Backup & Restore

Created: 2026-05-24 10:00 · Updated: 2026-07-12

PPPTools enables a complete backup of content and settings into a single ZIP file — and restoration from it.

The backup always operates on the currently active library: in normal mode on your private local library, in admin mode on the public network library.

Accessing

Settings → Backup — in the Settings area via the ☰ (right) → "Backup & Restore" menu.

Every user (with a Standard license) reaches Backup this way — without Admin View. Admins additionally find it under Admin → Settings → Backup.

Which Library is Backed Up? (Scope Selection)

In the backup panel you choose, via the "Library" radio buttons, which library is backed up or restored — independent of admin mode:

When entering via Settings, Private is preselected by default; when entering via Admin, Public is preselected. You can switch at any time.

Public items locally available via the sync cache are not backed up separately — they reside on the server and can be re-synchronized at any time.

What is Backed Up?

During export, you can use checkboxes to select which categories to include in the backup:

Export (Create Backup)

1. Select the desired categories using the checkboxes
2. Click Export
3. Choose a location and filename — default: PPPTools_Backup_YYYY-MM-DD.zip
4. The ZIP archive is created; afterwards a backup summary is shown (see below)

The ZIP contains the following folder structure:

PPPTools_Backup_2026-07-12.zip
  snippets/          ← one subfolder per snippet with all associated files
  slides/            ← one subfolder per slide
  storylines/        ← one subfolder per storyline
  actions/           ← one subfolder per action (action.xml + code.cs + preview.png)
  meta_values.xml    ← value lists
  app_config.xml     ← settings
  export_presets.xml ← export presets
  wordcloud_presets.xml   ← word cloud presets
  wordcloud_excludes.xml  ← word cloud exclusion lists
  backup_info.txt    ← backup summary (see below)

Backup summary (info file)

After export, a summary is generated and shown to you directly. It contains a header (creation time, add-in version, backed-up library (Private/Public), machine, user, backup filename) and the list of included content with counts. It is stored in three places:

• inside the ZIP as backup_info.txt,
• next to the ZIP as <BackupName>_info.txt (in the same folder where you saved the backup),
• as a dialog right after the export.

Import (Restore Backup)

1. Select the desired categories using the checkboxes
2. Click Import
3. Select the ZIP backup file
4. PPPTools checks each item — items that already exist are skipped (no overwriting)
5. A summary shows: how many items were newly imported and how many were skipped

Typical Use Cases

• Setting up a new PC — export backup from the old machine, import on the new one
• Before major changes — create a safety copy before modifying value lists or storage paths
• Team handover — pass selected content to colleagues (export only the required categories)