Copying files with archive bit set in Win98

[Roesgen]

Is it possible to copy from a set of selected files only those files whose archive bit is set to another hard disk or CD and reset the archive bit in the process without using Dos commands? If not is there an application on the market that can do that?

[Paleo Pete]

Copying the files would be no big problem, in Windows Explorer. To change attributes, right click on the file and click Properties At the bottom of the Properties box are the file's attributes, with check boxes. Check the attribute you wish to set. Be very careful doing this, you can cause problems. Do not EVER uncheck the System box for system files!!

To copy individual files in Windows Explorer, first set it so it shows the file attributes. Click View in the menu bar, then Folder Options and click the View Tab. Look for a line that says Show File Types in Detail View and place a check in the box beside it. Also check the box that says Show All Files. Click Apply then close the box. Then set Windows Explorer to Detail View, also in the View menu at top. The archive files will show an A under the Attributes column. You might have to resize the columns to see it by grabbing the vertical line at the top of the column when it turns into a double arrow and dragging it to the left.

To copy individual files, left click on the first one you wish to copy and highlight it, then hold down the Ctrl key. Left click on each subsequent file marked A and the Ctrl key lets you skip files at any time. (Holding the Shift key will highlight ALL files between the top one and the last one you click.) If you highlight the wrong file, left click it again, still holding the Ctrl key and that will de-highlight it. Clicking anywhere to the side will de-highlight everything. Try it a few times to get the hang of it before you try to actually work with it.

After you highlight all the files you wish to copy you can either drag and drop to the new location, or right click and copy & paste. Let go of the Ctrl key first, they will stay highlighted until you click again or drag them.

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[This message has been edited by Paleo Pete (edited 09-27-2000).]

[This message has been edited by Paleo Pete (edited 09-27-2000).]

[Roesgen]

Thanks Paleo Pete.
What I am looking for is a short cut to the procedure you outlined. I want to select all the files in a folder via the edit drop down, but copy or drag from this selected set only those files that have the archive bit set. In other words what I am looking for idealy might go as follows: after "select all" the set is moved to the new location using the mouse and the right click, when the right click is released the drop down would have an addional line "copy files with archive bit set and reset archive bit". You click this line et voila. Essentially this would allow me to quickly "back up" all changed file in a given folder.
Does something like that exist?

[Paleo Pete]

Not that I know of. The way I described it would be the only way I can think of, except maybe writing a batch file. And that's out of my league...



------------------
If you had everything...Where would you put it?

Computer Information Links (http://www.geocities.com/paleopete/)

[abacus]

Maybe I'm totally off the mark here, but I thought that's what a differential back-up in MS Back up did: back up only files with the archive bit on, i.e. files which have changed, and resetting the archive bit to off upon backing up the file. Maybe I'm missing something here. Maybe someone can tell me what I missed, because I'm a "bit" confused.
Sorry pun was NOT intended. 8-/

[abacus]

Incremental, I mean. Differential leaves the archive bit on afaik.