User Manual

Create a Backup

Updated on

In this article, you will learn

  • where the Backup function is available in the application and
  • which types of backups can be created using this feature.

1. Introduction

In the Applications menu of the PPD Tools Collection, the Backup function [1] is available under Local Workflow.

If you plan to make significant changes to the database or file management whose impact cannot be reliably assessed, a backup should be created before applying these changes. The backup is created without Production Jobs or Print Items – minimizing the size of the backup and ensuring a faster execution.

The application can then be started using the created backup, allowing the planned changes to be tested. Once the tests have been successfully completed, the productive instance can be started again and the same changes can be applied there.

To ensure that all functions are available, the PPD Tools Collection must be started as an administrator.

Intercepted errors

Please note that not all errors are intercepted. In some cases, this may lead to data loss. This process is not intended to serve as a backup strategy. Users are responsible for maintaining complete backups and ensuring data integrity.

Figure 1: The Backup menu item in Applications of the PPD Tools Collection

2. Functionality and User Interface

The main functions of the dialog are located in the two tabs Backup [7] and Manage Backups [8], which are described in more detail below.

2.1. "Backup" Tab

In this tab, backups can be created and are stored by default in the pms_data directory. However, the target directory can be freely selected. Please note that if the destination directory is changed, these backups cannot be managed in "Manage Backups".    

The following functions are available in the Backup tab:

  • Destination Folder [3] – select the destination directory where the backup should be stored. By default, the PMS_DATA folder on the C drive is selected. By enabling the checkbox [2], you can choose an alternative target directory.
  • Add. Backup Info [4] – define the name used for the backup.
  • DB Folder Size [5] – displays the size of the database directory.
  • FM Folder Size [6] – displays the size of the entire application, including and excluding Production Jobs and Print Item data.
  • Create ZIP [10] – enable this option to create a ZIP file from the backup, reducing the overall file size.
  • Drop Tables [11] – when enabled, unnecessary tables – especially log tables – are removed during the backup process. This option can only be used in combination with Minimal FM Files.
  • Minimal FM Files [12] – when enabled, active print production data from the file management is not copied (e.g., Production Jobs, Orders, etc.).
  • Database only [13] – when enabled, only a backup of the entire database is created. All other options are disabled.
  • Create Backup [9] – click this button to create a backup. All settings defined in this dialog are taken into account.
  • Monitor [14] – allows you to track the progress of the backup process.

Figure 2: The Backup tab in the menu Applications > Local Workflow > Backup

2.2. "Manage Backups" Tab

In the Run Instances tab [20], you can define which instance or backup should be used when starting the $PRODUCT_NAME_WORKFLOW application.

The following functions and information are available:

  • Current Instance [15] – displays the name of the currently running instance.
  • Backup [16] – select an available backup or import instance. The R button [19] can be used to rename the selected backup or instance.
  • Database [17] – displays the directory of the selected backup or instance.
  • Filemanagement [18] – displays the directory of backups for Production Jobs and Print Items, if available.

2.2.1. "Run Instances" Tab

In the Run Instances tab [20], you can define which instance or backup should be used when starting the $PRODUCT_NAME_WORKFLOW application.

  • Run Default Instance [22] – click this button to start the $PRODUCT_NAME_WORKFLOW application using the original main instance.
  • Run Selected Backup [23] – click this button to start the $PRODUCT_NAME_WORKFLOW application using the selected backup.

Figure 3: The Manage Backups tab in Applications > Local Workflow > Backup with the Run Instances tab selected

2.2.2. "Manage Instances" Tab

In the Manage Instances tab [25], stored instances can be imported, cleaned up, deleted, or set as the main instance.

  • Import Zip [24] – import a previously created backup instance.
  • Set current as Default [26]  – set the currently running instance as the default instance.
  • Delete selected Backup [27] – delete the selected backup instance.
  • Cleanup Instance [29] – run cleanup routines for the selected backup instance.
  • Create ZIP from selected Backup (and optional Upload) [28] – create a ZIP file from the selected backup instance, which can optionally be uploaded to the PPD Cloud.

