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WinBackup 2.0 features a greatly improved shortcut system which allows you to backup the most popular applications at the click of a button. By selecting the relevant shortcuts you may easily and quickly backup emails, address books, bookmarks, digital images, financial documents and other records.
The Shortcuts feature is a hierarchical repository of links to data of various types which may be one or more registry entries, files or even remote data objects. In most cases the items referenced in links are not in a static location but may vary depending on a number of factors such as the Operating System (OS) Platform Version, Software Version and even your own adjustments.
Perhaps a more simplified explanation for now would be to say that a Shortcut essentially represents a group of files and settings. Shortcuts contain preset links to the various files and folders associated with the system or the most common applications. WinBackup uses the principle of shortcuts and has created a set of shortcuts that link directly to the system files, data and settings of any computer. For example: using the shortcuts you can easily select and backup the files and folders belonging to Outlook. Selecting to backup through a shortcut means that you will automatically backup all these files and settings automatically. This allows you to automatically access data without having to search for it. These Shortcuts are automatic and require no setting up on your part.
Let’s take as an example the My Documents folder. The My Documents folder is located by default in the following path specification:
[drive]:\Documents and Settings\[current user]\My Documents
As you can see from the definition the drive as well as the current user are not static elements meaning, the drive depends on where the OS Package was installed and the current user depends on who is currently logged on and active. Adding to that, in the more recent versions of Windows (2000, XP...) you can actually drag and move the folder to a different location, say
[drive]:\My Documents
and Windows will know. The problem that arises now is that if you have to create Backup Jobs with definitions of what data to Backup (or Restore) you would have to maintain those path settings every time you make amendments to your environment.
This is where the Shortcut feature kicks in. It does not only contain links to static elements but also links to elements whose location can be determined dynamically by using formulas.
In a few words, the Shortcut Feature proves to be extremely useful in situations where you would like to backup items that are frequently updated and possible even change their location due to new installations.
WinBackup has Shortcuts to all the more popular applications such as Internet Explorer, Outlook, Outlook Express, Word and Excel. In addition, there are also Shortcuts to Windows registry files and all application settings for all the users of any individual computer. The library of Shortcuts will be expanded over time to include over 100 of the most popular software applications.
By simply ticking a check-box next to the relevant shortcut, you are able to backup Word and Excel templates and all of the settings whether customized or standard that you may have. In the same manner, you are also able to backup all your Internet Explorer Bookmarks (Internet Favorites). Through WinBackup Shortcuts, you do not have to manually select individual files. This avoids the risk of not backing the right files. Using the appropriate Shortcut, you can immediately ensure that all your Outlook and Outlook Express files are backed up. WinBackup has included predefined Shortcuts to *.PST and *.OST files together with contact lists, address books, any customized settings and Outlook stationary and templates, signatures, and, most importantly, all emails. One of the unique features of WinBackup is that it also allows backing up all email accounts. In this way, when disaster strikes, administrators in charge of restoring stricken computers are able to minimize the time they spend in getting things back to normal and the time employees spend waiting for the work to continue.
Be sure to read the Troubleshooting Guide for Shortcuts; there are specific instructions for Outlook, Outlook Express, Opera Web Browser, Netscape, and Mozilla.
Outlook Agent Feature (this feature is available only in WinBackup Professional and Server)
WinBackup has a unique feature called the Outlook Agent Feature which, as an alternative to the Outlook Shortcut, helps you gain actual control over the data contained within your Outlook PST and OST files. Learn more about the Outlook Agent Feature.
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