Image File Naming Convention
Posted: Sat Sep 03, 2016 3:11 pm
This is my question: in IFW where is the default image filename format, and what can I do to change it to follow my preferred naming convention, something like "$~YYYY$-$~MM$-$~DD$-$~Label" ? What follows are my reasons for asking (in case a little background helps).
I dual boot. I have multiple drives with multiple labeled partitions on the drives. I use the full-feature GUI to backup 6 partitions (OS, Users, Programs X 2) on 2 different drives to a third drive on a fairly routine schedule. Other partitions change less frequently, so I don't make images of those unless I've made changes in the partitions.
I create my images on a dedicated internal drive, and later archive them by copying to external drives. My target drive is laid out with folders named with the image source, the date of the image creation, and the partition Label, for example ThisBootOS\2016-09-03\Label, and the individual image files are date\source within the Label folder, for example ThisBootOS\2016-09-03\Users\2016-09-03 Users.TBI. I know that may sound tedious, but when I launch IFW, 20 partitions on 3 drives show up after I select Backup - Full. Using this naming convention makes it easier to keep track of what I'm doing and where as I progress through the menus.
When I create a new set of images, I first create the folder structure on the target drive, then launch IFW and start creating my partition images. I select the partition to backup, target my dedicated image drive, then click through the folder structure, and IFW comes up with a file name for the image, for example "Backup-w0-0x3-$~YYYY$-$~MM$-$~DD$-$~HHMM$". But I don't want to use that file name, I want to use my own naming convention. I strip off the head and tail to get "$~YYYY$-$~MM$-$~DD$", then add "Users" to get "2016-09-03 Users.TBI" as a filename.
That routine is one that I have worked with and refined since I first began using the image function in BING, and it makes it quite simple to find and restore a particular image from among several sets of images spanning several dates. I piddle in the OS and/or registry from time to time, sometimes hosing the OS, and a quick restore gets me right back to where I goofed up.
I'd rather customize IFW to my way of doing things instead of trying to unlearn old habits and learn new habits. Can that filename format be changed?
I dual boot. I have multiple drives with multiple labeled partitions on the drives. I use the full-feature GUI to backup 6 partitions (OS, Users, Programs X 2) on 2 different drives to a third drive on a fairly routine schedule. Other partitions change less frequently, so I don't make images of those unless I've made changes in the partitions.
I create my images on a dedicated internal drive, and later archive them by copying to external drives. My target drive is laid out with folders named with the image source, the date of the image creation, and the partition Label, for example ThisBootOS\2016-09-03\Label, and the individual image files are date\source within the Label folder, for example ThisBootOS\2016-09-03\Users\2016-09-03 Users.TBI. I know that may sound tedious, but when I launch IFW, 20 partitions on 3 drives show up after I select Backup - Full. Using this naming convention makes it easier to keep track of what I'm doing and where as I progress through the menus.
When I create a new set of images, I first create the folder structure on the target drive, then launch IFW and start creating my partition images. I select the partition to backup, target my dedicated image drive, then click through the folder structure, and IFW comes up with a file name for the image, for example "Backup-w0-0x3-$~YYYY$-$~MM$-$~DD$-$~HHMM$". But I don't want to use that file name, I want to use my own naming convention. I strip off the head and tail to get "$~YYYY$-$~MM$-$~DD$", then add "Users" to get "2016-09-03 Users.TBI" as a filename.
That routine is one that I have worked with and refined since I first began using the image function in BING, and it makes it quite simple to find and restore a particular image from among several sets of images spanning several dates. I piddle in the OS and/or registry from time to time, sometimes hosing the OS, and a quick restore gets me right back to where I goofed up.
I'd rather customize IFW to my way of doing things instead of trying to unlearn old habits and learn new habits. Can that filename format be changed?