[mythtv-users] MythTV Configuration Backup

Michael T. Dean mtdean at thirdcontact.com
Sat Jul 12 16:36:54 UTC 2008


On 07/12/2008 11:19 AM, George Nassas wrote:
> On 12-Jul-08, at 10:39 AM, moodyjunk wrote:
>> I backup my entire database nightly with mysqldump, but in addition
>> I'd like to backup my configuration settings only, both frontend and
>> backend?   I'd like to be able to restore the settings to a previous
>> time without restoring the recording history.
>>     
> Dump out the "settings" table alone.

Note, though, that the settings table (and all the other configuration 
tables, like capturecard, cardinput, storagegroup, videosource, channel, 
...) references data in many other tables, so if you ever tried to 
restore just the settings table, it would likely break your system, 
anyway...  That means you'd still have to go through all the 
configuration on all the frontends/backends to make things work.  The 
only difference is you would likely bring in a lot of extra 
"baggage"/garbage data.

Complete backup is the way to go.  If you want a "spring cleaning" 
restore (restore the TV data, but not the configuration stuff), you can 
do so from a full backup as described at 
http://mythtv.org/docs/mythtv-HOWTO-23.html#ss23.7 .  Or, better, use 
the scripts that will likely be part of 0.22 (now available at 
http://misc.thirdcontact.com/MythTV/database_mythconverg_backup.pl and 
http://misc.thirdcontact.com/MythTV/database_mythconverg_restore.pl ).  
Note that the scripts also support a partial/"spring cleaning" restore 
including TV data and plugin data (you lose all plugin 
configuration/data in 23.7).  Note that the scripts will work with /any/ 
version of MythTV, so no upgrade is required (yes, they will work with 
0.13, if you're stuck in 2003/2004).

Settings/configuration only restore, though, is pretty much impossible 
because of the cross-table references/referential integrity issues.  
Note I said, "pretty much impossible," meaning you could track down all 
required references and ensure you back those up, too (and ensure you 
have a means of importing them that will work regardless of data in the 
tables without breaking other stuff...).  However, if you did that, it 
would work with your specific revision of Myth, but all the tracking 
would have to be re-checked/re-done as Myth changes.

About the closest you can get to what you're asking is the 
MythBuntu-style approach of having a basic no-data configuration that 
sets initial settings to your preferences.

Mike


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