Automated Burn

[neta1o]

I'm sure this isn't the right forum and GCC would be better but thanks to Jupman and crew GCC's not on the front page anymore(so don't neg me).

I need AO's help. I have a server that I'd like to be able to do fully automated burns. I'm familiar with the expensive sofware available but I feel that there should be some way to do it with the current setup. The system is Windows XP Professional and has Easy CD Creator 6

Thanks for the reply's

[tampabay420]

what is the trigger, you did say "automated" ???

[neta1o]

Any trigger would work fine. batch file, etc.... It will be during weekends while the client is not at their place of work.

[Zetaphor]

Are you copying a cd, or a directory?
I am not 100% sure, but if the CD Copier program that comes with the suite, supports parameter command on execution, then you should be able to use a simple VB program to open and start burning at a specified time and day. I think if you check the manual, you could probally do it with the regular cd creator, instead of the cd copier. I did this with a simple QBasic program that would run silently in the background, then at a certain time it would play a wave file.

[tampabay420]

so, it doesn't need to be automated?
whats the situation? you need to do this remotely?
terminal server, or remote desktop software would be nice?

[neta1o]

here's the situation. my client wants a fully automated daily backup of his client database and financial information, he wants it done on cd, and he wants it ran after office hours. the data changes daily, the file structure changes almost as often. i have currently mapped the data location, have msbackup running as a scheduled task turning the whole thing into one big file(as to get all the new folders not included in yesterday's backup) then i have a cd layout created of the backup file. i have turned off file verification so that it does not report that the file has changed since the layout was created, and i set up a scheduled task to launch the cd layout, now this gets us all the way up to the point where the guy has to click burn and walk out. (since he has to go into the server room to change the cd's anyway, i thought this would be ok, but i was wrong.) i've also already discussed the possibilities of using cdrw discs, and an automated xcopy batch file, but he doesn't want to reuse discs. he wants to burn a cd every single day. he would also like a report generated and logged on his personal workstation. had he informed me of all his requirements before i started, i would have suggested one of the pro level backup programs available on the net, now that he's cashed out for easy cd creator 6, he insists that i make it work with this. if there is a command line switch on cd creator classic in easy cd creator 6, thats all i would need, but as of yet i have not been able to find any information on it. thank you.

[tampabay420]

I'm not sure, Can you program?
All of the tasks listed above could be put into an executable?

The executable could do everything, including either; clicking the burn button, or burn the CD itself, as most CD burners adhear to somewhat of a standard nowadays... If not an application, could you write a Macro to click the burn button... You can Alt-Space-X (to maximize the window) and place the mouse in the proper position (although that sounds kinda cheap)...

sorry i couldn't help more

[nyx]

well, if you can't program (like me, I'm trying to change that) u can try a program.
It's shareware, so if it works u have to buy it ($79.95). U can check it out for a free trial here:
http://www.webattack.com/get/automate.shtml .

I don't remember if it was this prog that I used a few years ago, but it seems to be the same, and u have a lot of options to automate tasks. ( even if u can't do it fully automated, u can do it like: "move mouse to x,y ; click left mouse button; etc.. doing like this, it can't be anyone on the server while the task is executing, which it seems not to be a problem).

well, try it see if it works.

Thats all the help I can give u right now.

[neta1o]

well, i'm most likely going to just buy the software myself out of pocket. i need to get this job done.. thank you all for your input.

[RoadClosed]

Semi automated. I am in your same situation and my quick fix....

User has the Free version of Roxio that supports direct CD. She opens that every night to get the cd ready for copying and then she runs a script on the desktop that says basically:

copy c:\data\*.* d:

This takes a while but she clicks it and goes home. The next morning she takes the finsihed CD out and does it again after leaving. The problem with CDs is, you have to format the CD first and get it ready by opening a session. This is a quick fix because her department is insisting that the data be backed up by CD vs. my already establsihed tape library. To them it's worth the extra work to have a cd in front of them. And I just don't have the time to code and automated solution right now.

Sure you can run into problems where the data didn't get backed up, but that is inherant in all systems involving a single layer. You could do this next solution as well:

Copy the files to another PC or separate hard drive in the same PC. That can be fully automated through simple scripts. That is layer 1 and it can be restored in an instant vs. finding the CD. Now that you have a on-line backup. Teach an operator or you yourself can make a cd burn of the Layer1 backup. Now you have 2 backups at your disposal. Peace of mind.

In my own network I bought a cheap NAS device I use to first copy data to at night. Very fast vs. tape writing. Then it has all day to off load that to tape and I can verify the process as it goes on during the day. Backing up has become a huge issue here because my backup window is now to small to backup the network without some tricks and intermediary devices in between the tape library.