| | Great tool Xavier, I was not sure if it was possible
to get it through the yahoo interface, but found out
that yes. Here's a help file I wrote for my users to
backup the yahoogroups / previous eGroups, you might
want to include some of it somewhere to help other
people with form login questions. Think it should work
with some adaption for all Yahoo things behind login
(because your great tool allows for it :-):
Backing up eGroups using WinHTTrack
If not already installed the program can be downloaded
from <http://www.httrack.com>.
This document describes how to configure a download of
all messages from one eGroup. Other questions will
hopefully be answered in the help files of the program
itself. In the go through the icblafrica eGroup will
be used as an example, but it should work for all
other groups you are a member of as well, just replace
whatever occurrence of icblafrica with the group you
want to back up. NB! You must be a member of the
eGroup you want to backup and have a Yahoo ID. In this
example a NON existing yahoo ID and password will be
used, do not try to use it for real. The example will
use icbl as YahooID and banmines as password
After having downloaded and configured the program
start it and do the following to configure a
backup/mirror/download project:
1. If not already at the beginning of a new
backup creation, click File | New Project .
Maximize the window to ease reading.
2. Click on the Next button in the main window.
Give your Project a name, or if you want to run or
edit an old Project select from the list. Also make
sure that the Base Path is one you are ok with. You
might want to create one folder to store all your
backup projects. It should not be necessary with a new
base path or each backup unless you want to have
various backups. Click the Next button.
3. As URL you must first specify a cryptic URL
which allows you access to the closed groups. This
first URL is only needed if you are backing up a non-
public eGroup, everything between start and end on one
line:
=== start URL ===
<http://login.yahoo.com/config/login?.done=http://groups>
.yahoo.com%2Fgroup%2Ficblafrica%
2Fmessages&login=icbl&passwd=banmines
=== end URL ===
4. In addition to this first URL specify the
links to the parts of the eGroup that you want to
backup. In the example I want to have all messages and
message lists, as well as all files if there are any,
NB all of these without a last slash (/):
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/icblafrica/messages>
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/icblafrica/message>
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/icblafrica/files>
5. After all of these have been added you need to
set the options to make sure the backup will work, and
also to make sure we dont get too many files backed
up. Click Set options, in the options do the
following
a. Scan Rules: make sure the box in there reads
the following (without the start and end):
=== start ===
-*.png -*.gif -*.jpg -*.css -*.js -
ad.doubleclick.net/* -*?*
=== end ===
b. Spider: Make sure that the Accept Cookies
option is ticked off
c. Click OK to exit the options and save changes
6. Click Next to go onto the next step, no
changes should be needed there, so you should now be
ready for the backup, click Finish to start the
backup.
7. The backup will take a while to complete the
first time you run, depending on your speed and the
speed of the internet in general. If Yahoo has a bad
day you might not be able to backup at all. After the
backup finishes you will be asked to view log file or
Browse Mirrored Website, to verify it might be a good
idea to Browse a bit. You might want to disconnect
while you do this, or at least keep track of the
address your browser shows while displaying the pages.
It should not start with http.
To repeat a backup with configurations already used
you can start the program but select the old backup
project and dont have to redo all the settings. The
backup it self will also be faster since only new
files will be added.
Old backup projects will be placed as a .whtt file in
the folder you selected as your Base Path under 2. ,
they can also be run from there by double clicking.
Remember that if you change your yahoo password or ID
you need to change them in the old settings.
Kjell Knudsen, Saturday, March 24, 2001,
webmaster@icbl.org
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