If you are keeping data in a Pharo image then you could just save the image instead of using STON. Alternatively, you could model your data in an Application class with three instance variables: theaters, movies, and events. Then you could dump the root application object and STON should preserve the relationships (I expect). I prefer this model since it allows me to create a test object that encapsulates all the data in one place (even if it is referenced from a class variable).

For GemStone, execute `SystemRepository fullBackupGzCompressedTo: aFilePath` (see details at https://downloads.gemtalksystems.com/docs/GemStone64/3.7.x/GS64-SysAdminGuide-3.7/11-BackupAndRestore.htm). This does a full object dump and preserves the relationship between objects. Note that GemStone also creates a transaction log so once a transaction commits, you can restore it in event of a system crash.

James Foster

On Jan 17, 2024, at 8:48��PM, sergio ruiz <sergio.rrd@gmail.com> wrote:

I have been in the relational database world for decades. One of the things that is super simple is backing up and restoring data.

Sometimes, it makes it makes sense to pull the production data into development. In the case of a catastrophe, it��s super simple to restore data from a backup.

I am thinking of backup strategies for my data once again, and am wondering if things have changed since I was last using smalltalk.

I am thinking of the following:

STON
I could dump all of my data into STON, but there is one slight twist. In this project, it��s just making a list of movie listings. There are three basic classes: Theater, Movie, Event. Each of these classes stores an OrderedCollection of items of that type on a class variable, as I��ll need to access each on their own.. so, if an event has a theater, I��ll need to access Theaters on their own, and Movies on their own.

So, I would have to rebuild the list of Theaters from the Theaters in each event. Otherwise, I would lose the link between the Theaters on the Theater class variable and the Theater in the Event instance.

Am I thinking about this incorrectly?

Gemstones
I am totally into the idea of using gemstones. Is there a backup and restore for objects here? do the relationships remain?

Voyage
This seems like a good solution, but I would rather stay in the smalltalk object store.

Ideas?

Thanks!

----
peace,
sergio
photographer, journalist, visionary

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