users\Owner\AppData\Roaming\2K Sports\NBA 2K10\Saves\"

set scriptdir=c:\scripts\nba2k10

set workingdir=d:\backup\working

set backupfile=backup.zip

set logfile=backuplog.txt

set zipper=7za.exe

set ext01=cfg
set ext02=LSF
set ext03=PPF
set ext04=REC
set ext05=ROS
set ext06=SLD
set ext07=STG
set ext08=USR
set ext09=fdc
set ext10=CMG

%driveletterc%:

xcopy %savedir%\*.* %workingdir% /C /Y /F > %scriptdir%\%logfile%

%driveletterd%:

cd %workingdir% >> %scriptdir%\%logfile%

xcopy %scriptdir%\%zipper% %workingdir% /C /Y /F >> %scriptdir%\%logfile%

%zipper% a -tzip %backupfile% *.%ext01% >> %scriptdir%\%logfile%
%zipper% a -tzip %backupfile% *.%ext02% >> %scriptdir%\%logfile%
%zipper% a -tzip %backupfile% *.%ext03% >> %scriptdir%\%logfile%
%zipper% a -tzip %backupfile% *.%ext04% >> %scriptdir%\%logfile%
%zipper% a -tzip %backupfile% *.%ext05% >> %scriptdir%\%logfile%
%zipper% a -tzip %backupfile% *.%ext06% >> %scriptdir%\%logfile%
%zipper% a -tzip %backupfile% *.%ext07% >> %scriptdir%\%logfile%
%zipper% a -tzip %backupfile% *.%ext08% >> %scriptdir%\%logfile%
%zipper% a -tzip %backupfile% *.%ext09% >> %scriptdir%\%logfile%
%zipper% a -tzip %backupfile% *.%ext10% >> %scriptdir%\%logfile%

for /F "tokens=1-4 delims=/- " %%A in ('date/T') do set CURDATE=%%B%%C%%D
for /F "tokens=1-4 delims=:., " %%a in ('time/T') do set CURTIME=%%a%%b%%c

rename %workingdir%\%backupfile% %CURDATE%_%CURTIME%_%backupfile% >> %scriptdir%\%logfile%

%zipper% l %CURDATE%_%CURTIME%_%backupfile% >> %scriptdir%\%logfile%

copy %CURDATE%_%CURTIME%_%backupfile% %backupdir% >> %scriptdir%\%logfile%

%driveletterd%:

cd %workingdir%

del %workingdir%\%zipper%
del %workingdir%\*.%ext01%
del %workingdir%\*.%ext02%
del %workingdir%\*.%ext03%
del %workingdir%\*.%ext04%
del %workingdir%\*.%ext05%
del %workingdir%\*.%ext06%
del %workingdir%\*.%ext07%
del %workingdir%\*.%ext08%
del %workingdir%\*.%ext09%
del %workingdir%\*.%ext10%
del %workingdir%\%CURDATE%_%CURTIME%_%backupfile%

%driveletterc%:

cd %scriptdir%

rename %logfile% %CURDATE%_%CURTIME%_%logfile%

copy %CURDATE%_%CURTIME%_%logfile% %logdir%

del %scriptdir%\%CURDATE%_%CURTIME%_%logfile%

As you can see, you can easily modify whatever location suits *your* games, and then use that to backup your game saves. Don't have a drive C and a drive D? or another drive, simply modify the script at the one initial location. The one thing I sort of fail you on is that the zipping commands actually depend upon having 7zip (which is included, but you aren't free to substitute another zipper program). However, sinze 7-zip is freely distributable, I have included it with the backup script.


Remember, the flexibility here is that you can adapt this to OTHER games. Moreso than that, you can adapt this to other "precious save files" on your computer, and back them up to another location.

It was not auto directed your files. You have to necessary took your backup then save it manually. So you can get it easily and also as same position. I hope that It would be helpful for it.

reojohn285: I am not understanding your question. What is your problem with this?

Hrm, wait, is your problem that the backups are placed in a zip file? The actual intent behind that is to save some space for you, as without zipping the files up, the backup could be many times bigger, and then you *might* run into space issues, considering the idea of running the backups multiple times a day, for multiple days a year.

