4.2 Understanding the NSS File Version Utility

The NSS File Version Utility integrates with your Microsoft Windows desktop to provide a Versions option. You can use it to locate and restore previous versions of current, renamed, or deleted files from the archive database, without requiring the help of your network administrator.

4.2.1 The Archived Files List

The Archived Files list, located in the lower area of the dialog box, displays the files and directories that exist in the archive database. The list is displayed in a browsable tree view.

Figure 4-1 Example of File Versions in the File Version Utility

Double-click a folder to expand a tree view of the archived directories and files. Use the scroll bar to view the entire list. You can also navigate the tree view using arrow keys on your keyboard. To expand a directory, select the directory, then click Enter or the Down-arrow. To move from a file list to its parent directory, click the Up-arrow.

To browse other directories from within the File Version Utility, click Browse. You can also browse using your file browser while the File Version Utility is open. Whenever you click a directory or file in your file browser, if its file versions are available, the directory or file appears in the Archived Files tree view field.

Only files or directories to which you have rights appear in the list. Directories can contain other directories, files, or unknown entries. 

  • Directory: A folder icon distinguishes the entry as a unique directory within the selected directory.

  • File: An application icon distinguishes the entry as a unique file within the selected directory.

  • Unknown: An unknown-file-type icon distinguishes the entry as a directory or file that has multiple version sets with the same name. Typically, multiple version sets occur when a source file or directory has been renamed or deleted and the old filename has been reused. Click the entry to retrieve information that can help clarify which it is.

    If the entry represents a multiple version set for a directory, you receive a message to inform you of how many directories by that name are available. Click OK to acknowledge the message. The single unknown entry is replaced by multiple directories, each with the same name. Click each entry to view a list of its versions.

    For example, suppose an unknown entry named reports, as shown on the left in the following figure. When you click the reports icon to determine its contents, the branch expands to show that three sets of directory versions exist in the archive. The single icon expands to three directory icons by the same name, as shown on the right in the following figure.

    Figure 4-2 Example of the Expansion of Multiple Directory Version Sets

    To determine which directory to explore for your file version of interest, click on each directory version to view information about it in the Directory Information list. The list displays the version’s Status (Current, Renamed, or Deleted) and the Date Modified. If the path to the selected directory version differs from the current path, the path is also displayed.

    If the entry represents a file multiple version set, the Versions of the Archived File list displays the file sets. Use the Date Modified and Modified By information to determine which file version set contains the file version you are seeking. Click a file version set to open a list of file versions for that file.

4.2.2 The Versions of the Archived File List

In the Versions of the Archived File list, the file versions appear from newest to oldest. Use the following information to help identify the file version you want to restore:

  • File Name: The name of the file at the time it was modified during an epoch.

  • Date Modified: The time stamp when the file version was saved.

  • Modified By: The username of the person who last modified the source file before the file was versioned.

  • View: Downloads the file to a temporary local directory and opens it for viewing. Your workstation must have the appropriate application to open the file.

  • Information: Displays metadata about the file version. For more information, see Section 4.2.3, Information about a File Version.

4.2.3 Information about a File Version

Novell Archive and Version Services tracks a file version by its source volume, the relative path where the file was located when it was versioned, the filename of the source file, the time stamp of the version, and the person who last modified the file during the epoch.

Use the Information option to view the properties of the selected file version. From a list of file versions, select the file version of interest, then click Information.

Figure 4-3 Sample File Information Window in the File Version Utility

The File Information window provides the following metadata about a selected file version:

File Information

For the selected file version, the File Information area displays the following information:

  • Name: The filename when the selected version was saved.

  • Size: The amount of disk space consumed by the file version.

  • Status: The current state of the selected version’s source file. There are three types of status:

    • Current: The source file or directory currently exists in the same path and with the same filename as the file version.

    • Renamed: The source file for the selected version currently exists in the same path, but the source file has been renamed. An authorized user renamed the source file one or more times, using the file manager’s Rename option, since the version was saved.

    • Deleted: The source file for the selected version no longer exists in the same path as the file version. An authorized user might have deleted the source file, moved the source file from its known path, or deleted the source file’s parent directory.

  • Current Name: If the file version status is Renamed, the current name of a source file used to create the selected file version. Otherwise, this field is empty.

Modifier Information

The Modifier Information area displays the following information:

  • Name: The username of the person who last modified the file during the epoch when the file version was created.

  • Date Modified: The date and time the source file was modified for the selected file version.

  • Tree: The Novell eDirectory™ tree where the user was logged in when the user modified the source file.

  • Context: The Novell eDirectory context where the user was logged in when the user modified the source file.

Location

The Location is the network path and filename where the source file existed when it was versioned. This is the default destination and filename used when restoring a file version.