1backintime-config(1) USER COMMANDS backintime-config(1)
2
6 config - BackInTime configuration files.
7
9 ~/.config/backintime/config
10 /etc/backintime/config
11
13 Back In Time was developed as pure GUI program and so most functions
14 are only useable with backintime-qt. But it is possible to use Back In
15 Time e.g. on a headless server. You have to create the configuration
16 file (~/.config/backintime/config) manually. Look inside
17 /usr/share/doc/backintime-common/examples/ for examples.
18 The configuration file has the following format:
20 keyword=arguments
21 Arguments don't need to be quoted. All characters are allowed except
23 '='.
24 Run 'backintime check-config' to verify the configfile, create the
26 snapshot folder and crontab entries.
27
29 config.version
30 Type: int Allowed Values: 0-99999
31 Internal version of current config
32 Default: 6
34 global.hash_collision
37 Type: int Allowed Values: 0-99999
38 Internal value used to prevent hash collisions on mountpoints. Do
39 not change this.
40 Default: 0
42 global.use_flock
45 Type: bool Allowed Values: true|false
46 Prevent multiple snapshots (from different profiles or users) to
47 be run at the same time
48 Default: false
50 profile<N>.name
53 Type: str Allowed Values: text
54 Name of this profile.
55 Default: Main profile
57 profile<N>.schedule.custom_time
60 Type: str Allowed Values: comma separated int (8,12,18,23)
61 or */3
62 Custom hours for cronjob. Only valid for profile<N>.schedule.mode
63 = 19
64 Default: 8,12,18,23
66 profile<N>.schedule.day
69 Type: int Allowed Values: 1-28
70 Which day of month the cronjob should run? Only valid for pro‐
71 file<N>.schedule.mode >= 40
72 Default: 1
74 profile<N>.schedule.mode
77 Type: int Allowed Values:
78 0|1|2|4|7|10|12|14|16|18|19|20|25|27|30|40|80
79 Which schedule used for crontab. The crontab entry will be gener‐
80 ated with 'backintime check-config'.
81 0 = Disabled
82 1 = at every boot
83 2 = every 5 minute
84 4 = every 10 minute
85 7 = every 30 minute
86 10 = every hour
87 12 = every 2 hours
88 14 = every 4 hours
89 16 = every 6 hours
90 18 = every 12 hours
91 19 = custom defined hours
92 20 = every day
93 25 = daily anacron
94 27 = when drive get connected
95 30 = every week
96 40 = every month
97 80 = every year
98 Default: 0
100 profile<N>.schedule.repeatedly.period
103 Type: int Allowed Values: 0-99999
104 How many units to wait between new snapshots with anacron? Only
105 valid for profile<N>.schedule.mode = 25|27
106 Default: 1
108 profile<N>.schedule.repeatedly.unit
111 Type: int Allowed Values: 10|20|30|40
112 Units to wait between new snapshots with anacron.
113 10 = hours
114 20 = days
115 30 = weeks
116 40 = months
117 Only valid for profile<N>.schedule.mode = 25|27
118 Default: 20
120 profile<N>.schedule.time
123 Type: int Allowed Values: 0-24
124 What time the cronjob should run? Only valid for pro‐
125 file<N>.schedule.mode >= 20
126 Default: 0
128 profile<N>.schedule.weekday
131 Type: int Allowed Values: 1 = monday - 7 = sunday
132 Which day of week the cronjob should run? Only valid for pro‐
133 file<N>.schedule.mode = 30
134 Default: 7
136 profile<N>.snapshots.backup_on_restore.enabled
139 Type: bool Allowed Values: true|false
140 Rename existing files before restore into FILE.backup.YYYYMMDD
141 Default: true
143 profile<N>.snapshots.bwlimit.enabled
146 Type: bool Allowed Values: true|false
147 Limit rsync bandwidth usage over network. Use this with mode SSH.
148 For mode Local you should rather use ionice.
149 Default: false
151 profile<N>.snapshots.bwlimit.value
154 Type: int Allowed Values: 0-99999
155 Bandwidth limit in KB/sec.
156 Default: 3000
158 profile<N>.snapshots.continue_on_errors
161 Type: bool Allowed Values: true|false
162 Continue on errors. This will keep incomplete snapshots rather
163 than deleting and start over again.
164 Default: true
166 profile<N>.snapshots.copy_links
169 Type: bool Allowed Values: true|false
170 When symlinks are encountered, the item that they point to
171 (the reference) is copied, rather than the symlink.
