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How To Backup Files Using Word

Here’s one of the best automated backup tips ever! All you need is Microsoft Word 97 or later, a second disk drive, and a little know-how courtesy of Dave Cook.

File backups are an essential part of computer maintenance. Yet many of us find ourselves simply too busy (or too lazy) to backup our data on a regular basis. It’s a crazy situation, since the data recorded on our computer is often more valuable than the cost of a new drive.

So here’s a failsafe way to backup documents (and other important data) to another hard disk every time you exit Microsoft Word. It’s not as safe as storing backup media offsite, of course. But it’s immeasurably better than not creating a backup in the first place.

Most applications will let you save files to a folder of your choice, so get into the habit of saving all your important data to one folder, such as the My Documents folder. Then you’ll need to create a simple macro using Word’s VBA editor, and a DOS batch file using a text editor such as Windows Notepad.

When you’re finished, you’ll be able to backup the contents of the My Documents folder to another drive every time you close Word. All that’s required on your part is one extra click of the mouse button. As an added bonus, the backup will be incremental: after the initial backup, only changed files will overwrite older versions stored on the second drive.

Batch File

We’ll begin with a couple of batch file examples. The first example assumes the files to be backed up are stored in a folder called DATA on drive C:.

To create a batch file that will backup these files (and subfolders) and save them to a similarly named folder on drive D:, first create a folder on drive C: called BATFILES and then create a folder called DATA on drive D:

Now open a text editor like Notepad and enter:

xcopy c:\data\*.* d:\data /s/m/y

This is a DOS batch file, remember, so be prepared for a little tweaking if the folder name contains more than eight characters.

If this proves to be the case, you can use the tilde sign (~) to shorten the name in the batch file and make it only eight characters long. For example, to create a batch file that will backup files from C:\Documents and Settings\Dave Cook\My Documents to a folder on drive E: called My Documents, enter:

xcopy c:\Docume~1\DaveCo~1\MYDOCU~1\*.* e:\MYDOCU~1 /s/m/y

Watch those spaces! When you’re finished, save the text file as BACKUP.BAT and store it in the folder C:\BATFILES.

Macro

Now we’re ready to create the macro. Open Word and choose Tools, Macro, Macros. You probably won’t have to enable macros, but if you do you can still maintain a high security level by assigning a list of trusted macro sources, and electing to trust all installed add-ins and templates. It goes without saying that you should also be running an up to date antivirus program.  

In the macro name window enter AutoExit, and click Create. This takes you to Word’s VBA editor. In the VB editor window, clear any existing lines and enter the following text: 

Sub AutoExit()

Dim Backup, Style, Title, Response

Backup = "Backup File, Cookie?"

Style = vbYesNo + vbDefaultButton1 + vbQuestion

Title = "Optional Backup on Exit"

Response = MsgBox(Backup, Style, Title)

If Response = vbYes Then

Dim RetVal

RetVal = Shell("c:\batfiles\backup.bat", 1)

End If

End Sub

On the Backup line, note that the text placed within the quotes “Backup File, Cookie?” will be the text that appears when you’re prompted to backup the files. Obviously, this text should be altered to suit your own requirements. Everything else should be entered exactly how it appears above. When you’re finished, close the macro to save it.

Finally

Next time you close Word an Optional Backup On Exit box will appear. Click the YES button and all the files contained within your chosen folder on drive C: will be copied to a folder and drive stipulated in the batch file you created earlier.

From this point onwards you will be given the opportunity to backup your files every time you exit Word. And because these backups are incremental, only new or altered files will be updated on the second drive.