Project Zomboid Save Backup Utility

Another DOS script to act as a save manager of sorts. Backing up, and restoring saves (Solo&Multiplayer)

How it all works

This Script can check in the default Project Zomboid Save Data location for all types of Save files.

It can then backup these folders, and compress them using either Winrar or 7zip.

There is also a restore function so you can easily extract back into Zomboid if your save ever has to be deleted or something like that!

Upcoming Project Zomboid Patch 41.66

In the newest blog post (posted 2/3/22[projectzomboid.com]) The Indie Stone discusses their next build 42, and also the upcoming patch 41.66. Inside the change log[pastebin.com] on Line 6, you can see they mention...

The Indie Stone a écrit :

- Added options for automatic server backups.

This will quite likely be an even bigger time saver than this utility script, at least when it comes to Multiplayer Servers. However, I will still leave this up and available to those who would like to continue using it for MP along with those who use it for SP.

While game development is my main focus, I will still check back and update this whenever something is amiss!

Changelogs

Update v3.0.2

[Feb 7th 2022]

• Fixed even more menu mistakes.
  
• 3) Delete Saves (Multiplayer mode) now also deletes _player folder correctly as it should have.

Update v3.0.1

[Feb 2nd 2022]

• Fixed menu mistake when backing up Multiplayer local servers.

Update v0.3 (Chonky Boi Update)

6.54kb -> 12.04kb Just shy of doubling file size worth of fixes, functionality, and more!

Biggest Change: Backup location has changed! Save backups used to be saved directly into a new folder in the Zomboid/Saves area. This is no longer the case due to Project Zomboid picking up these archived saves as if they're normal and cannot be played in their compressed form which clutters the save screen.

F E A R N O T pre-v0.3 Save Backup Utility Users. I have written in a backup save migration function to run before the main menu screen. This will move all your current backups to their new home at Zomboid/_backups!

• Removed 3-save style Main Menu, now has a separate menu for selecting save type
  
  
• Added Sandbox, and Builder Save type support
  
  
• You can now delete backups as well! No need in having too many clog your Storage Space!
  
  
• Added in some safety features for misspelling commands and such
  
  
• Also catches more ErrorCodes and explains them in english!
  
  
• You can now delete Saves though this utility as well! !USE CAUTION! Don't use this function unless you are sure your save was backed up properly or you are certain you are done with it.

Download

Copy this, and save it as a .bat file![pastebin.com]

[Sevrick]

Ok maybe I missed something here. How do you actually use this? I get the part where you save it to a text file and save as a bat file. When I run it it closes right away. Do I place it in a specific directory?

[Swordsmachine]

Yo, pastebin is banned in my country for some reason, anyway you can post it another way?

[GabeTeuton]

@nekuromu Ty

[Mr. Nekuromu]

@GabeTeuton honestly, I have no idea what would happen. I have a few guesses though. Usually you aren't able to do much with data that is currently being used or ran. (for example; deleting game files that are currently being used in that .exe) I would assume it might break something to do that. How I couldn't be sure without trying it. Maybe it backs up the whole world minus the chunk that is loaded currently (the one you are in). Or maybe it doesn't backup multiple files or it could work smoothly but end up being not as current of a backup as it should be (lost progress). It's best to just head back to main menu and run it then continue on.

[GabeTeuton]

I've been doing this by hand everytime i played zomboid, leaving the world and back to the main menu before doing the backup, can i run this without exiting the world? (i understand that i should still be still and not move anything else the chunk may get corrupted maybe?, i'm not a programmer though i know some basics but from VBA... so i'm unsure of the possible paralelism i can draw from that, probs none...) while it does it thing, should i stand still?

can i move around and keep playing, i usually end up with very large backup files and those takes up to 5 minutes to back up while doing it by hand (i imagine it would take more or less the same with this automatic thingy... and i don't expect (and it's not what i'm looking for) some software to magically increase the speed), and sitting thru that was boring...
Thanks in advance!

[POOJ_]

just came across this. kinda badass how you used batch and (consequently) a command line interface. reminds me of trying to make a utility for Doom where you could choose if you want novert (moving mouse forwards/backwards moves your character forwards/backwards, which I am not used to and don't use) and I think I was planning to add a bunch of stuff to it. It's cool to see that the DOS-style script architecture hasn't been completely forgotten

also, isn't there a manual way to save, or am I just inserting memories that never happened?

[Mr. Nekuromu]

the backups are just compressed saves, that are either compressed with winrar or 7zip. So I mean you technically could use it for that since it is pulling and copying your save into a compressed state. When you recover that save it is extracted into your actual saves. Save scumming very possible.

[Don Quixote]

Sorry for the dumb question but could you explain the difference inbetween the saves and backups?

Could I use this system as an impromptu saving system to save-scum?
I know it goes against the concept of the game but sometimes I just want to enjoy my heavily modded game without a dumb thing ruining my run.

[SkullEmoji]

Excellent! Thank you.

[Mr. Nekuromu]

and nice for the non-computer savvy, or those who just wanna save time. Also think about future IWBUMS builds. Anyhow use it or don't idc. lol