Old .b backup files

A search of my drive revealed a lot of the outdated .b backup files that many of my databases still are creating. For the life of me I ca’n remember how this is done so I can remove that ability. I seem to recall a procedure that trapped the SAVE or CLOSE command and it created the backup but I can’t find that procedure or anything like it in the databases that are still doing this.

Can someone please refresh my senior memory?

This is from page 65 of the Panorama Handbook.pdf:

Backup Files

Like most programs, Panorama normally stores only one copy of each database on the disk. If you wish, however, you can tell Panorama to keep a second copy of a database. This extra backup copy can help protect you from mistakes.

The backup copy of a database is a copy of what was saved the second to the last time. Having a backup copy of the database means that if you make a mistake and save when you didn’t mean to, you can still get back to the previous version of the database.

The backup copy of the file has the same name as the original with.b added. On Macintosh computers the.b is added at the end of the filename (for example the backup file for Checkbook is Checkbook.b). On Windows computers the .b is added just before the .pan extension (for example the backup file for Contacts.pan is Con- tacts.b.pan).

Macintosh computers are limited to 32 character file names. Because of this limitation, the original filename cannot exceed 29 characters if the Keep Backup option is used. (If the filename is more than 29 characters, Panorama will ignore the Keep Backup option.)

To tell Panorama to keep a backup copy, use the Save As command to save the file and check the Keep Backup Copy of Database option. Once this option is checked, Panorama will keep a backup copy whenever the file is saved.

I believe that Panorama 6, which added the Total Recall feature, no longer creates .b files no matter what the setting is. So unless you are using Panorama 5.5 or earlier, Panorama should no longer be creating .b files.

It does Jim, I deleted the .b file of one database then saved the database and it created the backup again.

Maybe you have the Total Recall feature turned off? Or maybe my recollection is incorrect, it’s been ten years since I looked at that code. In any case, you can definitely use the Save As command to turn it off, as Gary mentioned.

Thanks Gary, all came back to me when you posted the info. It’s been so long sice I used that feature I’d nearly forgotten it even existed until I started going through all my files today.