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Could we have automatic backups with a datestamp as part of the file name, like a prefix. For example:

test.asp -> backup 1 --> 08/10/2004-12:45:01 test.asp
or
test.asp -> backup 1 --> 08102004-124501 test.asp
test.asp -> backup 2 --> 08102004-124705 test.asp

I wrote over a file and saved it twice so that the backup copy was also bad.
Thanks
Terry

Whilst wishing no disrespect to a perfectly valid enhancement suggestion, I think it would be worthwhile to point out that there are alternative solutions to this problem which don't involve an upgrade to TextPad. In fact, I don't think it should be TextPad's problem at all, because every program from Word to Visual C++ can potentially overwrite backups, and I wouldn't like to ask every one of them individually to introduce their own comprehensive backup strategy.

The real answer to what you want is called "version control", and many solutions already exsit, including CVS, RCCS, and Microsoft Visual Source Safe. Personally, I use Tortoise CVS, which is a lightweight implementation of CVS (it doesn't implement a network server but it's perfect for local needs). It's GUI and it integrates well with Windows Explorer. I use it partly because it does the job better than TextPad could ever do, and partly because (ashamed though I am to admit it on this forum) not every file I create is created with TextPad. And if you're not happy with Tortoise CVS, look around the internet - there are many other programs which do much the same thing. I promise you, this will solve all your backup problems.

I like the suggestion in the base note, but think it's overkill.

How about a simple _version_number_ following or preceding the extension (something like was implemented in Digital Equipment Corp.'s RSX-11 and
VMS operating systems)?

This could be selected in the Configure | Preferences | Backup panel under
Backup FILE.EXT as: with the following additional choices:

FILE.###.EXT
FILE.EXT.###

where the ### would be replaced by the next higher number than the highest such number currently found in the backup directory.

So FILE.EXT would get backed up as FILE.EXT.001 (or just FILE.EXT.1) the first time then FILE.EXT.002, FILE.EXT.003 etc. I wouldn't care if leading zeroes are present or not, but it would be easier to find these files if the version numbers were always the same length. Another selection box could be added to allow the user to specify how many digits were wanted.

Even a _version_limit_ could be specified. As each backup file is saved, the oldest (lowest-numbered) backup file would be deleted if the version limit has been reached. Say the version limit were set to 3. Then when FILE.EXT.999 is saved and the next save is necessary, only FILE.EXT.997, FILE.EXT.998, FILE.EXT.999 would exist. FILE.EXT.997 would be deleted,
and FILE.EXT.998 would be renamed to FILE.EXT.000; FILE.EXT.999 to FILE.EXT.001, and the new backup would be FILE.EXT.002. The next backup would delete FILE.EXT.000 and create FILE.EXT.003.

The time stamp on each backup file should of course be the time it was first created and not changed upon any renaming operation.

So that Windows doesn't get confused about file extensions, it might better to use FILE.###.EXT then FILE.EXT.### for naming the backup file versions.

Dave C.