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Scheduling Automatic Backups in PortfolioCenter 4.40 or Higher In previous versions of PortfolioCenter, you had to schedule the backup using a batch file. Beginning with 4.40, however, the Database Manager can use command line codes to schedule tasks, such as backing up. Follow the steps below to create a task for the backup and then create a batch file and task to copy the file across a network, if necessary. On the Web ♦
This document describes just one of the several options for backing up PortfolioCenter Data. To find the backup method that is best for you, see “Developing a PortfolioCenter Backup Plan” at https://schwabpt.com/pdflibrary/open.asp?id=010739
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See https://schwabpt.com/pdflibrary/vidlibrary/play.asp?id=010596 for a video demonstrating these steps.
Step 1: Create the Backup Task 1
Open Scheduled Task Wizard: Start | Control Panel | Scheduled Tasks | Add Scheduled Task
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Click Next to bypass the first page.
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You are prompted to select the application you want to schedule. Click the Browse… button. Browse to the location of the PortfolioCenter Management Console located at: C:\Program Files\Schwab Performance Technologies\PortfolioCenter Management Console\
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Select the PCMC.exe file, and then click OK. Click Next.
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Enter a name for the task, and then select the frequency to run the task. Click Next. NOTE: it is a best practice to schedule the backup to run daily.
DocumentID: SPT010573 Last Updated: September 23, 2009
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Select the start time. It is a best practice to schedule the backup overnight, perhaps early in the morning, such as 2:00 am. Under the Perform This Task section, select Weekdays, and then click Next.
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Enter your network user name and password, confirm the password, and then click Next.
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Check the Open advanced Properties for this task when I click Finish box. Click Finish to edit the advanced properties.
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The advanced properties of the PCMC scheduled task opens. On the run line, place the cursor after the close quotes, add a space, and then type: /snapin:dbm /backup:# Where # is the number of backups you want or need. For example, the code should look like this if you want 5 backups: …\PCMC.exe” /snapin:dbm /backup:5 If you do not enter a number, the default is 5. Click Apply.
10 If prompted to enter your User ID and Password information again, enter the information and click OK. Tip If the name of the database you want to backup is something other than PortfolioCenter, you can edit the snapin command to add the database name at the end. Use the following snapin command where # is the number of copies and dbname is the name of your database: /snapin:dbm /backup:# /d:dbname
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Step 2: Create a Task to Copy the Files Because you cannot backup to a network location, some users choose to copy the backup file to either an external drive or another computer on the network. To accomplish this task, you must create a batch file (.BAT) and use the Xcopy command to copy the backup file, and then schedule a task to run the batch file after the backup completes. Follow the steps below to create and schedule the xCopy function.
Creating a BAT file 1
Open NotePad: Start | All Programs | Accessories | NotePad
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Select and copy the text below into the blank NotePad document: Xcopy "C:\Program Files\Schwab Performance Technologies\Databases\Backups\*.*" "Network Location" /E /Y
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Replace the “Network Location” portion with the path on the network you want to copy the file to. For example, let’s say you want to copy the file to the Backup folder on the networked T drive, enter: T:\Backup\ So in this example, the path on the .BAT file looks like this: Xcopy "C:\Program Files\Schwab Performance Technologies\Databases\Backups\*.*" "T:\Backup\" /E /Y
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Save the file as a .BAT file. ♦
From the menu bar, select File | Save As.
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In the Save In field, select the location to which you want to save the file. For example, you can save the file to your desktop. Select a location that makes the file easy to find.
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In the File Name field, enter a file name.BAT, such as PCBackupCopy.BAT.
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In the Save as Type field, select All Files.
Click Save to save the file.
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Schedule the Task 1
Open Scheduled Task Wizard: Start | Control Panel | Scheduled Tasks | Add Scheduled Task
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Click Next to bypass the first page.
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You are prompted to select the application you want to schedule. Click the Browse… button and browse to the .BAT file you created above. Click Open.
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Click Next.
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Enter a name for the task, such as Backup Copy, and then select the frequency to run the task. Click Next. NOTE: it is a best practice to copy the backup each time one is made – such as daily.
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Select the start time. Make sure the time to start the copy is at least 1 hour after the start of the backup. For example, if the backup starts at 2:00 am, select 3:00 am for this task. Under the Perform This Task section, select Weekdays, and then click Next.
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Enter your network user name and password, confirm the password, and then click Next.
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Click Finish.
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