Hi,
Is there a way to store text notes for a change log on the router? I could create a dummy script, but that seems odd.
When I make changes and backup/export the configuration I would like to keep track of what I changed on that router. I am too old to remember anymore…
Thanks
No such feature as i know…
There is a feature to set some text notes in the /system note command but it does not seem to be available anymore on the GUI.
However, to do what you want I suggest to:
I use “git” on a local system with “gitweb” as a browser, and it is really easy to compare versions and instantly see the changes highlighted in color.
Of course you could also use “github” but you then rely on the authentication and security of that service.
Thanks for this - I may setup git at some point. Looks like a process… I am currently using notepad++ with the compare feature. It is adequate enough for my needs now, but git way more advanced.
This is the compare plug-in I am using with notepad++ if it helps anyone. The Mikrotik script syntax highlighter helps me as well.
https://itbackyard.com/install-notepad-compare-plugin/
I was hoping to find a quick way to look at what/why I did in the last backup/export. I have sites that I tweak from a default script - firewall rules, alerting, netwatch, etc… When troubleshooting, updating, changing, etc… that system it would be nice to see what changes I made and why in the device. After looking at a router I have not touched for a few months… I inevitability utter “why did I do that…?” 
A sure sign of getting old…
Perhaps providing the ability to add comments to items in the file menu? Not to provide great detail - just an overview of what changed?
That is what a version management system is for. When you are on Windows, there probably are systems like that too.
You put a /export’ed file in the system and you can add notes which will be stored and you can browse the history of the changes, see the notes, and the differences.
This is like notepad++ to the next level where you do not merely compare two files.
It also serves as the backup for your configurations, keeping them in the router is not safe.
Thanks again - I will look toward windows solutions. I looked at git hub in the past. Sounds like I will revisit it. I do like the idea of something local.
Can you expand on this? What do you specifically mean by “not safe”? Just trying to understand.
If the device breaks the backup is lost as well.
Always store backups at diffetent location.
What eworm wrote is right. Backups on the router itself are lost when the router no longer works, so they should be stored somewhere else.
“github” is a webservice that hosts “git”, which I use locally. This is a Linux program but it also exists for WIndows. However, there probably
are more Windows-specific programs that do the same thing and may be easier to use for Windows users.
(I wrote a small script that automatically connects to a router, makes a /export, then downloads it and puts it into git. I use this after every
change I make to routers. It would be possible to schedule it to run every day, but unfortunately there is a header that changes for every
/export so I would have to trick it so it does not create a new version when really nothing is changed. Never got around to doing that)
Got it - thanks to both of you for the clarification.
I will explore my windows options. If anyone has a tool they like please let me know. I like your scripting idea.
Do you like the MT’s cloud backup service for the “somewhere else”?
I never tried or really investigated that, but I think it is tied to the identity of the router, so it could only be used to restore a router after some config mistake or a clean install, but not to transfer config to a new router when the old one has died completely. But maybe I am wrong in that, or maybe there is some way to convince MikroTik to give you the backup for a router that failed.
Of course note that a binary backup is the easiest to restore in case of total failure, but an export is much more usable as a reference to what you did when, and to rebuild a new device from the config of an older one (with the new device not being the same type).
But you probably already know that as you write backup/export.
I make exports for every change, but backups only at longer intervals and not of all devices.
Thank you pe1ch and to all who responded.
Starting point can be very simple:
http://forum.mikrotik.com/t/v6-44beta-testing-is-released/123205/64