From ef2338fd495c151c9a1105925b8164153f79f387 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Rob <1572423+robweber@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Wed, 5 Apr 2023 13:13:50 -0500
Subject: [PATCH] added information about the validation file

---
 Validation-File.md | 49 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 1 file changed, 49 insertions(+)
 create mode 100644 Validation-File.md

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+The validation file is a special file that resides in the root directory of each backup archive. It is generated when the backup is made and contains some valid information about the system state. For historical purposes the name of the file is always `xbmcbackup.val`. 
+
+### Format
+
+The file contains data formatted using JSON. It can be easily read with any JSON viewer if you want to look at the raw content of the file. There are 6 primary keys. 
+
+* name - identifies that this is a Kodi Backup File
+* directories - the name and local path of all directories included in the backup
+* xbmc_version - the version of Kodi that this backup was generated with, pulled from the System.BuildVersion string. 
+* type - right now this is always 0
+* system_settings - list of GUI settings at the time the backup was taken 
+* addons - list of installed addons at the time the backup was taken
+
+### System Settings
+
+System settings are obtained by using the JSON-RPC [Settings.GetSettings](https://kodi.wiki/view/JSON-RPC_API/v13#Settings.GetSettings) method. This returns a list of all [GUI Settings](https://kodi.wiki/view/Settings) values on the system. During a Restore process that can be used to restore values not held in any of the other configuration files. You will be asked [during a restore](https://github.com/robweber/xbmcbackup/wiki/Restoring-Files#ui-system-settings) if you want to set these values. An example of one of these settings in the validation file may look like:
+
+```json
+{
+  "control": 
+  {
+    "delayed": false, 
+    "format": "boolean", 
+    "type": "toggle"
+  }, 
+  "default": true, 
+  "enabled": true, 
+  "help": "Save the game automatically during game play, if supported. Resume playing where you left off.", 
+  "id": "gamesgeneral.enableautosave", 
+  "label": "Enable autosave if supported", 
+  "level": "basic", 
+  "parent": "", 
+  "type": "boolean", 
+  "value": true
+}
+```
+
+### Addons
+
+A list of installed addons is saved in the validation file as well. These are obtained during the backup using the JSON-RPC [Addons.GetAddons](https://kodi.wiki/view/JSON-RPC_API/v13#Addons.GetAddons) method. This list is not used during the restore process but can be useful in trying to find missing addons in the event of a full system restore. An example of the addon data contained in the file is:
+
+```json
+{
+  "addonid": "webinterface.default", 
+  "author": "jez500, Team Kodi", 
+  "type": "xbmc.webinterface", 
+  "version": "19.x-2.4.8"
+}
+```
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