By default, the application automatically includes the whole database you have configured it to connect to and all the files under the configured site's root. Sometimes you want to include a different database - for example, one used by an additional script installed on your site - or files you have placed above your site's root for increased security. The application can cope with that need by providing you with handy data inclusion features.
Sometimes your site grows beyond a single script. A forum, a torrent tracker, a custom script... some of them may be installed in a database of their own, not as tables in the same database as the one your main site is using. If you really want to take a full site backup, you really need these databases backed up as well. The solution to this is the option of the application. You can define an unlimited number of additional MySQL databases which will be backed up (and restored!) along with your regular site database.
![[Warning]](/media/com_docimport/admonition/warning.png) | Warning |
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Do not use this feature to add your site's main database, the one you configured to be backed up. It is automatically added anyway. Doing so will cause errors during the restoration of your site! |
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Do not confuse the term "database" with the tables it contains. It is possible that a single database contains tables for multiple sites or scripts, e.g. a WordPress site, a Joomla! site and a phpBB installation at the same time (or multiple WordPress installations at the same time; you get the idea). As far as the application is concerned, all of those tables exist in the same database. Unless you tell it otherwise, it will always backup ALL tables of the database. A common misconception is that if you want to also backup a site in a subdomain which has its tables inside the same database as the main site, you should add its database as a multiple database definition. DO NOT DO THAT, IT WILL MAKE THE RESTORATION FAIL! After all, the application already backs up those tables. Why should you have to back them up a second time? |
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If you add an empty database (one which has no tables) it will result in backup errors! |
![[Note]](/media/com_docimport/admonition/note.png) | Note |
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The settings on this page are defined per profile . Make sure you have selected the desired profile in the page. |
Multiple Databases Definitions
At first, you are presented with a grid view, listing all database definitions. On the left of each entry, there are two icons:
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The trashcan. Clicking on this icon will remove the current database definition from the backup set.
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Pencil or Add Sign. Both will open the database definition editor: the former to edit the database definition, the latter to create a new one.
Multiple Databases Definitions - The editor
The database definition editor opens as a dialog box inside the multiple databases definitions page. The options you can select for each database are:
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Database driver. You can select which database driver the application will use to connect to the database. Your options are:
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MySQLi. This is an improved MySQL 5 connection driver. We recommend using it for MySQL databases.
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MySQL. This is the regular MySQL connection driver for PHP. It has the widest compatibility, but the lowest performance.
Please note that only the drivers supported by your server will be displayed.
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Database server hostname. The host of your database server. Usually it's
localhost, but many hosts use something different. If in doubt, ask your host. -
Database server port. Leave it blank, unless your host has told you to use a non standard port for connecting to their database server.
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Username. The username of the database user needed to connect to the database.
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Password. The password of the database user needed to connect to the database.
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Database name. The name of the database you are connecting to.
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Prefix. The prefix used in the table name's prefixes.
![[Important]](/media/com_docimport/admonition/important.png)
Important MAJOR PITFALL: Please do not leave the Prefix field blank if you intend to use the Database Table Exclusion feature to exclude tables or table data of this extra database from the backup. If you don't want to use a real prefix, please use a "fake" prefix, e.g.
thisIsAFakePrefix_, to keep the Database Table Exclusion feature happy and functional.
| Warning |
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Some hosts use your account name as a prefix for the
database and username. This is not the same
as the Prefix setting above! In fact, you have to
incorporate that account prefix in your database and username
values. For example, you're hosted under the account name
If in doubt, contact your host. We can't guess the right values for you as we have not set up your server or database. If you ask your host to give you the connection information to your database, they must be able to do so. |
When you think you have all the connection information ready, click on . This will check all settings except the Prefix. If the connection test succeeds, it will inform you:
Same goes if it fails:
If your connection works properly, it's time to save your changes by clicking the button. The top panel will briefly display a "loading" message and the dialog box will go away. That was it, your extra database definition is now saved.