Question about backup script

[nowayto]

Hello,
I have a question about backup script.
In these days I’m trying to learn how to configure MM with some modules, after all these tries, I will do a fresh installation with no errors on configuration.

When I’ll arrive at that point, I’ll wanna backup MM entirely, so I see your script:

bash -c “$(curl -sL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/sdetweil/MagicMirror-backup-restore/main/mm_backup.sh)” with any parms

I don’t want a github private backup, I want just a local backup so does this script will backup every configuration on: $HOME/MM_backup ?
I assume I’ll just have to copy that folder away and keep it secure?

When I’ll need a restore I can start with an empty SD card, OS installation, MM installation script and then which of that 2 options?

1- copy the MM_backup folder in $HOME, install modules I need and run your restore script
(bash -c “$(curl -sL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/sdetweil/MagicMirror-backup-restore/main/mm_restore.sh)” with any parms)

2- copy the MM_backup folder in $HOME and just run the restore script

Thanks in advance

[sdetweil]

@nowayto restore, option 2 . restore will reinstall all the modules and copy any created files saved with them
(What’s the point of having a restore tool if it doesn’t?)
And restore will copy the GitHub repo down for you (part 1 of your option 2)

now, on the github

its the same as ‘copy the MM_backup folder someplace’

backup also creates versions

backup today and next week, and restore either one
or one from last year

github is free
make a private repo

[nowayto]

Perfect.
Your right but since I’m not a programmer so sometimes I have some stupid doubts.
I started with a simple idea and now in my mind I wanna make more than one MM, with differents setup but for now I need to learn the basics configuration, so I’m testing testing and testing more :)
Reinstall from 0 and test again :)

For example I hope it will be not to difficult to config css, I like the personalization it will offer but I’m scared about difficulties. But I’ll try for sure!

Thank you again

[sdetweil]

@nowayto also see my MMM-Config, it provides module install and all config

[sdetweil]

@nowayto css, learn the developers window.
see the second link in my signature below

[rkorell]

@sdetweil Dear Sam,
seen backup/restore days ago and as the question arises here - I struggle with the commend line :-(

bash -c  "$(curl -sL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/sdetweil/MagicMirror-backup-restore/main/mm_backup.sh)" -h

works - I get some hints - same as on your github repo.

bash -c  "$(curl -sL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/sdetweil/MagicMirror-backup-restore/main/mm_backup.sh)" -p

doesn’t work?
"illegal option '- ’ " is the error message.
Where can I place the -p option?
(inside the brackets I get an errormessage from curl …)

This is also true if I add repo- and username and the token.
There is my second question: how to pass the parameters?

I’ve tried

bash -c  "$(curl -sL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/sdetweil/MagicMirror-backup-restore/main/mm_backup.sh)" -p MagicMirror rkorell ghp_thisismyverylongandcryptictokenforgithub

But with no luck.
MagicMirror is a fresh created repo, rkorell is my username on GitHub - token is fresh created private token according your guidance in module description.

Can you please help?

Thanks a LOT -as always,
Ralf

[rkorell]

@sdetweil ,

last trial (after digging in your script I understand that -p is not that correct…)
So I’ve figured out that reponame and username have their own prefix.
A prefix for the token is not present, so I assume user:token could be feasible.
So I came to

bash -c "$(curl -sL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/sdetweil/MagicMirror-backup-restore/main/mm_backup.sh) -p -r MagicMirror -u rkorell:ghpthisismyverylongandcryptictokenforgithub"

But this doesn’t work either…
So I’m desparately looking for the right place to put in the right parameters in the right manner.
Sorry for being this dumb…
Regards,
Ralf

[sdetweil]

@rkorell hm… I did

bash -c  "$(curl -sL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/sdetweil/MagicMirror-backup-restore/main/mm_backup.sh)" -h

and got

-h takes optional parameters

	 -s MagicMirror_dir
		default /Users/sam/MagicMirror

	 -b backup_dir 
		default /Users/sam/MM_backup

	 -m backup message 
		 any message (in quotes) that you would like to attach to this change for later info
		default none

