README

[Description]
mbakcup is backup tool supposed to run via crontab everyday.
mb is a script to update the backup and cp current backup to external device.

Both of them use rsync to transfer your files and support a highly
customizable backup file list.

[Install]
1. get the following files ready:
/usr/local/bin/mbackup       # main script for cron
~/bin/mb                     # manual backup
~/bin/ubl                    # manual updated backup list
~/.mbackup/backuplists/*     # backup lists
~/.mbackup/config            # mbackup config file

see also [backup list format].

2. setup cron job using /etc/crontab
00 20   *     *   *   root    /usr/local/bin/mbackup
45 19   *     *   *   sylecn  /home/sylecn/bin/ubl >/dev/null

If you prefer using crontab for each user, use crontab -e for root and user.

[Config]
TODO mb and mbackup should report error if mbakcup is not configed correctly.
     for example, missing filelist
~/.mbackup/config
-----------------
#default target dir for local backups
targetdir="/backup"

~/.mbackup/backuplists/*
------------------------
#there is an init version containing commented examples

put all files you need to backup there.
predefined lists you may use are:
user.public
user.publicconfigs
user.private
excl.default

read the README file in that dir for more infomation.

TODO ubl will read all user.* as backup list
     ubl will read all excl.* as exclude list

[test your install]

keep the backup list modest when you are testing the setup.

1. manual backup
   run mb from console.

2. cron backup
   change the run time to let the cron job run.
   check the log in /var/log/mbackup.log to make sure every is OK.
   then change the run time back.

[finishing step]
add your backup lists file to your backup list.
add all files you want to backup in your backup lists.

[backup list format]
see ~/.mbackup/backuplists/README