Now, I guess that you refer to the fact that the backups get zipped up, and you prefer to just have the files backed up, but not zipped up? In this case, I think a suitable modification would be to calculate the date and time stamp, and place that into a variable (already included in the batch file), and use that variable to "make a folder" by that variable name. After you make that folder, you can then copy your backup files into it. In this way, you do not have to worry about dealing with a zip file, if that bothers you .... but browsing a zip isn't that much more difficult than browsing a folder... Windows XP and Windows 7 include native support for zip files, so you can use those to view and inspect the .zip files, all day long.

This isn't that much of an issue, but I have a pre-laid out plan, for dealing with taking files from .zip , to .old, to .archive, to handle file archival ... but I think it requires a bit more thought, as to how to handle the folder re-naming, as folder's aren't usually named with file extensions, but I think I could possibly do that, to handle that for folders also, but I feel it might somehow get more clumsy, as the .zip gives you the ability to use a single file, and keep all of the saves within it ... a lot more compact, when you possibly additionally email the output ... which is also available.

Heck, I even think that I can address your issue now, come to think of it.

1. declare "date_time" variable
2. create folder by the "date_time" name
3. copy your backup files to that folder
4. zip up that entire folder
5. move the zip to another location
6. do not delete your "date_time" folder
7. now, we have a scenario that suits your wish (hopefully) and still suits mine, also.

is that what you're looking for?

i guess that people might want one or the other ... but without understanding your concern in a bit more detail ... i have no idea what you really want. i am grasping at straws here, as your statement was a bit incoherent, to put it lightly.


Please respond, so that I can properly address your issue.

To further explain myself ...

The idea here is that you make a command-line based script for something that you do manually. So, you then "schedule" the task for performing this backup, using the task scheduler included with your windows xp or windows 7 computer. Now, you could just double-click the .bat file, but you haven't necessarily made your life any easier, as the backup depends upon manual intervention, and the reason I use computers is as a machine to make life easier. Don't get me wrong, I really like automating tasks to make them occur faster, and/or with less input/error from me, but what I most prefer is scheduling tasks that I have automated, so that they can then occur effortlessly and automatically in the future. Seriously, I am able to have this script run periodically, *while* I am even playing the game!

The zipped files are date and time stamped, so, if you did some major goof-up at some point, you can go back and get that particular save game file from prior to that time, and restore it, and resume playing from that point. The more paranoid you are, the more often you can have the backups occur.

This script is flexible, as you can modify it, and adapt it to "any" PC data available. Why do I assert that? I include variables, so that you can easily modify the save locations, to suit your situation, and your computer. One thing you'll notice is that the user directory location was placed in quotes, as I was attempting to offer the flexibility to address Windows XP style directories, where the "Documents and Settings" and "Application Data" directories usually have a space in them ...which is actually poor design to anyone who has to actually work on this stuff, and Microsoft must have agreed, to have gone back to the "users" and "AppData" folder names, that do not include spaces. So, I guess an additional tip is that if you have spaces in your folder names (not recommended), to please enclose them in quotation marks.

For example:

Code: Select all

set driveletterc=c

set driveletterd=d

set backupdir=d:\backup\nba2k10

set logdir=d:\backup\nba2k10\log

set savedir="C:\Users\Owner\AppData\Roaming\2K Sports\NBA 2K10\Saves\"

set scriptdir=c:\scripts\nba2k10

set workingdir=d:\backup\working

set backupfile=backup.zip

set logfile=backuplog.txt

set zipper=7za.exe

set ext01=cfg
set ext02=LSF
set ext03=PPF
set ext04=REC
set ext05=ROS
set ext06=SLD
set ext07=STG
set ext08=USR
set ext09=fdc
set ext10=CMG

%driveletterc%:

xcopy %savedir%\*.* %workingdir% /C /Y /F > %scriptdir%\%logfile%

%driveletterd%:

cd %workingdir% >> %scriptdir%\%logfile%

xcopy %scriptdir%\%zipper% %workingdir% /C /Y /F >> %scriptdir%\%logfile%

%zipper% a -tzip %backupfile% *.%ext01% >> %scriptdir%\%logfile%
%zipper% a -tzip %backupfile% *.%ext02% >> %scriptdir%\%logfile%
%zipper% a -tzip %backupfile% *.%ext03% >> %scriptdir%\%logfile%
%zipper% a -tzip %backupfile% *.%ext04% >> %scriptdir%\%logfile%
%zipper% a -tzip %backupfile% *.%ext05% >> %scriptdir%\%logfile%
%zipper% a -tzip %backupfile% *.%ext06% >> %scriptdir%\%logfile%
%zipper% a -tzip %backupfile% *.%ext07% >> %scriptdir%\%logfile%
%zipper% a -tzip %backupfile% *.%ext08% >> %scriptdir%\%logfile%
%zipper% a -tzip %backupfile% *.%ext09% >> %scriptdir%\%logfile%
%zipper% a -tzip %backupfile% *.%ext10% >> %scriptdir%\%logfile%

for /F "tokens=1-4 delims=/- " %%A in ('date/T') do set CURDATE=%%B%%C%%D
for /F "tokens=1-4 delims=:., " %%a in ('time/T') do set CURTIME=%%a%%b%%c

rename %workingdir%\%backupfile% %CURDATE%_%CURTIME%_%backupfile% >> %scriptdir%\%logfile%

%zipper% l %CURDATE%_%CURTIME%_%backupfile% >> %scriptdir%\%logfile%

copy %CURDATE%_%CURTIME%_%backupfile% %backupdir% >> %scriptdir%\%logfile%

%driveletterd%:

cd %workingdir%

del %workingdir%\%zipper%
del %workingdir%\*.%ext01%
del %workingdir%\*.%ext02%
del %workingdir%\*.%ext03%
del %workingdir%\*.%ext04%
del %workingdir%\*.%ext05%
del %workingdir%\*.%ext06%
del %workingdir%\*.%ext07%
del %workingdir%\*.%ext08%
del %workingdir%\*.%ext09%
del %workingdir%\*.%ext10%
del %workingdir%\%CURDATE%_%CURTIME%_%backupfile%

%driveletterc%:

cd %scriptdir%

rename %logfile% %CURDATE%_%CURTIME%_%logfile%

copy %CURDATE%_%CURTIME%_%logfile% %logdir%

del %scriptdir%\%CURDATE%_%CURTIME%_%logfile%

As you can see, you can easily modify whatever location suits *your* games, and then use that to backup your game saves. Don't have a drive C and a drive D? or another drive, simply modify the script at the one initial location. The one thing I sort of fail you on is that the zipping commands actually depend upon having 7zip (which is included, but you aren't free to substitute another zipper program. Actually, you are, but you'd have to modify the accompanying commands, which I would not have documentation for, and/or necessarily be able to assist you with). However, sinze 7-zip is freely distributable, I have included it with the backup script.


Remember, the flexibility here is that you can adapt this to OTHER games. Moreso than that, you can adapt this to other "precious save files" on your computer, and back them up to another location. There is nothing saying that "ext01" can't be something else, or "ext02" or "ext03", etc.

As an example, you might want to save your .DOC, .DOCX, .PPT, .PPTX, .PDF, etc. files somewhere automatically on schedule? Then, simple, modify this script, to fit your needs.

EXAMPLE:

Code: Select all


set backupdir="d:\backup\myworkfiles"

set logdir="d:\backup\myworkfiles\log"

set savedir="C:\documents and settings\reojohn285\My Documents"

set scriptdir="c:\scripts\myworkfiles"

set workingdir="d:\backup\working"

set ext01=doc
set ext02=docx
set ext03=ppt
set ext04=pptx
set ext05=xls
set ext06=xlsx


Also, I intentionally specify to copy these files to different drives, even including those in the paths used above, as an important point is to save the files to different drives.

I would think that if someone did have questions, they might want a bit more clarification on how to schedule a task in Windows XP or Windows 7 (Don't have other operating systems to test with right now, but this information is available on the net to reference). Or, another question might be, how do I set up the archiving job?

OK, please feel free to submit further questions.

And the original idea for this? I do this commonly for stuff at work (maybe a little more elaborate, and/or also including command-line mailers to email myself when the thing completes, attaching the log file or something, so that I have something to read over .... but that's about it.)

OK, please feel free to submit further questions.

Thanks.