Send a Backup to Specify

[Grant]

Backing Up Your Specify Database & Sending to SCC

This guide explains how to create a complete backup of your Specify database—whether you’re running Specify 7 (command-line only) or Specify 6 (GUI or command-line)—and how to send it securely to the Specify Collections Consortium (SCC).

[!caution] Packet-Size Adjustment

Large Specify 7 WorkBench and Batch Edit Data Sets live in the spdataset table, sometimes exceeding MySQL/MariaDB’s default packet-size limit and causing incomplete dumps. To ensure a full backup, increase the max_allowed_packet on both server and client:

1. Open your MySQL/MariaDB configuration file (e.g., my.cnf or my.ini).
2. Under the [mysqld] header add:

   max_allowed_packet=1024M
   net_read_timeout=3600
   net_write_timeout=3600
   

3. Under the [client] header add the same max_allowed_packet setting.
4. Restart the database service.

For more information, see the MySQL docs on packet-too-large errors and the max_allowed_packet variable:

• https://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.7/en/packet-too-large.html
• https://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.7/en/server-system-variables.html#sysvar_max_allowed_packet

---

1. Command-Line Backup (Specify 7)

Specify 7 does not include a desktop backup utility, so you’ll always use the mariadbdump (or mysqldump) tool.

1. Open a terminal (macOS/Linux) or Command Prompt (Windows).

2. Execute one of these commands, replacing DB_HOST, DB_PORT, DB_USER, and SPECIFY_DATABASE_NAME with your values:

   mariadbdump \
     --host=DB_HOST \
     --port=DB_PORT \
     --user=DB_USER \
     --password \
     --single-transaction \
     --quick \
     SPECIFY_DATABASE_NAME \
     > specify_backup.sql
   

   After pressing Enter you’ll be prompted for your database password. The resulting specify_backup.sql is a plain-text dump of your entire database.

3. (Optional) Compress the dump to save space:

   gzip specify_backup.sql
   

   This produces specify_backup.sql.gz.

---

2.GUI & Command-Line Backups (Specify 6)

If you’re on Specify 6 you can choose a graphical or command-line method.

2.1 In-App Backup (Logged into Specify)

1. Log into Specify 6 as an Admin user.

2. From the menu bar choose Edit → Preferences.

   

3. In the Preferences dialog click MySQL to open backup settings.

   

4. Click Backup, then browse to select your mysqldump.exe and mysql.exe (usually in
   C:\Program Files\MySQL\MySQL Server <version>\bin\), choose a folder for the dump, and click Backup. When it finishes you’ll see the final file size.

2.2 Standalone Utility (SpBackupRestore)

1. In Windows open Start → All Programs → Specify → SpBackupRestore.

   

2. Enter your MySQL credentials (often root) and click Login.

   

3. Click More Information to verify or adjust Server and Database fields.

   

4. On first run, click Browse to locate mysqldump.exe and mysql.exe in your MySQL bin folder.

   
   
   
   
   
   
   

5. Click Browse under Backup Location, select the folder where you want the dump stored, and click Open.

   

6. Click Backup. A progress bar will appear:

   

   When it completes, you’ll see the size of your dump file:

   

2.3 Command-Line Backup

You can also use the exact same mysqldump (or mariadbdump) commands shown in Section 1. This is handy for scripting or if you prefer the terminal.

---

3. Sending Your Backup to SCC

Once you have your .sql, .sql.gz, or .zip archive:

1. Go to our Hightail page: https://spaces.hightail.com/uplink/specify
2. Enter your email address and any notes.
3. Click Select a file, choose your backup archive, then click Send It.

The SCC support team will be notified automatically and can retrieve your file.