Reload database when extracting database over it

[samuel-w]

Still clears archivemodel for some reason, need to fix that.
Edit: It happens only sometimes. Probably race condition.

Fixes #703

[samuel-w]

No race condition after all, it was caused by the bottom archive being selected which doesn't have the archive model data, creating the appearance that the archivemodel got cleared.

[samuel-w]

I think I can do this differently through renaming the db on restarting Vorta.

[codecov-io]

Codecov Report

Merging #704 (622543e) into master (824707c) will decrease coverage by 0.24%.
The diff coverage is 34.28%.

@@            Coverage Diff             @@
##           master     #704      +/-   ##
==========================================
- Coverage   70.32%   70.07%   -0.25%     
==========================================
  Files          56       56              
  Lines        3791     3820      +29     
==========================================
+ Hits         2666     2677      +11     
- Misses       1125     1143      +18     

Impacted Files	Coverage Δ
src/vorta/__main__.py	0.00% <0.00%> (ø)
src/vorta/views/archive_tab.py	76.70% <0.00%> (-0.69%)	⬇️
src/vorta/views/main_window.py	77.10% <25.00%> (-1.29%)	⬇️
src/vorta/views/misc_tab.py	80.85% <38.46%> (-16.21%)	⬇️
src/vorta/borg/borg_thread.py	75.53% <50.00%> (-1.27%)	⬇️
src/vorta/models.py	79.61% <50.00%> (-0.59%)	⬇️

---

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[samuel-w]

Since disagreement == too heated now, are you going to merge this or should I just not bother?
This kind of stuff is why I left as a maintainer.

[m3nu]

I wont merge this because:

• it runs for every single line of logs, but is rarely needed. Especially for extract it’s critical to keep it fast.
• the issue of overwriting files that are currently in use is common to pretty much every other app. You cant filter for every single possibility.

Sorry if you did the work for nothing or disagree with the above. As mentioned in the contributor docs, it’s best to discuss new features before actually coding them.

I realize that choosing features based on incomplete information will be opinionated. I dont have a better way right now. Using Github Discussions with the upvote feature is an attempt to make it more democratic.

[samuel-w]

I don't find a crash during an operation (extract) acceptable.
This only runs for extract commands only, filtering out for only settings.db. As long as settings.db is called settings.db there is no problem.

What solution do you propose to prevent crashing when extracting settings.db?

[samuel-w]

Also, during an extract, most time is taken by disk IO. CPU time is not a limiting factor.

[samuel-w]

I did an experiment, comparing speed with and without.

Setup:
200k random files, 100B size each.
Extracted to /tmp, to increase IO speed.
Time measured using python time module, time.time().
87.15 seconds with this code, 88.04 seconds without. Removing the if statement reduced speed, so the difference is most likely random error, meaning the difference is not measurable.

My conclusion is that there is very to no difference on time one if statement will do to extraction speed.

[m3nu]

I don't find a crash during an operation (extract) acceptable.
This only runs for extract commands only, filtering out for only settings.db. As long as settings.db is called settings.db there is no problem.

What solution do you propose to prevent crashing when extracting settings.db?

Just don't overwrite the files of an active program. 😄 Can you remove your Chrome/Firefox profile while using it? Why would this be a feature?

[m3nu]

Any reason to not have init_db() only?

[m3nu]

Bump. Is connect_db() even needed? Why not move it all to init_db()? For tests?

[samuel-w]

Yeah, I tried to remove it and it broke the tests. I could try to change the test code, but based on past experience changing it makes things worse.

[m3nu]

@samuel-w , I'm about to merge #898. Please help to review, if possible. This is the feature with the most feedback and most usage.

[samuel-w]

For a web browser that only really writes to a downloads folder, yes it would make sense to crash.
But for a backup program that backs up all user data, if you include the backup program's settings, it would be unacceptable to the average user. It's inconvenient to have to make a new user to restore my data.

This is not really a feature, its fixing a bug where:
I backup my entire home directory (all of my data).
I restore my home directory (all of my data).
Vorta crashes.

[m3nu]

I backup my entire home directory (all of my data).
I restore my home directory (all of my data).
Vorta crashes.

We can't support this because you can't do a restore of your home folder while logged in. You need to log in as root, restore /home/samuel, maybe fix permissions and then log in as samuel again.

I'm sure you got it working for Vorta's DB, but what if users overwrite other files they have open?

