How can I make a backup of a folder?

There are several ways to make a backup of a given directory. The easiest one:

set folderToBackup to alias "disk1:folder:"
set destinationFolder to alias "disk2:folder:"

tell application "Finder" to duplicate folderToBackup to destinationFolder replacing yes

For more options, you can use the “backup” command of the Satimage osax. Here is the entry of the dictionary:

backup: synchronizes 2 folders. backup will resolve the alias located at the first level in the source folder, and no other alias. (defined in: Satimage.osax)
	backup file specification  -- the source folder
 		onto file specification -- the destination folder
 		[level small integer] -- 0: report only, 1: synchronize folders, 2 : synchronize and report. Default 0. 
 		[after date] -- files older than this date are not considered.
 		[recursively boolean] -- recursively synchronize subfolders. Default true.
	Result: string  -- the (optional) report

And you could also burn the data to a CD/DVD using the XBurn osax. Here is the entry of the dictionary:

XBurn : XBurn
	XBurn  file specification -- the folder you want to burn (it cannot be a single file, only a folder)
		[multiple burns boolean] -- should the media be available for other burns (default is true)
		[checking boolean] -- should the burn be checked? (default is true)
		[action eject/mount] -- what to do after burning (default is eject)
		[safe boolean] -- Just a simulation to see if the burn will be successful
		[file system HFSP/Joliet/ISO9660] -- the file system of your burn (default is HFS+, HFSP stands for HFS+)

Finally, you could copy your data to a ftp or www server using utilities such as “curl” or URL Access Scripting. And pass archives to a mobile device using the Bluetooth technology and a scriptable tool. And much more things not covered here… Ask at our BBS!