If backing up TUrbo Lister to a flash drive will it save my photos?

[vintagenorth]

Have to take my PC in for service. If I do a backup of my TL files to a flash drive will my photos get saved on the flash drive along with all my other info?

[berserkerplanet]

Hopefully @dollybeauty or @pocomocomputing will jump in here with definitive info, but in general I'd want to think yes, but...

TL appears to do incremental backups? I think, so uncertain if all photos would appear in only the most recent backup, or even if the photos are in the individual backups or are in the separate file structure.

I would do the backup to the flashdrive, and also copy the entire TL database and folder structure, or just the photo directories also to it if you have room (or burn the files to dvd or copy to an external hard drive, etc) just to be sure.

I use Win XP which is probably not what you use, so data locations are different, but my TL backup files and image files are found here:
C:\Documents and Settings\berserker.VOIDIAN\My Documents\Turbo Lister Backup

That file structure only contains the most recent two backups and is approx 1GB. (I offlined the last 5+ years of backups not too long ago - they were taking up 10 or 20 GB of space and didn't really need to be there.)

and my TL data files, databases, and image file structure are here (about 9.5GB):
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users.WINDOWS\eBay

I don't have time (or really the inclination to :-), but you can google "Turbo Lister backup files" or similar and chase down the dozens of old TL backup related threads in the forums here if one of the other more TL knowledgeable posters doesn't chime in.

[dollybeauty]

Lol, I do not use Turbo's backup, so have no real info to add to Berserkersplanet's advice.

Since I do not list from turbo, i have no need for the inventory section, except as a place holder for active listings, on the way to export.

So eBay is my backup.

[pocomocomputing]

The TL backup makes two files, a data file and an image file. So yes the images should be there. I believe when you setup TL you have to specify a option to store photos with the listings. You may have to make sure that is on. But the photos in the TL backup are not usable except in a restore. 

TL installation stores program files and data files in separate folders. Photos are stored in a data sub folder in standard jpg format. This is the source data file for a photo and can be used with any photo editor to view. Naming structure of sub folders and individual photos is some computer generated numerical names. They increment so latest photos are higher numbered. Only was to find a particular photo in this structure is to view one by one around when you loaded it into TL. So not a practical backup of photos.

It is best to maintain source photos in your own folder structure on your computer with meaningful names. I do all the editing of photos and have the file usable photo in my own photo data files. I have total control of my photos. I then upload the finished photos to eBay online or TL and do not use the built in editor in TL. So I always know that my source photo in my data are the final photo version.

Of course, you need to backup your computer data regularly.

[pocomocomputing]

Windows XP TL folder structure changes with Windows Vista onwards. Data was forced out of program areas into data areas with later Windows. I assume to control unauthorized program changes so the program folders were locked down. The annoying windows pop up asking for permission to make program changes starting with Windows Vista.

TL always separated program files and data files into different folders. I used to copy the data folders to my D drive where all my other data was kept. A simple (to me) registry edit to the TL data folder. Never had issues doing this. I also backed up the TL data folders to an external drive as much easier to restore the folders in Windows than use slow TL with there backup.

I even found out when migrating to a new Windows, I could do a fresh install of TL and simply copy my data folders from the old windows drive to my new windows data drive and point to it. For such a slow and horrible program, the separation of program and data was so complete that you could change the data portion. Just one caveat. The data folders structure are dependant of your current version of TL. You can’t read old data structure from months before because the structure changed.

[pocomocomputing]

Disclaimer. My experience is based on using TL and eBay from 2-3 years ago and older. I no longer list on eBay for 2+ years. I was a casual seller. But I a a former programmer and computer background. So I would try to understand how eBay works and tinker a lot with HTML in descriptions. And try out features to see what can be done.

Why did I stop selling? Too many rules to follow and Selling on eBay is no longer fun and harder to sell. Postage rates went so high over the years so I could not sell my old low cost parts anymore.

I also don’t buy here anymore. Sellers were buyers as is often mentioned in the forums. Lose a seller and you lose a buyer. Too much bad feeling over treatment of sellers over the years by eBay.

Not to be totally negative about eBay. It was a great place to sell odds and ends until about five years ago. I am very happy now not Selling on eBay. 

[dollybeauty]

Thanks Pocomo! I had always felt that the seperation of data and program would lend itself to backup via pkzip and other very quick backup programs, but since I did not have a need to do so, I never tested those options.

I did not want to publish that, because as you said, the database structure is dependant on the TL version.