Opinions on TMG7 in XP Mode?

[pfagan 0]

My old XP computer needs to be replaced and I am trying to decide whether to install 32-bit or 64-bit Windows 7 OS when I buy a new machine. I would like 64-bit, but TMG 7's lack of Word or RTF report export is a major concern for me.

 

I've read the three options for those of us who use Word and the least painful (for me) would be running TMG under XP Mode. So I am fishing for opinions from anyone who has been running TMG7 in XP Mode.

 

Is it difficult to set up?

Is it stable?

 

Any words of advice are welcome.

 

I'd also like to know if there is any way to port my old custom reports from TMG4.

[Terry Reigel 0]

I'm using that method, pfagan, and while not without issues, it does work.

 

Setting up XP Mode is not difficult, but a bit time consuming as some of the downloads are large because they include essentially a full copy of Windows XP. Follow the directions on the MicroSoft site, first installing Windows Virtual Machine, then XP Mode itself. I found no issue with stability of the installation.

 

Since you are running a second copy of Windows, you do need to maintain that installation too. That means allowing the upgrades to be installed from time to time (but you only have to close XP Mode, not reboot your whole computer to finish the installation). You should also install an anti-virus program on XP Mode. Most if not all AV programs allow you to install a second copy of the AV on the same machine with a single license.

 

After installing XP Mode you would install TMG in that copy of Windows (I'd recommend in doing that addition to the copy you install in Windows 7 itself - see below). XP Mode allows you to create a shortcut in Windows 7 that opens that copy of TMG directly, without first starting XP Mode manually. But doing so still requires the system to start XP mode, so takes a while. Further, I find that TMG seems a bit sluggish in XP Mode. As a result, together with the backup issue mentioned below, I find it preferable to use the copy installed in Window 7 for normal work, using the XP Mode installation only for reports.

 

XP Mode operates on a "virtual hard drive" that is created within your physical hard drive. You can keep your TMG files there, or on a real hard drive which you can see from Windows 7. Keeping them on the virtual hard drive lets TMG operate faster - there is a bug in Windows Virtual Machine that cases a large delay every time TMG opens a file. But, if you keep your files on the virtual hard drive they cannot be accessed from Windows 7 for normal backups - you have to get backups off the virtual drive from within XP Mode.

 

As I said, I found the best solution was to do all my regular work with the copy of TMG installed in Windows 7, and keep my data on a regular hard drive. I then open XP Mode only when I what to make a report to word processor. I access the same copy of my Project files, and live with the delay that occurs in accessing them. This works because I don't often run reports to word processor any more (I mainly use Second Site for my output). You can alternately make a backup of your Project and restore it in XP Mode, like you would to transfer your project to another computer.

 

One issue occurs if you have external exhibits. If you keep your exhibits anywhere in your normal "My Documents" tree, the path recorded in the copy of TMG running in Windows 7 is not a valid path in XP Mode. There are several solutions; which is best depends on whether you want to copy the project to the virtual hard drive or access the copy kept on a Windows 7 drive.

 

Feel free to ask for more details.

 

Regarding porting your old report definitions from TMG4 - sorry, but there is no automatic method. I recommend opening both TMG 4 and TMG 7 side-by-side, and copying the settings from one to the other. The options are not exactly the same, so you will have to make some judgments (which is why there is no automatic transfer). You will have to hunt around to find the various setting as a new more consistent layout of report options was introduced in TMG 5.

[Virginia Blakelock 0]

pfagan -

 

With TMG V8 (with a new report writer which supports Word and rtf with x64) on the horizon, you may want to put off the decision for a little while instead of basing your choice on v7 requirements. You can see the preview of v8 here and some screenshots here of v8 reports made on an x64 machine from the recent public beta.

 

Virginia

[pfagan 0]

Many thanks, Terry and Virginia! You've answered most of my questions. It's clear that it would be a mistake to confine myself to a 32-bit OS to maintain my current reports.

 

I do have a couple other report-related questions. I'm trying to rebuild my old v4 Word reports in v7 to see if I can find an HTML solution for the interim period.

 

I have a favorite custom Family Group Sheet report that is all inclusive: all events for parents and children. It actually looks just like the Individual Detail report, only extended to the whole family. The problem is that I can't find a way to export a Family Group report or Individual Detail to HTML in TMG7. That being so, I would have no means to produce that report in TMG7 and 64-bit Win7.

 

The manual says that TMG7 can only export four reports as HTML. Is there some other way to get HTML output for my Family group sheet. A 3rd-party report generator?

 

And have you any idea when TMG8 will be available?

 

Best

Patty Fagan

[Michael Hannah 0]

The SecondSite software described here is a powerful but easy to use 3rd-party product for producing HTML directly from TMG projects. If your goal is HTML output, then I highly recommend it. I am not affiliated with it, just a very satisfied customer.

[Terry Reigel 0]

Patty,

 

I wholeheartedly agree with Michael's suggestion to use Second Site if you want to produce HTML output. In my view the results are far superior to TMG's HTML reports. They are designed from the ground up as websites, while TMG's output is simply an HTML translation of traditional paper reports. Second Site is highly flexible, and capable of producing a wide variety of output styles.

 

In addition to the information that Michael pointed you to on John Cardinal's site, there is a fairly extensive section on using Second Site on my website - see link below.

[Robert Jacobs 0]

I've read the three options for those of us who use Word and the least painful (for me) would be running TMG under XP Mode. So I am fishing for opinions from anyone who has been running TMG7 in XP Mode.

 

Is it difficult to set up?

Is it stable?

 

There's a problem with running TMG in XP mode that hasn't been mentioned because it probably affects only a tiny number of users. XP mode is inflexible if one uses, as I do, two monitors. The graphics emulation does not permit one to move or size the XP "window" as freely as an ordinary window on the second monitor. I experimented extensively with it and could not get it to to remain on my second monitor in the size or position I needed. For that reason I reluctantly abandoned it. Like everyone else I'm waiting for version 8 . . .

 

All good wishes.

 

Robert

Edited October 25, 2011 by Robert Jacobs