www.exendo.se, the makers of history explorer

[MerleOne]

Hi,

I recently purchased a license of History Explorer (through bitsdujour), a software that manages nicely document revisions, by saving all versions (not very HDD space friendly I admit).

First, I got the license for V2.2, but the available download was 2.1 only.  I realized that when trial expired and when I tried to enter my license in the software.  Not a very good start.

Then, with 2.2 version, I came across a nasty & well hidden bug, which seems to occur when files having quotes (') in their names are monitored.  In that case , purging the database or removing old backups won't work.  They never acknowledged the issue and didn't even respond to my mails where I explained how I found this (took me some time).  I find this rather rude from them.

Too bad since it is quite easy to use and efficient.

[rjbull]

If you're sufficiently cheesed off, you might like to compare it with AJC Active Backup, which has also featured on Bits du Jour.

[wraith808]

I use History Explorer, and have been quite pleased with it.  There are a few niggling issues, but I haven't had any problems so far...  I'm on version 2.2.2, but I don't have any files with ' in the name...

[IainB]

@MerleOne: Interesting post. I had not come across History Explorer before, so I went to the site and took a look around. It looks like a rather nifty document version backup/restore software.
I would suggest that the reason you have not had a response to your report of this "nasty & well hidden bug" is possibly because the software developers might not regard it as a bug at all. I recall that the DOS/Windows operating system did not used to accept as valid any characters that were (from memory) NOT in the ranges:

• Numeric: 0-9
• Alphabetic: A-Z
• Special characters: ().SPACE

(I'm sure someone in the DC forum reading this would be able to specify exactly what the filename validation criteria were and currently are.)

The OS is a bit more tolerant now, but even so a lot of software continues with the historic standard for filename validation criteria.

Not surprising therefore that filenames with things like double quotes (")and hash marks (#) still throw some of these applications into a fit.
I have tripped over this problem so many times over the years that my approach now is that it's better to err on the side of caution and avoid using anything but the LCM (Lowest Common Denominator) - i.e., the base filename standard.

"a few niggling issues"

wraith808: Would you mind providing your "review" of this product? I am thinking about buying a licece after reading this post, but I would like to know what you meant by "a few niggling issues".

[fenixproductions]

@IainB
Just my 2 cents…
I can't see an apostrophe mentioned in the table here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filename

[IainB]

@fenixproductions: Thanks, yes, apostrophe, comma and perhaps quite a lot more from the full/extended ASCII character set!
Actually, I recall seeing a list of the DOS/Windows valid filename characters, in a 4DOS manual, but I don't recall what they all were.

"He had to learn, not to throw stones at the school ..."?

What's that all about? (Just curious.)

[MerleOne]

If you're sufficiently cheesed off, you might like to compare it with AJC Active Backup, which has also featured on Bits du Jour.

Thanks for the advice.  Actually I already have one license of AJC AB (which I find great) but I just wanted to try this other one, which as some advantages over AJC (easier to configure, non proprietary archive format, etc.).

[rjbull]

this other one, which as some advantages over AJC (easier to configure, non proprietary archive format, etc.).

I'd prefer a "non proprietary archive format" myself.  Still, it seems nice enough, though fortunately I haven't had to use it much.

[fenixproductions]

"He had to learn, not to throw stones at the school ..."?

What's that all about? (Just curious.)

One of my friends (who is a Pole) used to say that in Russian when someone was asking how had he know an answer for something (used mostly for very obvious things).

And the translation is supposed to be: You should have been learning (in school) instead of throwing stones at it.

[IainB]

@fenixproductions: Thanks for the explanation and corrected translation (I had used Google translate!).