Setting up your backupList+ preferences

There are several options that affect your use of backupList+. These are "Global" and affect all backup sets.

Basic Settings for each backup set

  1. Entering your password: BackupList+ often needs an administrator password to back up System files or other files which you don't have permission to copy. The System will prompt you for the password and backupList+ can then run a special helper tool as root which in turn runs rsync with root permissions. You could, for example, backup your entire home folder without needing administrator privileges. If you wish to make a Clone of your System however, you will need an administrator password to copy the System files correctly and to be able to restore your computer from that clone later.
  2. Check for updates: backupList+ will check for updates daily. Important to keep things up to date!
  3. Slow down rsync: rsync uses a lot of CPU and while you can do other work, it is best to let it run when you are not working on your computer and especially not on large files since their transfer could be affected or even corrupted.
  4. Save rsync output: unless you want to see no progress report or rsync log file, do not un-check this box. It is checked by default.
  5. Animate progress window - shrinks the main window so you just see the progress bar updating while backup runs.
  6. Run backups in background: this can be a bit confusing. This is best used in conjunction with the "Toggle background only" menu item ( in the menu bar, backupList main menu. ) With this option, backupList+ will run entirely in background. No progress bar etc. If you select "Toggle background only" in the backupList main menu and restart, backupList will show up as an icon in your menu bar, next to the time and any other "menulets." With this option selected, backups will only be apparent by the little "wheel" in the icon spinning. You can then close the main window and run backups without it open, or scheduled backups will run without much fanfare...