Macro Strings

Insert dynamic values — filenames, dates, task names, and more — into AnyFileBackup fields that support macros.

Usage

A macro string inserts a dynamic value into fields that support macros (rename patterns, e-mail subjects, variable values, application parameters, etc.). Each macro uses this format:

${MACRO_NAME}

For example: ${DATE}_${FILE_NAME_EXT} produces something like 2025-05-10_report.pdf.

Time and Date

These macros can be used in almost any field at any point in the task scenario.

TIME: The current time, formatted according to the Common time format setting.
DATE: The current date, formatted according to the Common date format setting.
DATETIME: The current date and time.

File Parameters

FILE_PATH_NAME_EXT: The full Source path to the file, including filename and extension. Example: C:\Data\reports\summary.pdf
FILE_NAME_EXT: The filename including its extension, without the path. Example: summary.pdf
FILE_NAME: The filename excluding its extension. Example: summary
COPIED_FILES: A list of files that have been copied from Source to Target during this task run.
DELETED_FILES: A list of files that have been deleted from Target during this task run.
S3_FILEURL: The download URL for the single file most recently uploaded to S3 storage.
S3_FILEURL_LIST: A list of download URLs for all files uploaded to S3 storage during this task run.
NUM_FULLNAME: An auto-incrementing index number followed by the full filename including extension. Format: NN_FileName.ext. The counter increments with each file renamed.
FULLNAME_NUM: The full filename including extension followed by an auto-incrementing index number. Format: FileName.ext_NN.
DATE_FULLNAME: The current date followed by the full filename including extension. Format: YYYY-MM-DD_FileName.ext.
DATETIME_FULLNAME: The current date and time followed by the full filename including extension. Format: YYYY-MM-DD-HH-MM-SS_FileName.ext.
FILE_TRANSF_CNT: The total number of file transfers made from the last scheduled start to the point where this macro is used. The count resets at the next scheduled start. If one Source file is copied to 10 Targets, the count increases by 10. Available in Backup tasks only.

Miscellaneous

TASKNAME: The name of the current task.
VAR=<variable name>: The value of a named AnyFileBackup variable that was set earlier by the current or another task. Example: ${VAR=MyVariable}.

File Extension Groups

These macros expand to a predefined set of file extensions, allowing file filters to target entire categories without listing individual extensions. Use them in include/exclude filter fields.

Audio

EXT_AUDIO_LOSSY: Lossy audio formats: .amr, .f4a, .m4a, .m4b, .m4p, .mp2, .mp3, .mpa, .ogg, .oga, .opus, .ra, .ram, .vqf, .wma
EXT_AUDIO_LOSSLESS: Lossless audio formats: .aif, .aiff, .ape, .flac, .tak, .wv, .wav, .w64
EXT_AUDIO_MIDI: MIDI and related: .mid, .midi, .kar, .syx

Database

EXT_DB_REL: Relational databases: .db, .db3, .dbf, .accdb, .sqlite, .sqlite3, .sl3, .sdb, .wdb
EXT_DB_ENT: Enterprise databases: .mdf, .ndf, .ldf, .frm, .ibd, .ora, .fdb
EXT_DB_PASS: Password / key databases: .kdbx

Documents

EXT_DOC_WORD: Word processing: .abw, .doc, .docm, .docx, .dot, .dotm, .dotx, .gdoc, .odt, .pages, .rtf, .rtfd, .sdw, .stw, .sxw, .tex, .txt, .wpd, .wps, .latex
EXT_DOCS_SS: Spreadsheets: .csv, .gsheet, .numbers, .ods, .sxc, .slk, .tsv, .xla, .xlam, .xls, .xlsb, .xlsm, .xlsx, .xlt, .xltm, .xltx, .xml, .ofx
EXT_DOCS_PR: Presentations: .gslides, .key, .odp, .pps, .ppsm, .ppsx, .ppt, .pptm, .pptx, .sxd, .sxi
EXT_DOCS_PDF: Publishing and print: .pdf, .prn, .ps, .pub, .vsd, .vsdx, .xps, .indd, .qxd, .fm
EXT_DOCS_EBOOK: E-books: .azw, .azw3, .azw4, .cbc, .chm, .djvu, .epub, .fb2, .ibooks, .kfx, .lit, .lrf, .mobi, .opf, .prc
EXT_DOCS_TD: Markup and structured text: .markdown, .md, .rst, .sgml

E-Mail

EXT_MSG_FILE: Message files: .eml, .emlx, .msg, .mime, .wdseml
EXT_MBX_MTOR: Mailbox storage: .mbox, .dbx, .sbd
EXT_OUTLOOK: Outlook data files: .pst, .ost
EXT_META_IDX: Index and metadata files: .msf
EXT_CONTACT: Contact files: .vcf

Executable Files

EXT_EXEC: Native executables: .exe, .com, .out, .elf, .efi
EXT_DLL: Dynamic libraries: .dll, .so, .cpl
EXT_SCRIPTS: Scripts: .bat, .sh, .ksh, .ps1, .vbs, .vb, .js, .cgi, .wsf

Image Files

EXT_IMG_COMN: Common raster formats: .bmp, .dib, .gif, .jpg, .jpe, .jpeg, .jfif, .png, .tif, .tiff, .webp, .qoi
EXT_IMG_MOD: Modern efficient raster formats: .avif, .heic, .heif, .j2k, .jp2, .jpf, .jpx, .jxr
EXT_IMG_RAW: RAW camera formats (Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fuji, etc.): .arw, .bay, .cr2, .cr3, .crw, .dcr, .dng, .erf, .fff, .iiq, .mef, .mos, .mrw, .nef, .nrw, .orf, .pef, .raf, .raw, .rw2, .sr2, .srf, .srw, .x3f
EXT_IMG_VECT: Vector and illustration formats: .ai, .cdr, .eps, .svg, .wmf, .wpg
EXT_IMG_HDR: HDR and scientific imaging: .exr, .hdr, .fits, .dcm, .dicom
EXT_IMG_3D: Texture and 3D graphics: .astc, .dds, .ktx, .ktx2, .sgi, .rgb, .rgba
EXT_IMG_LEG: Legacy image formats (old scanners, paint programs, UNIX/X11, Amiga/Atari, etc.): .iff, .lbm, .mac, .pict, .ras, .cals, .cin, .cut, .fpx, .gbr, .nrrd, .pam, .pbm, .pcx, .pgm, .pnm, .ppm, .xbm, .xpm, .xwd

Video

EXT_VIDEO_COMN: Common consumer video: .3g2, .3gp, .avi, .flv, .m4v, .mov, .mp4, .mpeg, .mpg, .wmv
EXT_VIDEO_WEB: Modern and web-optimised: .f4v, .ismv, .mp4v, .ogv, .ogx, .webm
EXT_VIDEO_PROF: Professional and broadcast (DVDs, Blu-rays, digital TV, etc.): .bdmv, .dv, .dvr-ms, .m2t, .m2ts, .m2v, .mkv, .mpv, .mts, .mxf, .ts, .vob, .wtv
EXT_VIDEO_PROP: Proprietary and game video: .amv, .avs, .fbr, .ivf, .mod, .rm, .rmvb, .roq, .svi
EXT_VIDEO_LEG: Legacy video (QuickTime, Flash, legacy Windows, etc.): .asf, .nsv, .qt, .vid, .wm

Web

EXT_WEB_PAGES: Web pages: .htm, .html, .xhtml, .dhtml, .shtml
EXT_CSS: Stylesheets: .css
EXT_FEEDS: Feeds and data exchange: .rss, .xml