linuxmemes @lemmy.world 0x4E4F @sh.itjust.works 6mo ago

We've all been there...

I usually use .bak... .old seems so... old.

58 comments

That's why you put your config files in a git repository
- Sounds like Nixos with extra steps
  
  What do you mean? My NixOS config files are in a git repository
- Even the system files like those in /etc ?
  
  There's a tool for that
  
  No. I only set up /etc/fstab and /etc/ssh/sshd_config once and they will never change.
  
  Yes. I use a hacky script to copy them to the right place
- You could set up btrfs snapshots, too. Of course, don't forget to take a snapshot before you break your configs.
  
  Wouldn't you need to use btrfs for that?
  
  How well does btrfs work with full disk encryption?
BAK IN MY DAY 👵👴
- Yep I still add .bak to mine
Evolution:

config.json

config.json.bak

config.json.bak.old

config.json.bak.old2

config.json.bak.old3.stillworks

config.json.bak.old3.stillworks.DONTUSETHIS

config.json_(redownloaded_from_source)
- Sigh...
  
  git revert HEAD echo \*.json.\* >> .gitignore git commit
- config.conf
  config.conf.backup
  config.conf.testing
  config.conf.old
  config.conf.default
  config.conf.example
- config.json.almost
  
  config.json.broken
  
  config.json.shouldwork
. . . (sigh...)
- True story... happens all the time.
Gmail says sending myfile.zip is not allowed.

Change it to myfile.zip.txt and everything is fine.
- It may be due to their processing.
  Better base64 -w 0 myfile.zip > myfile.zip.txt
  
  If it works though ¯⁠\⁠_⁠(⁠ツ⁠)⁠_⁠/⁠¯
Speaking of which, nowadays KDE hides files with these extensions for some reason
- It's just a playful thing dolphins do 😊.
  
  Rename to .old
  
  Bam file is gone.
  
  ??? Confused look.
  
  The heck?
  
  Ctrl + h
  
  Oh there it is!
An old manager of mine's backup solution was a cronjob that appended .old to every file then made a copy of the most recent one. So he had: file, file.old, file.old.old, file.old.old.old, ...
- lol 🤣🤣🤣
I'm seeing this on oldsh.itjust.works, feels extra meta

https://oldsh.itjust.works/post/19853381
.bkp_YYYYMMDD for me
- Ah, yes, I also add dates sometimes, very helpful 👍.
  
  And then wonder "wtf did I change them 🤔".
  
  Config files need git nowadays.
Is there a tool to version your configs? I use chezmoi for my dotfiles but that doesn't help system configs
- Etckeeper
Fuck it. What's the worst that could happen?

Oh.
.bak is good, ranger even hides files with it
- This is what I've always used as well
I like adding a backup function to .profile that can take a file or list of files as an argument and make a copy with a date suffix on the file name, and same date additional backups just add a character like ~ at the end. It's in version control, but if I'm testing a change it's just faster to restore the file from a copy in the same place.
- i so agree. i have a script that copies all file arguments into the directory .backups/YYYY-mm-DD-HHMM/ ... handy for risky git operations too.
- Obligatory note that /etc/profile and ~/.profile are only run by login shells, and many terminal emulators do not execute a login shell by default.
  
  Unfortunately, there is no standard secondary place* that all shells execute, so check your chosen shell's manual for what it does run on startup and put your functions into one of those. Preferably one that goes in your homedir.
  
  Alternatively have that file source ~/.profile assuming that won't cause an infinite loop.
  
  * And not even a primary if you count *csh, but if you use those you have other problems.
Bet the world would be a happier place if we had cartoon physics
- Lower gravity by 20x, bam, instant cartoon physics.
  
  Acceleration would be 0.50 m/s^2
*~

But you should really have a backup system. And often you should have a version control system too.
- Use etc-keeper, saves everything in a git repo and integrates with a bunch of package managers. Been using it for decades it feels like now.
Use NixOS
- People here really hate our distro for some reason. Isn't it just Arch with extra steps (and all the configs in one file)? Everyone likes Arch! The definition of Arch is extra steps!
Did this with PAM the other day and nearly locked myself out.

58 comments