Alternating between PCs - use backup or DB copy?

[strathglass 0]

Scenario: I will temporarily be on the road and doing some genealogy updtes (TMG7.04) on my laptop instead of my desktop.

 

#1 - Is it better to just copy my database folder to the laptop, or restore on my laptop a backup made on my desktop?

(If I copy the database, I would also copy the exhibits, reports, & exports folders I created on the desktop [placed under c:\genealogy\<subfolder>, instead of TMG7 default location])

 

#2 - I presume whatever the answer to 1 is, going in reverse from laptop back to desktop would be done the same way.

 

#3 - If a backup is the way to go, should i use a data-only backup? I am not entirely clear what I miss if I do a data-only backup (except I know that it would exclude screen layouts, which I would not want on the laptop anyway given the different screen sizes).

 

Any advice appreciated.

 

-Strathglass

[robmoff 0]

I have used a small (8GB) portable disk drive for exactly this scenario for the last three years with no problems. (Well only slightly more complicated... MainPC at home, PC in my office, and a laptopp for records offices and family trips etc). I don't recommend a Flash Memory stick, they seem to fail too often if you are writing and rewiriting a lot!

 

Open your project as normal, then COPY to the removeable drive, from now on ONLY work on the removeable drive, but save backups on both machines from time to time. There are some things to be aware of, your recently used feilds (called up with F3) are per machine, as are custom reports; but you may be able to point TMG to the removeable drive if this is an issue for you (It's no problem for me.) You can have different screen layout on each machine, this is usefull, a 22" wide screen can fit more in than a 15" laptop!

 

Good hunting Rob

Edited January 26, 2010 by robmoff

[pktropics 0]

I use a shareware back-up/copy/synchronise program (Second Copy) to synchronise all my data (including TMG) between my office based PC and my laptop. This has the added advantage of having everything always backed-up on the other computer. I've recently changed to a new Windows 7 64 bit system, and this program continues to work OK, synchronising between Windows 7 64 bit and Vista 32 bit on the lap-top.

 

BUT two essential precautionary rules:

 

1. Only use one machine at a time, and always re-synchronise if changing from one machine to the other;

 

2.ALWAYS back-up before synchronising, just in case something goes wrong (which it never has for me, except occasionally when I've forgotten to follow rule 1!)

 

You may have to run maintenance-validation to pick up the exhibits when you move to the other computer; and repeat values, layouts, etc. don't go across either - but this is usually not a problem, as those from previous sessions on that machine will continue to apply.

 

pktropics

[Michael Hannah 0]

Hi Strathglass,

 

Since you asked for opinions, I will offer mine.

 

I have always used TMG's Backup/Restore to move between my two computers. Since TMG involves so many files in different folders, I prefer to rely on TMG to make sure all necessary files are included. As for a "data only" backup you might consider making a custon backup configuration. I made one that includes all the elements I am likely to change and would want to be moved to the "other" computer. I then use that configuration when I Backup on both computers. Works reliably for me.

 

I also agree with pktropics Rule #1. I would add that I always do an Optimize/VFI/Optimize before the Backup to be sure I am backing up a good version of the database.

 

If both your computer and laptop are nearly always both on a home network, you may want to look at DropBox. See the article about TMG and DropBox by Dick Eastman here.