Re: What files should I backup?

On Wednesday 19 August 2009 12:53:51 r bartlett wrote:
> I'm in the slow as molasses process of migrating from Fedora 8 to 11 and
>  want to know what files I should be sure to back up to ensure not only
>  that my mail is saved, but that my folders and identities and contacts are
>  as well.
> 
> Any thoughts?  Suggestions?  Links?  Ideas?
> 
> The last time I did this it involved a pretty painstaking process of
>  cutting and pasting files by hand and then it still didn't work very well.
>   I'd love to see a "I'm going to upgrade" button that automates all the
>  necessary stuff and puts it into a format that the new version will read. 
>  :-)

Yes, Kontact needs the same backup and restore facility as Evolution; simply a 
few clicks and you're done.

But since this is Kontact, unless you write a script to do it, you will have 
to just copy a bunch of files and folders manually. In Kmail, right click on 
your Inbox and choose Properties. Go the Maintenance Tab. Have a look at the 
Location. It has either .kde4 or .kde in the path.

Substitute the appropriate path below.

You need the following config files:

.kde4/share/config/emaildefaults
.kde4/share/config/emailidentities
.kde4/share/config/kmail.eventsrc
.kde4/share/config/kmailrc
.kde4/share/config/kaddressbookrc
.kde4/share/config/kresources/contact
.kde4/share/config/korgacrc
.kde4/share/config/korganizerrc
.kde4/share/config/knotesrc

and the following directories:

.kde4/share/apps/kmail
.kde4/share/apps/kabc
.kde4/share/apps/korganizer
.kde4/share/apps/knotes

If you use Akregator within Kontact, you will also need:

.kde4/share/config/akregator.eventsrc
.kde4/share/config/akregatorrc
.kde4/share/config/kopete.eventsrc

and the whole .kde4/share/apps/akregator directory.

This works perfectly in KDE. I have this in a script, which I use to backup 
regularly. I am not sure if it will be the same in GNOME.

Of course the simplest way is just to keep your whole $home directory. :-)

Just a word of warning. If the directory naming is different between Desktops 
or between the two versions of Fedora, this will not work as there are 
references to the directories within the config files. This means that if the 
files were in a .kde directory, you cannot just put them in a .kde4 directory 
without editing the references within the config files.

Hope this helps.

Gary