symlink-versions

symbolic-versions

If you have a folder you want to backup and you want all old versions to be available as folders, you can copy files every time you do a backup, or you can make a new folder where everything unchanged is a symlink.

install

Install the normal npm way:

npm install symbolic-versions

use

Specify the place to backup files (must be a created folder) and the folder to scan for changes:

var versioner = require('symbolic-versions')
var options = {
    backupFolder: '/path/to/backup',
    fileFolder: '/path/to/monitored/files'
}
versioner(options, function(err, version) {
    // "version" is the folder created inside the "backupFolder"
})

The function will return a promise, if you want to do that instead:

versioner(options)
    .then(function(version) {
        // "version" is the folder created inside the "backupFolder"
    })
    .catch(function(err) {
        // handle errors
    })

options

There are only the three options:

• options.backupFolder (required) - The complete path to the location used for backing up files.
• options.fileFolder (required) - The complete path to the location of the watched files.
• options.forceVersionWhenEmpty (optional, default false) - Whether a new version should be made if there have been no changes between the watched files and the most recent backup.

what it does

Suppose you have a folder with the files file1.txt and file2.txt. After running the process the first time, you'll have a folder that contains both files.

Next, change the file file1.txt, and after running the process again you'll have a folder that contains the modified file file1.txt, and a symlink file2.txt that links to the first version's folder.

Finally, inside your backup folder you have two version folders, one with two real files, and one with a real file and a symlink to the original file:

backups/
    20150404103453/
        file1.txt # real file
        file2.txt # real file
    20150404103602/
        file1.txt # real file
        file2.txt # symlink -> backups/20150404103453/file2.txt

license

VOL