172 Default: false
174 profile<N>.snapshots.copy_unsafe_links
177 Type: bool Allowed Values: true|false
178 This tells rsync to copy the referent of symbolic links that
179 point outside the copied tree. Absolute symlinks are also
180 treated like ordinary files.
181 Default: false
183 profile<N>.snapshots.cron.ionice
186 Type: bool Allowed Values: true|false
187 Run cronjobs with 'ionice -c2 -n7'. This will give BackInTime the
188 lowest IO bandwidth priority to not interrupt any other working
189 process.
190 Default: true
192 profile<N>.snapshots.cron.nice
195 Type: bool Allowed Values: true|false
196 Run cronjobs with 'nice -n19'. This will give BackInTime the low‐
197 est CPU priority to not interrupt any other working process.
198 Default: true
200 profile<N>.snapshots.cron.redirect_stderr
203 Type: bool Allowed Values: true|false
204 redirect stderr to /dev/null in cronjobs
205 Default: False
207 profile<N>.snapshots.cron.redirect_stdout
210 Type: bool Allowed Values: true|false
211 redirect stdout to /dev/null in cronjobs
212 Default: true
214 profile<N>.snapshots.dont_remove_named_snapshots
217 Type: bool Allowed Values: true|false
218 Keep snapshots with names during smart_remove.
219 Default: true
221 profile<N>.snapshots.exclude.bysize.enabled
224 Type: bool Allowed Values: true|false
225 Enable exclude files by size.
226 Default: false
228 profile<N>.snapshots.exclude.bysize.value
231 Type: int Allowed Values: 0-99999
232 Exclude files bigger than value in MiB. With 'Full rsync mode'
233 disabled this will only affect new files because for rsync this
234 is a transfer option, not an exclude option. So big files that
235 has been backed up before will remain in snapshots even if they
236 had changed.
237 Default: 500
239 profile<N>.snapshots.exclude.<I>.value
242 Type: str Allowed Values: file, folder or pattern (relative
243 or absolute)
244 Exclude this file or folder. <I> must be a counter starting with
245 1
246 Default: ''
248 profile<N>.snapshots.exclude.size
251 Type: int Allowed Values: 0-99999
252 Quantity of profile<N>.snapshots.exclude.<I> entries.
253 Default: -1
255 profile<N>.snapshots.include.<I>.type
258 Type: int Allowed Values: 0|1
259 Specify if profile<N>.snapshots.include.<I>.value is a folder (0)
260 or a file (1).
261 Default: 0
263 profile<N>.snapshots.include.<I>.value
266 Type: str Allowed Values: absolute path
267 Include this file or folder. <I> must be a counter starting with
268 1
269 Default: ''
271 profile<N>.snapshots.include.size
274 Type: int Allowed Values: 0-99999
275 Quantity of profile<N>.snapshots.include.<I> entries.
276 Default: -1
278 profile<N>.snapshots.keep_only_one_snapshot.enabled
281 Type: bool Allowed Values: true|false
282 NOT YET IMPLEMENTED. Remove all snapshots but one.
283 Default: false
285 profile<N>.snapshots.local.nocache
288 Type: bool Allowed Values: true|false
289 Run rsync on local machine with 'nocache'. This will prevent
290 files from being cached in memory.
291 Default: false
293 profile<N>.snapshots.local_encfs.path
296 Type: str Allowed Values: absolute path
297 Where to save snapshots in mode 'local_encfs'.
298 Default: ''
300 profile<N>.snapshots.log_level
303 Type: int Allowed Values: 1-3
304 Log level used during takeSnapshot.
305 1 = Error
306 2 = Changes
307 3 = Info
308 Default: 3
310 profile<N>.snapshots.min_free_inodes.enabled
313 Type: bool Allowed Values: true|false
314 Remove snapshots until profile<N>.snapshots.min_free_inodes.value
315 free inodes in % is reached.
316 Default: true
318 profile<N>.snapshots.min_free_inodes.value
321 Type: int Allowed Values: 1-15
322 Keep at least value % free inodes.
323 Default: 2
325 profile<N>.snapshots.min_free_space.enabled
328 Type: bool Allowed Values: true|false
329 Remove snapshots until profile<N>.snapshots.min_free_space.value
330 free space is reached.
331 Default: true
333 profile<N>.snapshots.min_free_space.unit
336 Type: int Allowed Values: 10|20
337 10 = MB
338 20 = GB
339 Default: 20
341 profile<N>.snapshots.min_free_space.value
344 Type: int Allowed Values: 1-99999
345 Keep at least value + unit free space.
346 Default: 1
348 profile<N>.snapshots.mode
351 Type: str Allowed Values: local|local_encfs|ssh|ssh_encfs
352 Use mode (or backend) for this snapshot. Look at 'man backintime'
353 section 'Modes'.
