Backup files with Visual Studio installed

[ArmKnuckle]

Backup files are **MUCH** larger with Visual Studio installed. If I uninstall VS from my Windows 10 PC, will my backup files go back to the smaller size that they once were?

Thanks!

[NinjaTrader_BrandonH]

Hello ArmKnuckle,

Thanks for your post.

I would not expect a larger backup file size to occur when Visual Studio is installed on your machine.

What exactly is in the backup file?

Do you have things in the Documents/NinjaTrader 8/bin/Custom folder that are being included with the backup?

I look forward to further assisting.

[ArmKnuckle]

Items from the “Custom folder” are included in the backup. This is where NT8 stores strategies, etc.

My backup file contains:

Configuration files
NinjaScript files
Templates
Workspaces


After installing Visual Studio to diagnose and complete one fix, my backup file grew by 3.9x (390%).

What can be done to bring the NT8 backup file back to its smaller size?

[NinjaTrader_BrandonH]

Hello ArmKnuckle,

Thanks for your note.

What files are taking up the space in the backup file?

To check this, you could change the backup file to a ZIP and extract the ZIP to see what files are taking up the most space.

Changing a backup file and exporting its contents could be accomplished using the steps in this video demonstration: https://brandonh-ninjatrader.tinytak...MF8xOTA4NjI2Mg

Note that I am using the publicly available 7-Zip file archiver software for extracting the ZIP folder.

Let us know if we may assist further.

[ArmKnuckle]

There are 93 files that have been added to the backup that contain:

bin\Custom\bin\Debug\

These files are over 93.7 MB in size.

Can you have "customer support" compare a NT8 backup file of a NT8 clean install to a NT8 backup file on the same system with newly installed Visual Studio? Your inside knowledge of the system is most important to see why the backup file has all of these new files.

Thanks.

[NinjaTrader_BrandonH]

Hello ArmKnuckle,

Thanks for your note.

Including NinjaScripts in backup includes the NinjaTrader 8\bin folder. The Debug folder you mention would be written from Visual Studio or through other addons.

Unfortunately, you cannot select specific folders or subfolders to include or not include in your backup file. We are tracking interest in this feature in an internal ticket and I have added your vote.

The internal tracking number for your feature request is SFT-5467. Please reference this internal tracking number when contacting Platform Support if you ever have questions regarding this feature request.

When a feature request is implemented, you'll find a description of the new feature in the release notes:

• https://ninjatrader.com/support/help...ease_notes.htm

In the meantime, something you could consider is removing your temporary debug files when you create a backup if those files make the backup too large for you.

Let us know if we may assist further.