Simpler version of the 7-Zip backup
I have tested the 7-Zip backup I had constructured that I posted about a while back and I have come to realise that it is a tad bit too complicated. I even went through the process of creating a proxy application to try and get it to be a bit more cleverer but in the end I simplified it down to just 4 parts; the logic, settings and file lists.
Backup.cmd
@ECHO OFF ECHO 7-Zip backup script ECHO Written by Alex Boyne-Aitken ECHO Last update: 07/11/2009 ECHO. ECHO TRACE: Parse arguments: '%~f1' IF EXIST %~f1 GOTO labelBegin ECHO. ECHO ERROR: Settings file not found! GOTO labelWaitEnd :labelBegin ECHO. ECHO TRACE: Reading settings FOR /F "eol=# tokens=1,2 delims==" %%i IN (%~f1) DO ( SET %%i=%%j ECHO TRACE: %%i = '%%j' ) SET varTimeStamp=%DATE:~-4%-%DATE:~3,2%-%DATE:~0,2%-%TIME:~0,2%-%TIME:~3,2% SET varTargetBackupSet=%varBackupPath%\%varTimeStamp%-backup.zip ECHO. ECHO TRACE: Backup set: '%varTargetBackupSet%' ECHO TRACE: Command line: '"%varPathToSevenZip%\7z" a -t%varArchiveType% "%varTargetBackupSet%" @"%varInclusionsFile%" -xr@"%varExclusionsFile%"' ECHO. ECHO TRACE: Executing backup "%varPathToSevenZip%\7z" a -t%varArchiveType% "%varTargetBackupSet%" @"%varInclusionsFile%" -xr@"%varExclusionsFile%" IF /I NOT "%varWaitAtEnd%" == "true" GOTO labelEnd :labelWaitEnd PAUSE :labelEnd
Settings.txt
# The path to the where the 7z.exe executable is varPathToSevenZip=C:\Program Files\7-Zip # The path where to store the backup sets varBackupPath=D:\Backups # The file path to the inclusions file varInclusionsFile=D:\Logaan\Documents\Tools\7ZipBackup\Settings\Inclusions.txt # The file path to the exclusions file varExclusionsFile=D:\Logaan\Documents\Tools\7ZipBackup\Settings\Exclusions.txt # Whether to wait at the end of the backup varWaitAtEnd=true # Type of backup archive to create varArchiveType=zip
Exclusions.txt
*.svn
Inclusions.txt
D:\Logaan\Documents D:\Logaan\Favorites C:\Users\Logaan\Desktop D:\Logaan\Saved Games
How to use it
Place the batch file and settings files in a folder somewhere.
Update the setttings file with the correct paths.
Pass the path to the settings file to the backup batch file.
C:> backup D:\Logaan\Documents\Backup\settings.txt
Or create a scheduled task.

I am trying to set this up for my Windows 7 desktop and am having problems. How exactly am I suppose to “Pass the path to the settings file to the backup batch file” and/or add the scheduled task. I can’t figure out either method.
The phrase “pass” just means that you specify the path to the settings file as an argument to the batch script.
For example, from the command line you can use the following command to run the backup script: backup C:\some\path\Backup\settings.txt
I have provided a screenshot of the action dialog of the scheduled task, with the parameters need to get the script running. The steps not documented are on how to create a scheduled task, which you access through the adminstrative section of the control panel. Googling for “windows 7 scheduled task” brings up quite a few topics that could help. This article looks good: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/12444-task-scheduler-create-new-task.html
This script could be easily improved and turned into an application that runs 7-zip.