Save and Restore

# Contents

- Overview
- Save and Save As
- Save with Data
- Restore
- Save Session
- Restore Session
- Tips/FAQ
- Bugs

# Overview

Save and restore uses an xdr interface to save information on the current state of qsas windows and, in some cases, the data objects held as well. These files are binary, but the xdr protocol allows for them to be written and read back on any platform and exchanged between platforms.

All the major QSAS windows have save/restore implemented. Each window type forces its own unique file extension to aid selection for restore, and places an identifier at the start of the file which ensures that the restore operation can only be attempted from a file of the appropriate content for the active window.

# Save and Save As...

The Save option under the File menu on any top level window will record the state of all selections currently made in that active window. QSAS uses a default file name and location. Once a new name and/or location for the save file is selected using Save As... then subsequent use of save will use the last selected file name and directory. Multiple versions of the save file may be created using Save As... menu item.

The default save/restore directory should be set for each user through the Profiles.

# Save With Data

The Save with Data option under the File menu on any top level window will record the state of all selections currently made in that active window together with the data on the working list referred to in any list or field on the window. There is similarly a Save with Data As option to allow selection of an alternative file name. For each window there is a common current save file name for save and save with operations, so a save following a save with Data will overwrite the file holding the data with one that does not.

When restore selects a file with data attached this data is placed on the working list. If an object of that name already exists then the new data object will have a modified name, and that modified name will be used in the appropriate slots and lists in the restored window to ensure that it always refers to the actual data saved with the file.

# Restore

The restore menu item on the File menu on any top level window will launch a dialogue allowing the user to select which save file to restore from. The default start directory is set up the users Profiles. Each window uses a file extension specific to that window to assist in locating appropriate files, but the restore facility also checks the identifier inside the start of the file before attempting to restore from it to avoid confusion from renamed files.

# Save Session

The save session option will instruct all active windows to perform a save. These save files are all placed in the same session directory, and the Save Session As option allows the user to choose this directory.

# Restore Session

The selection dialogue launched is used to locate the directory containing the save files from the session saved. Multiple sessions can be saved in multiple directories. Any window in QSAS which has a save file in this directory will restore itself to the state specified in the save file. The exception are plug-ins which are dynamically loaded and therefore unable to restore themselves automatically. After launching a plugin it can be restored individually using its restore option and selecting appropriate save file withing the save session directory.

# Tips/FAQ

- Note that when Save Session is used, the actual data is saved with a file rather than a reference to the database. This ensures that the exact same data is restored to the working list. This has the added advantage of portability. Since the binary files use the xdr interface they can be read on any platform, and a compressed save file with data can be used to take or send a qsas session to a remote site for future work of to co-workers.
- Save Session at the end of a days work and restore session the next working day removes the need to leave QSAS sessions running overnight.

# Bugs

None known.

Page created by Tony Allen, csc-support-dl@imperial.ac.uk

Last up-dated: October 2008 A Rochel