I must be a dope, because I can't get the backup to work. When I click to test directory, I get an error... Directory does not exist! Test failed. Either the directory was not found or cannot be written to by the web server.

1. I "assumed" outside of the root meant not in the root directory. I assumed www.root.com is bad and www.root.com/backup would be okay. Does outside of the root mean I can't use that root domain at all? Could I put it on a separate domain if I wanted to as long as it isn't in the root of that domain?

2. I "assumed" I need to create a directory. Can it be anywhere within my domain (outside of root) or does it need to be a sub of my ubbthreads?

3. What permissions do I need for this directory?

4. How do I need to describe this directory. Do I need http:// or just www. or if it's in my existing domain, do I just do /backup?


I thought I have tried most options of the above variables and can't get passed the click to test. Maybe I missed something dirt simple. Maybe I am trying to make rocket science out of elementary code.

Should www.root.com/backup with 755 work? If not, could someone dumb down the explanation for me?

I've done a search on "backup tables" and it seems this isn't the most popular backup tool. However, I know that I am an SQL dummy. I'm just trying to make the system work as advertised.

You are supposed to put in the local directory, not the web address. so no www.blabla.stuff

Something like you put into:
Control panel > DB, Path's en URL's > Path's en URL's > Absolute PATH to Main Directory

Simple and easy to overlook:
Domain/URL: www.yoursite.tld
Directory/Path: /home/yoursite.tld/public_html

More often than not the directory needs to be 777 and not 755. The part that they fellows above described is also true in that you need to be sure that you are specifying a path and not a URL.

Thanks abunch. I was making several errors.

First, I was trying to use the URL, not the path. I know about paths, but I know that they can differ so much from server to server. It took about a thousand different tries of various forms of /usr/ /home/ /public/ /public_html/ and then when it got to the part of the domain, I had one website that used domain name, another that used my domain log in ID, etc.

And on my particular path it had to start and end with the slash. I learned that the hard way. I don't know why I decided to try that. Maybe it's web maintenance 101 that was just about to fade from the back of mind.

Maybe I should have just asked my web host. Nah, what do they know?

And the permission assistance did come in handy as the directories I was trying were 755 or worse.

You folks are super. I hope this thread will help someone else in the future.

If you create a php page (phpinfo.php) with the data:
it'll show your server configuration data at the bottom, including the full path to your directory housing the script (phpinfo.php)