COTW Backup tool

[mazex]

== UPDATED 2023-01-11 with version 1.1.4... Compiled with .NET Framework 4.8.1 to fix scaling and fixes for potential problems with directory browsing on Windows 11.

IMPORTANT NOTE! In late 2019 the devs for some weird reason changed the default save location from:

"...\Documents\Avalanche Studios\theHunter Call of the Wild\Saves"
to
"...\Documents\Avalanche Studios\COTW\Saves"

So really old users of COTW Backer need to change that path - from version 1.1.3 it will use the new COTW directory as default instead - and warn if you select the old path.

Background / Purpose of application:

After getting messed up save files that happens to quite some people where you loose all progress (see the bugs forum) I realized that doing backups of your save files is a good way to minimize the damage. But it is rather tedious to do this every time so being an old programmer I wrote the dumbest application I ever wrote.

It simply creates a zip of the folder "...\Documents\Avalanche Studios\COTW\Saves" when you click backup. It then shows a list of your "backups" that you can either delete or restore. When you click restore it will not delete anything but rename the current "Saves" folder to <current date>_Saves and then unpack the zip file to "Saves". So it should not damage anything even though I naturally guarantee nothing ;)

Download and install:

Download it from the link below. Chrome might complain that it does not like the file when downloading it but it is because it is just signed with a test certificate etc. See my posts no 3 and 4 below regarding anti virus warnings and web scanning for viruses before download if you are worried about this - good for other downloads as well!

Unpack the contents of the zip (two files - CotwBacker.exe and CotwBacker.exe.config) to a directory of your choice that you create. I have it in a folder called Apps on C: where I have small utility programs - "C:\Apps\CotwBacker".

Link to download (version 1.1.4):

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WzkEquKwWknaLWIIC6N3PJ4J1uKE9mhI/view?usp=sharing

Link to download the old previous version if anyone has problems (version 1.1.3):

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hURApYzQuvPL9YKZQhMdN46nB6Ac5fD_/view?usp=drive_web

Usage:

The recommended usage is to create a shortcut to CotwBacker.exe on your desktop and use this application to backup you save files after ending the game successfully. If you did not do it your last game session you can naturally do it before you start playing...

Screenshot:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VxQd1TFjUtRCgfhlRTOtKLikkxCDB7HT/view?usp=sharing

[Optifade]

Nice job +1

[gfraser9]

Malabytes blocks it

[mazex]

It's because it's a C# .NET application that is signed with a private certificate. Not interested in spending $100 to get a CA validated certificate to sign it with.

[mazex]

If you are worried about viruses in a file on the net - there are online services from many Anti Virus companies like Kaspersky:

Go to this page:

https://virusdesk.kaspersky.com/

And paste in the downloadlink to my app (or any other link or file). Link for the download to paste in: https://sites.google.com/site/mazexx/files/CotwBacker_1.1.3.zip?attredirects=0&d=1

Below is a link to a screenshot from Kaspersky scanning the download above:

https://sites.google.com/site/mazexx/files/kaspersky.png?attredirects=0

[gfraser9]

OK tyvm

[(ODC) Wasbeer]

Thanks for this. Been playing the game for a couple weeks now and just recently read about the savegame/lost progress issues. I'm using your program each time I close the game now.

[Snake_WH]

Thank you thank you!!

[mazex]

OK - it's nice being both the developer and one of the few users of this extremely feature rich and complex app ;)

Realized that it was a bit tedious to clean out old saves and added a button for "Remove all but the last 3 backups" as I am lazy myself... Did some minor UI cleanup and fixed so that very fast saving will not get added hundredth of seconds in file name and then double zip.zip in the end. It would never overwrite a previous save but ugly name with zip.zip..

Updated the download links above for version 1.1.0

[jimco]

Thanks, just too easy.

[PicSoul]

I've been debating if I should pin this or not since it requires a download but it seems too useful to let go unnoticed.

If any other mods or devs don't agree with my decision, feel free to unpin it.

[mazex]

For the sake of it I added a check if someone has not set the base save directory and tries to click "Remove all but 3"... Version 1.1.2 above.

[ahuja.madhur]

Where does it create the backup?

[mazex]

In the C:\Users\<username>\Documents\Avalanche Studios\theHunter Call of the Wild folder.

That folder is empty by default and only have the sub folder "Saves".

[Sleeper C]

Will this backup tool work fine with the “New Save System”, that is introduced with the Yukon Valley?

[mazex]

No clue yet. Hopefully it won't be needed :)