	 -p auto push to github (will need repo name, username,  user password or token
		default false

	 -r github repository name (reponame)
		typically https://github.com/username/reponame.git
		default output of git remote -v (if set)
		 -r overrides the git remote setting

	 -u github username
		default none

[sdetweil]

@rkorell there was a typo in the help contents…

I NEVER ask for password/token… git will prompt if needed…
thus I cannot capture it in my script… a security confidence thing…

[sdetweil]

@rkorell -p by itself gives an error, will fix

in both scripts

-s is the MagicMirror folder
-b is the backup folder
-u is the github userid
-r is the repo name, short xxxx or long https:…/repo
if you use the long url, i will get the userid from there

in backup
-p is push if not specified script will NOT push to github
in restore
-f requests fetch the github repo. if not specified, the local -b folder will be used to restore from. if not found the script will abort

[nowayto]

@sdetweil said in Question about backup script:

@nowayto also see my MMM-Config, it provides module install and all config

I give it a try some days ago, after your suggestion but I wanna learn the configuration first, rather than easier ways

I’ll read your CSS guide for sure

[sdetweil]

@nowayto yes, providing helpful tools hides the detail. a double edged sword

my objective is to help you get results.

[nowayto]

@sdetweil and I really thank you for that.
Thanks to you even more people will try MM and appreciate your work.
On my side I’m there to learn something new.
It’ more challenging but it’s also more interesting so I’d prefer manual ways.
Thanks a lot for your help, I’ll really appreciate that

[rkorell]

@sdetweil said in Question about backup script:

hm… I did

Dear Sam (@sdetweil),
yes - this worked for me as well :-)

Now figured out how it works:

Have issued

bash -c  "$(curl -sL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/sdetweil/MagicMirror-backup-restore/main/mm_backup.sh)" -r https://github.com/rkorell/MagicMirror -p 

Then I was asked for username and password (twice) and git upload worked…
It seems git upload now contains a copy of local directory mm_backup.

If I check both, there are only a few directoris in Github as well as locally - much fewer than total number of installed modules…
What is the criterium for a module to “earn” a directory or not?

Thanks a lot!

Warmest regards,
Ralf

[sdetweil]

@rkorell the backup copies the url of the module source

where you cloned from,
see git remote -v in any module folder

now some modules create files, token.json for example
if i find extra files i need a place to store them, so the module name for a folder is created

the module_list file contains the list of modules needed
and their urls. they are reinstalled

the readme says this

this is not a binary backup

you can use this to move to a new system or new sd card (changing processor architectures too, pc to pi, pi to pc… whatever)

yes the folder MM_backup by default is a git source repository
and git will track any changes (new backup differences)

each time you back up, i create a marker to label this event, in git called a tag

and you can restore any one of those and compare two tags to see the difference

the private repo is because the files are saved in source form, and contain apikeys and maybe other credentials

[sdetweil]

@rkorell you got prompted twice for username because git needs to know who you are and how to reach you if there are concerns about your “commit” to the repo. you csn see this in git log
output in the backup folder
this is username and email address

then the push , github needs to know . this is the password prompt from git

you could use git config to save those, and avoid the prompts

[rkorell]

@sdetweil said :

you could use git config to save those, and avoid the prompts

Sounds cool.
How can I do this?

Thanks!
Ralf

[sdetweil]

@rkorell google is your friend

how to use git config

[rkorell]

@sdetweil said in Question about backup script:

if i find extra files i need a place to store them, so the module name for a folder is created

Thanks for this explanation - this is what I had assumed.

Regards,
Ralf

[rkorell]

@sdetweil said in Question about backup script:

how to use git config

OK, thanks.
I had understood that this is a config of your scripts, sorry.