354 Default: local
356 profile<N>.snapshots.<MODE>.password.save
359 Type: bool Allowed Values: true|false
360 Save password to system keyring (gnome-keyring or kwallet).
361 <MODE> must be the same as profile<N>.snapshots.mode
362 Default: false
364 profile<N>.snapshots.<MODE>.password.use_cache
367 Type: bool Allowed Values: true|false
368 Cache password in RAM so it can be read by cronjobs. Security is‐
369 sue: root might be able to read that password, too. <MODE> must
370 be the same as profile<N>.snapshots.mode
371 Default: true if home is not encrypted
373 profile<N>.snapshots.no_on_battery
376 Type: bool Allowed Values: true|false
377 Don't take snapshots if the Computer runs on battery.
378 Default: false
380 profile<N>.snapshots.notify.enabled
383 Type: bool Allowed Values: true|false
384 Display notifications (errors, warnings) through libnotify.
385 Default: true
387 profile<N>.snapshots.path
390 Type: str Allowed Values: absolute path
391 Where to save snapshots in mode 'local'. This path must contain a
392 folderstructure like 'backintime/<HOST>/<USER>/<PROFILE_ID>'
393 Default: ''
395 profile<N>.snapshots.path.host
398 Type: str Allowed Values: text
399 Set Host for snapshot path
400 Default: local hostname
402 profile<N>.snapshots.path.profile
405 Type: str Allowed Values: 1-99999
406 Set Profile-ID for snapshot path
407 Default: current Profile-ID
409 profile<N>.snapshots.path.user
412 Type: str Allowed Values: text
413 Set User for snapshot path
414 Default: local username
416 profile<N>.snapshots.path.uuid
419 Type: str Allowed Values: text
420 Devices uuid used to automatically set up udev rule if the drive
421 is not connected.
422 Default: ''
424 profile<N>.snapshots.preserve_acl
427 Type: bool Allowed Values: true|false
428 Preserve ACL. The source and destination systems must have
429 compatible ACL entries for this option to work properly.
430 Default: false
432 profile<N>.snapshots.preserve_xattr
435 Type: bool Allowed Values: true|false
436 Preserve extended attributes (xattr).
437 Default: false
439 profile<N>.snapshots.remove_old_snapshots.enabled
442 Type: bool Allowed Values: true|false
443 Remove all snapshots older than value + unit
444 Default: true
446 profile<N>.snapshots.remove_old_snapshots.unit
449 Type: int Allowed Values: 20|30|80
450 20 = days
451 30 = weeks
452 80 = years
453 Default: 80
455 profile<N>.snapshots.remove_old_snapshots.value
458 Type: int Allowed Values: 0-99999
459 Snapshots older than this times units will be removed
460 Default: 10
462 profile<N>.snapshots.rsync_options.enabled
465 Type: bool Allowed Values: true|false
466 Past additional options to rsync
467 Default: false
469 profile<N>.snapshots.rsync_options.value
472 Type: str Allowed Values: text
473 rsync options. Options must be quoted e.g. --exclude-
474 from="/path/to/my exclude file"
475 Default: ''
477 profile<N>.snapshots.smart_remove
480 Type: bool Allowed Values: true|false
481 Run smart_remove to clean up old snapshots after a new snapshot
482 was created.
483 Default: false
485 profile<N>.snapshots.smart_remove.keep_all
488 Type: int Allowed Values: 0-99999
489 Keep all snapshots for X days.
490 Default: 2
492 profile<N>.snapshots.smart_remove.keep_one_per_day
495 Type: int Allowed Values: 0-99999
496 Keep one snapshot per day for X days.
497 Default: 7
499 profile<N>.snapshots.smart_remove.keep_one_per_month
502 Type: int Allowed Values: 0-99999
503 Keep one snapshot per month for X month.
504 Default: 24
506 profile<N>.snapshots.smart_remove.keep_one_per_week
509 Type: int Allowed Values: 0-99999
510 Keep one snapshot per week for X weeks.
511 Default: 4
513 profile<N>.snapshots.smart_remove.run_remote_in_background
516 Type: bool Allowed Values: true|false
517 If using mode SSH or SSH-encrypted, run smart_remove in back‐
518 ground on remote machine
519 Default: false
521 profile<N>.snapshots.ssh.check_commands
524 Type: bool Allowed Values: true|false
525 Check if all commands (used during takeSnapshot) work like ex‐
526 pected on the remote host.
