File Name Options

File Name Options are tools you can use to define the path to a backup or restore target quickly and easily.

You will see the 3 different File Name Options below, but first, here is a suggestion; when you are deciding which 'File Name Option' to choose, it is a good idea to look at the 'Destination' column in the backup tree. See the examples below for each option.

Use Relative file names when copying

The target path is constructed using only the "Backup To" directory and folder. The source selections made in the File Tree are not appended to the target path. This option would be commonly used when needing the target drive to look like the source drive.
 

Use Relative file names when copying, keeping the enclosing folder name

This File Name option method is the most commonly-used option. The target path is constructed using the "Backup To" directory and folder. The folders selected in the File Tree are appended to create the target path for each file to be copied.

Use Absolute file names when copying

The source path is appended to the selected "Backup To" folder.  This is useful to retain the entire source path within the target path.  By using the Absolute option, you can create a meaningful prefix for the target path.

! When copying from NTFS to FAT or FAT32 formatted drives

Windows NTFS file systems can handle very long path names (in the thousands of characters...), but most other file systems cannot, such as FAT32, Fat. In either case, if a path name is created that exceeds 256 characters, Double Image will produce a log warning at minimum. When writing to FAT or FAT32 formatted drives, use caution when defining Absolute path names because it is easy to exceed 256 characters when prefixing the Target path.

! Copying same folder names from different source drives

When you want to copy identical file names from multiple source drives or multiple sources to a single target folder, you should use 'Use Absolute file names when copying' file names option.