Blogger Backup 1.0.1.6 Released (and status change from Alpha to Beta)

Sunday, May 20, 2007

Blogger Backup 1.0.1.6 Released (and status change from Alpha to Beta)

I've just released and checked in the code for v 1.0.1.6 of my Blogger Backup Utility.

This version was tested on my blog, backing up 2,340 posts and 294 post comments (each of the 294 files will contain all the comments for a given post. So that's not 294 comments, but that 294 posts had comments and those were backed up/saved to disk...)

I'm also upgrading its status from Alpha to Beta.

By Beta, I mean it works, I use it, others have used it, but there's still stuff to be done to it yet (like supporting other save formats). I considered calling this version RTM, but wanted a "it's still a beta" safety net, just in case... ;)

Highlights:

You can now backup "Only new posts since" date/time. Meaning you can now back up the new posts since your last backup, or posts posted between and a given date/time in the past

The date/time of the newest post backed up is now stored. Making the "Only new posts since" feature that much more useful.

Nuked Blogger 2.0 (Old Blogger) references/etc.

Release Notes:

Removed "Blogger 2.0 (Old Blogger)" as an option

Added "Only new posts since" feature

Using this to get the posts posted between now and the given date
Changed form/control layout
Added an initial "All Posts since last backup" type of feature

Now the newest/latest Post's date is saved when backing up.
The next time that blog is selected; the "Only new posts since" fields will be populated with that date/time.

Fixed a bug in the "Safe Name" function, where it wouldn't work after creating a "0001" named file.

So after saving a same-named post for the third time, the application would appear to freeze up.
Stupid location of a Dim was the cause (Note to Self, Dim/initialize an incrementing variable OUTSIDE the loop ... sigh...)

Added more reliable Comment saving.

Added retries and cleaned up the code a little to try to make comment saving more reliable.

3 comments:

Haree said...: Hi,
I just downloaded the Blogger Backup Tool. It worked fine for me and downloaded posts and comments as XML. But I have a few issues.

• My blog(Chithravishesham) uses Malayalam (my local language) Unicode Font and my post heading are in Malayalam itself. Since the posts are saved in xxxxx..xx-post name format, the file name contains Malayalam text, which shows errors when I try to open it in a browser(firefox). I prefer Year-Month-Post No. naming format instead. Is there any way I can change it?

• Ok, I backed up my blog and then my blog got deleted. Then what to do actually? Just copy paste the XML code to a new post(in Edit Html mode) and publish?

• Can you please include an option to save the pages in PDF format? I mean if you click on each post title, we will get a page with posts and comments, no? Just save that page in PDF. Is it possible?

Thank you very much for your efforts...

Regards
Haree
--; Wed Jun 06, 11:19:00 PM PDT
Greg said...: I love the power of the internet... How it joins people from around the world. That's just SO cool! :)

1). Error when opening XML file in Firefox.
Can you email me one of the XML files, so I can see the error? At this point I just take the XML Google/Blogger gives me and save it directly to disk... But I can step in and tweak it if need be. So if you could send me the file, I'll take a look and see what I can do.

2). Name saved posts/files as Year-Month-Day-Post Number.
Makes sense, I'll add it.

3). What to do WITH the backed up post.
LOL. Good question. I've only backed up my posts in case they someday get deleted/dropped by Blogger. I've not actually USED them. LOL. But, in general, all your post info is in the XML file and can be copied out.

I'm working on providing additional output formats, like BlogML. BlogML used by many blog engines for blog to blog transfer...

4) Save posts as PDF.
Yep, already on my list. Along with BlogML, I want to be able to output to PDF, HTML, Word, etc.

Thank you for these suggestions. I really appreciate them. Little encourages a programmer more than to have someone provide constructive suggestions on ways to improve their app...

I'll log these on the CodePlex project and see about getting them into the app (I can only work on the app on weekends, etc, to avoid conflicts with my job, plus there's RL ["real life"] ... ;)

Thank you again,
Greg; Thu Jun 07, 06:09:00 AM PDT
Haree said...: Oops...
I found your reply today only. Thank you for that.

I will send one XML to ur e-mail id.

Regards
Haree; Mon Jun 18, 11:23:00 PM PDT