527 Default: true
529 profile<N>.snapshots.ssh.check_ping
532 Type: bool Allowed Values: true|false
533 Check if the remote host is available before trying to mount.
534 Default: true
536 profile<N>.snapshots.ssh.cipher
539 Type: str Allowed Values: default | aes192-cbc | aes256-cbc
540 | aes128-ctr | aes192-ctr | aes256-ctr | arcfour | arcfour256 |
541 arcfour128 | aes128-cbc | 3des-cbc | blowfish-cbc | cast128-cbc
542 Cipher that is used for encrypting the SSH tunnel. Depending on
543 the environment (network bandwidth, cpu and hdd performance) a
544 different cipher might be faster.
545 Default: default
547 profile<N>.snapshots.ssh.host
550 Type: str Allowed Values: IP or domain address
551 Remote host used for mode 'ssh' and 'ssh_encfs'.
552 Default: ''
554 profile<N>.snapshots.ssh.ionice
557 Type: bool Allowed Values: true|false
558 Run rsync and other commands on remote host with 'ionice -c2 -n7'
559 Default: false
561 profile<N>.snapshots.ssh.max_arg_length
564 Type: int Allowed Values: 0, >700
565 Maximum argument length of commands run on remote host. This can
566 be tested with 'python3 /usr/share/backintime/common/sshMaxArg.py
567 USER@HOST'.
568 0 = unlimited
569 Default: 0
571 profile<N>.snapshots.ssh.nice
574 Type: bool Allowed Values: true|false
575 Run rsync and other commands on remote host with 'nice -n19'
576 Default: false
578 profile<N>.snapshots.ssh.nocache
581 Type: bool Allowed Values: true|false
582 Run rsync on remote host with 'nocache'. This will prevent files
583 from being cached in memory.
584 Default: false
586 profile<N>.snapshots.ssh.path
589 Type: str Allowed Values: absolute or relative path
590 Snapshot path on remote host. If the path is relative (no leading
591 '/') it will start from remote Users homedir. An empty path will
592 be replaced with './'.
593 Default: ''
595 profile<N>.snapshots.ssh.port
598 Type: int Allowed Values: 0-65535
599 SSH Port on remote host.
600 Default: 22
602 profile<N>.snapshots.ssh.prefix.enabled
605 Type: bool Allowed Values: true|false
606 Add prefix to every command which run through SSH on remote host.
607 Default: false
609 profile<N>.snapshots.ssh.prefix.value
612 Type: str Allowed Values: text
613 Prefix to run before every command on remote host. Variables need
614 to be escaped with \$FOO. This doesn't touch rsync. So to add a
615 prefix for rsync use profile<N>.snapshots.rsync_options.value
616 with --rsync-path="FOO=bar:\$FOO /usr/bin/rsync"
617 Default: 'PATH=/opt/bin:/opt/sbin:\$PATH'
619 profile<N>.snapshots.ssh.private_key_file
622 Type: str Allowed Values: absolute path to private key file
623 Private key file used for password-less authentication on remote
624 host.
625 Default: ~/.ssh/id_dsa
627 profile<N>.snapshots.ssh.user
630 Type: str Allowed Values: text
631 Remote SSH user
632 Default: local users name
634 profile<N>.snapshots.take_snapshot_regardless_of_changes
637 Type: bool Allowed Values: true|false
638 Create a new snapshot regardless if there were changes or not.
639 Default: false
641 profile<N>.snapshots.use_checksum
644 Type: bool Allowed Values: true|false
645 Use checksum to detect changes rather than size + time.
646 Default: false
648 profile<N>.snapshots.user_backup.ionice
651 Type: bool Allowed Values: true|false
652 Run BackInTime with 'ionice -c2 -n7' when taking a manual snap‐
653 shot. This will give BackInTime the lowest IO bandwidth priority
654 to not interrupt any other working process.
655 Default: false
657 profile<N>.user_callback.no_logging
660 Type: bool Allowed Values: true|false
661 Do not catch std{out|err} from user-callback script. The script
662 will only write to current TTY. Default is to catch std{out|err}
663 and write it to syslog and TTY again.
664 Default: false
666 profiles
669 Type: str Allowed Values: int separated by colon (e.g.
670 1:3:4)
671 All active Profiles (<N> in profile<N>.snapshots...).
672 Default: 1
674 profiles.version
677 Type: int Allowed Values: 1
678 Internal version of profiles config.
679 Default: 1
681
683 backintime, backintime-qt.
684 Back In Time also has a website: https://github.com/bit-team/backintime
686
688 This manual page was written by BIT Team(<bit-team@lists.launch‐
689 pad.net>).
690version 1.3.1 Nov 2017 backintime-config(1)