[samuel-w]

If restoring a home folder, its typically from a blank slate, with no other programs open other than maybe a web browser and terminal.
I'd expect other programs to behave weirdly, not the program I am using to restore.
I was actually surprised that no one ran a full restore in Vorta before.

Firefox actually handles restoration well, they put each profile in a folder with a random name to prevent crashing, and read a file to determine which one to use. I could do that instead of reloading everything.

On startup:
Generate alphanumeric string
Add string to database name (settings-63f31d.db)
Save suffix to file that is read once every startup (name.txt)

On extract db:
name.txt overwritten, old db with different suffix restored, no crash since still using old db.
User instructed to restart to load old settings

[m3nu]

Restarting isn't enough. As long as you have a desktop env going, files will be used. The steps to restore a full home folder are:

1. Log out
2. Log in as root or some other admin user
3. Restore other user's home folder. Can be done with Vorta.
4. Fix permissions if needed. macOS will do this automatically if a new user is created that already has a home folder (e.g. after restore)
5. Log in as restored user

If you think I'm lying, please get a second opinion. We won't encourage anyone to overwrite their home folder, while logged in.

Restoring may work for a simple Linux desktop without much stuff open, but it will cause problems on macOS for sure.

Even if Firefox uses a random profile name, the backup you did before will still use the same name. They don't do it for that.

[samuel-w]

The original issue was done in Linux.
I don't want to encourage overwriting the home folder either and this doesn't do it. It just prevents a crash from overwriting settings.db. You can't "train" people by having Vorta crash, they'll just file another bug report and get annoyed at the software.
In the end, all I want to prevent is the crash from overwriting settings.db.
It might not even come from a full restore, since sometime I mess up my settings and need to restore my settings.db. Yes, I could mount my archive, copy the file, and then unmount it, but in my experience extracting one file is faster and more automated.

[m3nu]

Sounds like this mostly solves your own problem. Problem is that eventually you will move on and then I'm stuck maintaining your code that doesn't serve anyone and that I can't remember why it's there.

Myself, I sometimes rename settings.db in case I break something, I just rename it back.

[samuel-w]

Additionally, Windows backup software does not have this issue. It just restores the data. No other accounts needed.
Also, the scenario I gave was just my scenario, clearly @aromanelli also has a use for this.

Going to repeat my point: You can't "train" people by having Vorta crash, they'll just file another bug report and get annoyed at the software.
In the end, all I want to prevent is the crash from overwriting settings.db through restoring a backup, any kind of backup. Vorta's whole point is to be a user friendly way to backup and restore data. This fulfills Vorta's purpose.

[m3nu]

Please accept that I don't want to merge such a feature. Arguing here is very tiring and I'd rather do something productive while working on this project.

[samuel-w]

Just remember, I am a volunteer.

[aromanelli]

Please accept that I don't want to merge such a feature. Arguing here is very tiring and I'd rather do something productive while working on this project.

No disrespect, realize you are a volunteer, but you are on the wrong side of this. The whole point of Vorta is not to just make a Linux nerd's job easier, its to allow people migrating over from Windows be able to use a powerful backup/restore engine in an easy-to-use way, so that its not impossible for them to use it.

Your justifications are not valid. No developer should ever advocate for the purposeful crashing of the app and try to write it off as a training issue. To be blunt, that's just bad programming. Your program should always handle all edge-cases. Always.

Please reconsider, even if it means you have to "remember" the patch for any new work later down the line. That's part of the job description for a programmer, and I would hope that the person creating the patch would include documentation in-line to help out with any future bug fixes.

And finally, you really want to have Windows do something that Linux can't? Really?

Apologies if the above seems harsh, but like I said, you are really on the wrong side of this and are just arguing so that you do not have to do work. If you were a paid employee, that would get you fired. Since you are not paid, its totally in your sphere of control to decide what Vorta means and how it and you perceived by others.

Take care.

[Hofer-Julian]

Is today attack-the-maintainer-day?
You have no say in what Vorta's job is nor is it your decision what other people invest their free time in.

I know that you think you commented with best intentions, but if you want open source to improve, you'd be advised to stop.

[aromanelli]

Is today attack-the-maintainer-day?
You have no say in what Vorta's job is nor is it your decision what other people invest their free time in.

I know that you think you commented with best intentions, but if you want open source to improve, you'd be advised to stop.

We're not arguing to save our souls, but yours. Defending open source through bad decision making does not support open source. Its about making products that expands the usage of software to the masses, not justify enclosure by the elite.

NO programmer should justify the crashing of an app as a 'training issue'. Open or closed sourced.