User Interface Discussion

Rationale

• At first backups are - or should be - done regularly. This is why the steps and information required by each backup process should be as less as possible.
• Most users are not familiar with doing backups. It is often hard to know for them which directories and files are important.
• Users that are more familiar with doing backups and own a large file collection need an advanced include and exclude function.

All of these three needs could be satisfied by using profiles or backup types. The main window only contains a list of predefined backup profiles, e.g. "All personal files" or "All personal files excluding movies and music" and a combobox for all possible backup devices. So you only have to choose the backup type, the backup medium and click on the backup button. If a user wants to more complex updates he can edit the profiles. Since the settings of the profiles are in a separated dialog they don't disturb the regular backups. The default backup profiles can also be fine grained: we could exclude .Trash, thumbnails and temporary files e.g. browser chaches.

Backup

Main Window

The proflie treeview shows a set of predefinded and custom profiles.

Each profile is listed with its name and the last backup date.

By default we could deliver a profile "Personal files". It would include the users home directory and would exclude temporary files (browser caches, thumbnails, trash...).

The backup device combobox includes the devices provided by hal.

Edit Profile Dialog

Backup Types

1. "Complete backup"
2. "Only add new or changes files"
3. "Ask"

Exclude Templates

1. Trash:

• - */.Trash/*

2. Temporary Files:

• $HOME/.mozilla/firefox/*/Cache/*
• $HOME/.gnome2/epiphany/mozilla/epiphany/Cache/*
• $HOME/.gnome2/epiphany/favicon_cache/*
• $HOME/.thumbnails/*
• Konqeror and Opera caches (I don't know the exact path)
• further caches...

3. Media files:

• *.ogg
• *.avi
• *.mp3
• *.mpg
• *.mov
• *.asf
• *.wmv
• *.ram
• *.rm

Default Profiles

Complete Home Backup

1. Includes: ~
2. Excludes: Trash, temp files
3. Type: ask

Backup Only Documents and Configuration - but no large media files

1. Include: ~
2. Exlcude: *.mp3, *.ogg, *.avi ... Trash, temp files
3. Type: ask

Workflow

Complete Home Backup

Use case: Jill wants to backup here data. It is the first time that she uses a backup programm.

1. Jill opens hub
2. Chooses to go with the default "complete home backup" profile
3. Jill selects her cd writer in the backup device combo and clicks on backup
4. Jill gets asked if she would like to start a new backup or contine an older one - she chooses new
5. Jill inserts an empty cd and watches the progress bar

Continue a Regular Backup

Use case: Jill (from the above example) heard that it is wise to do regular backups. Since her last backup was a week ago. She decides to do another one.

1. Jill open hub
2. Chooses to go with the default "complete home backup" profile
3. Jill selects her cd writer in the backup device combo and clicks on backup
4. Jill gets asked if she would like to start a new backup or contine an older one - she chooses to continue a new one.
5. A dialog prompts her to insert her old backup into the cdwriter
6. Jill inserts the backup cd and watches the progress bar

or:

1. Jill inserts her backup cd into the cdwriter
2. A dialog asks here if she would like to update her backup or restore it
3. She clicks on update and watches the progress bar

Further Dialogs

Ask For Backup Type

Include large files?

This dialog appears if media files should be excluded but a file larger than 100 MByte should be included.

Include large file 'X'? Do you want to include the file X with a size of X MByte.

[x] Remember my answer for further large files

• [Skip] [Include]

Resources

The glade file:

upbackup-mockup.glade

The current user interface: