iPranks Backup Utility ~ Public Release

[chris stroud]

Today is a day I have been waiting for for two and a half weeks. So have many of you guys have asked for a stable, working Backup utility... and I believe I have met that standard.

This is not the final release, it will receive many updates in the future, I anticipate one being in the next few days. I promise NOT to leave you guys hanging like the previous alternative did.

This is the icon that you will grow to love I hope. I also plan to be back with a guided tour that is way better than the one I provided for iPranks Beta.

I am not saying that this will just instantaneously instal and work beautifully, I haven't gotten any beta testers to test this installer since it's 3AM. So if we run into issues, post them. I'll fix them. It's been a pleasure creating this. Expect more where that came from.

Please post any questions or small bugs that aren't just UI related.

Go here to get it:

http://srcperspective.com/chris


Thanks and Enjoy,

Chris

EDIT: It appears that we are having server difficulties, If you are having problems connecting, please try back soon. Thanks

[swifty7]

why is it called ipranks?

[MattMac]

Mate, I'm confused about this app. Is it an app for pranks or actually does what you say?
Is it at all useful. Explain some details.

How long off is the mac version?

[chris stroud]

ok, iPranks is a prank app... we decided to build in utilities with it so now we are calling it the iPranks suite and we have the prank application and this one utility, which actually does backups and not pranks. Sorry for the confusion.

[swifty7]

this utility might do what you say but I will let someone try it first before taking the plunge.

no offense!! it's always prudent to be cautious because I really don't feel like restoring my iphone but if it does what you say then my humble apologies.

may I ask a few questions?

why such an off putting name like ipranks?

also does it make a full backup/restore with all the apps and so forth or is it more similar to time capsule?

[chris stroud]

MY friend, you are still confused lol. iPranks and the iPranks Backup Utility are two separate applications, they do different things. Even when we release iPranks itself, it IS NOT harmful to the iPhone, it's just little tricks.

Now since iPranks is the mega application that we will have in this iPRanks suite, we are dubbing the Utilities with names such as iPranks Backup Utility.

This thing has many capabilities and if you have any questions let me know. It's not going to hurt anything. sorry, hope I cleared things up.

you can do custom or full backups and restores between firmwares even.

[swifty7]

yeah!! that clears things much better, when will Ipranks backup utility be available?


thanks!!!

[MattMac]

It's currently available. They need a mac version though.
It's looking ok, but would be better if it didn't use SSH...

[chris stroud]

It's currently available. They need a mac version though.
It's looking ok, but would be better if it didn't use SSH...

If I had the means to do it over USB, I would, but i don't. OS X is a whole different playing field. I might play with it today, but I will tell you that it will be AppleScript with a GUI because I know not Cocoa

[patrickj]

Going to try this out very soon.

Quick question - why is your site taken down?

Also agree with the name reservations expressed above. Even just the word 'pranks' used in front of something with as serious a purpose as a backup utility seems off-putting to me. Just my 02 ...

[chris stroud]

Going to try this out very soon.

Quick question - why is your site taken down?

Also agree with the name reservations expressed above. Even just the word 'pranks' used in front of something with as serious a purpose as a backup utility seems off-putting to me. Just my 02 ...

Yes I understand that. Perhaps that will change in the future. The site was taken down because Apple didn't like it, it used too many of their graphics so we must make a new one.

[patrickj]

Yes I understand that. Perhaps that will change in the future. The site was taken down because Apple didn't like it, it used too many of their graphics so we must make a new one.

Site and Apple = ouch, sorry to hear that. Hope the work on redoing is manageable.

Name = cool, seems a topic worth considering. I have no issue with iPranks as a brand generally - it's kinda strong for the right sort of apps, but probably worth a different approach for backup / utility sort of titles.

Cheers

[chris stroud]

Site and Apple = ouch, sorry to hear that. Hope the work on redoing is manageable.

Name = cool, seems a topic worth considering. I have no issue with iPranks as a brand generally - it's kinda strong for the right sort of apps, but probably worth a different approach for backup / utility sort of titles.

Cheers

Well, you would have to try iPranks, I would give you a copy just because it isn't represented on this site but it isn't quite stable enough. I am currently working on a new project to create an SDK for Windows (Not sure how far that will go lol, but we are working on some great ideas.). Yes Apple has a tendency to bite back on occasion, but they have every right to and I shall not fight them over their own Intellectual property. Please let me know how well it works and if you run into any bugs that need a good squashin'

[Adplaya]

I'd be nice to know what all it backs-up. I mean themes, settings, bookmarks? Because most of this is done through the iTunes backup. Except the whole 3rd party apps, mods etc.

[chris stroud]

I'd be nice to know what all it backs-up. I mean themes, settings, bookmarks? Because most of this is done through the iTunes backup. Except the whole 3rd party apps, mods etc.

Well, it'd be nice if people would just install it to find out alot of this is backed up through iTunes, but a lot isn't. It has support for summerboard, customize iSlsk... A ton of other things, it's the best solution out there that I've seen.

[patrickj]

No go for me on getting it setup so far. Can extract it, but as soon as I do it has Avast AV screaming about attached trojan.

[chris stroud]

No go for me on getting it setup so far. Can extract it, but as soon as I do it has Avast AV screaming about attached trojan.

YES I forgot to mention that and the little trouble shooter. this Is NOT a virus or any type of malware, I'm sure you were already leary in the first place but it is simply because it utilizes the Plink and Pscp command line utilities, which can be used to remotely attack UNIX Workstations. I'm not sure how to convince Avast that it isn't malicious, but that was the only AV client that showed it as infected on jotti. You were just lucky enough to have that one installed.

I will update this post with a small trouble shooter that I'd say you will need once you install it until I rebuild then installer to work a little better.

Some Troubleshooting steps (as copied from ipodtouchfans):

* Vista users must run this under administrator and in compatibility mode with Windows XP Service Pack 2

You can do this by going into "My Computer" and then your Local Disk/Program Files/iPranks Backup/iPranks Backup Utility v1.0

once you get there, right click the executable and select "Properties", a Window will come up. In that window, go to the "Compatibility" tab and make the proper modifications. Then press Ok. The Application should be run just fine.

* Users that run into an error in the output console that says something to the effect "pscp" command not found, run the app by double clicking the executable above. You might just make a new shortcut to your desktop by right clicking it, then selecting "send > to Desktop"


ALWAYS RUN THE TEST FUNCTION AFTER ENTERING YOUR IP AND PASSWORD, this will save time and effort in the long run.

[patrickj]

Thanks for troubleshooting tips. I am running it on an XP SP2 machine, so Vista stuff not relevant. In the end, just turned off AV app while running its setup.

So now I've tried a couple test backups - choosing to backup Notes, ebooks, webclips, wedict. Results do not look good so far on first two tests. In the destination folder I see (I assume) the expected folder structure - /var/mobile/Library and /Media with the relevant sub-folders based on my backup choices - bit each of the lowest level folders - /Notes, /ebooks, /wedict etc - is empty. In other words, the folders that should contain some actual backed up data (and that do on the iPhone in same path) are empty in the backup sets.

FWIW, the backup progress window reported all success each time as well.

[chris stroud]

I get ya... kinda anyway. If you don't see file names running across the console, it aint backin up. if you do and the files aren't there then either you set up the backup wrong or the files are simply being stored somewhere else. I can help you once I get a little more info as to what you saw. I have had NO other complaints from others on other forums about things not working.

[patrickj]

I get ya... kinda anyway. If you don't see file names running across the console, it aint backin up. if you do and the files aren't there then either you set up the backup wrong or the files are simply being stored somewhere else. I can help you once I get a little more info as to what you saw. I have had NO other complaints from others on other forums about things not working.

OK - I checked out the progress report text this time - had just noticed the 'completed ok' button previously. It is reporting it cannot find pscp - not a valid batch file, not found where expected etc.

Trying a reinstall now ...