Figure 4: The Manage Backups tab in Applications > Local Workflow > Backup with the Manage Instances tab selected

2.3. Backup for Hardware Testing

To compare the application across different hardware platforms, as few variables as possible should be considered to ensure valid test results. A system backup deployed across different machines provides a suitable basis for this. Since more than just the system should be exported, the settings shown in the figure below are recommended for this purpose. This creates an almost complete backup and packages it into a ZIP file.

When importing the backup, the application files are not automatically installed. The following steps must be performed manually:

  • Stop all services
  • Replace the corresponding folder in the Program Files directory

Figure 5: Recommended settings of the Backup Options dialog suitable for hardware testing

3. Instance Management

The directory structure of the PMS_DATA directory may, if imports or backups are present, appear as shown in Figure 6. The following example is based on this illustration.

Figure 6: The PMS_DATA directory structure with multiple instance folders

The following specifications apply to this example:

  • The file management and database are located under C:\PMS_DATA.
  • Folders in the format YYYY-MM-DD-hh-mm-ss_xxxxx represent inactive instances.
  • The active combination consists of the FileManagement and PMSDataBase16 folders.
  • Any number of instances can exist within a workflow; the only limitation is the available disk space.

3.1. Starting Instances

When an instance is started, the following steps are executed:

  1. The PMS, ColorService, and PPD-PostGres services are stopped.
  2. The existing FileManagement folder is renamed to YYYY-MM-DD-hh-mm-ss_FileManagement.
  3. The PMSDataBase16 database folder is renamed accordingly to YYYY-MM-DD-hh-mm-ss_PMSDataBase16.
  4. The folders of the instance to be started are then renamed to FileManagement and PMSDataBase16.
  5. Finally, the PPD-PostGres, ColorService, and PMS services are started again.

3.2. Deleting Instances

When an instance is deleted, the following step is performed:

  1. The instance folders YYYY-MM-DD-hh-mm-ss_FileManagement and YYYY-MM-DD-hh-mm-ss_PMSDataBase16 are deleted.

3.3. Renaming Instances

Each instance folder contains a file named ppdtc.txt, which stores the folder name, the backup name, and the $PRODUCT_NAME_WORKFLOW version. When renaming an instance, the backup name in this file is updated once in both the file management folder and the database folder. The folder names themselves remain unchanged.

Do Not Modify ppdtc.txt!

The ppdtc.txt file must not be manually modified or deleted.

3.4. Setting an Instance as the Default Instance

When a new instance is set as the default instance, the following steps are executed:

  1. The ppdtc.txt file is deleted from the FileManagement and PMSDataBase16 folders of the currently running instance.
  2. The folders of the previous default instance – FileManagement_PPDTC and PMSDataBase16_PPDTC – are renamed accordingly.
  3. New ppdtc.txt files are created for both folders.

3.5. Cleaning Up an Instance

The instance is started in a sandbox environment. Depending on the selected options, unused tables are cleared, file versions are removed, and integrity checks and cleanup operations are performed. The sandbox is then stopped again.

3.6. Creating a ZIP File of an Instance

A ZIP file is created from the instances file management and database folders and stored in the PMS_DATA directory. This ZIP file can then be imported again.

4. Automation

If the export is to be executed automatically, ppdtc.exe can be called with the --exporttozip argument. The export is then started using the default settings, and the resulting ZIP file is stored in the \PMS_DATA\ directory.

Example command: C:\Program Files\PPD\Install\ppdtc.exe --exporttozip

Since all error messages are disabled during the automated export, the result must be verified manually.

Article Update: $PRODUCT_NAME_WORKFLOW 2.1.0 – 05/2026

Previous Article Status, Cleanup and Integrity Check Functioning
Next Article DW Services Functioning

Troubleshooting

PPD Tools Collection 8

Other Resources