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twinspappy

Accessing files in One Cloud

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I originally purchased TMG v7 2 or 3 years ago. When I recently (last spring) updated my desktop computer from Windows Vista to Windows 8.1, all my existing programs were wiped out. I was able to recover several, but TMG wasn't among them. I haven't had time recently to do any genealogy research, so I had put off replacing the program. However, when I saw a couple weeks ago that TMG was being discontinued at the end of this year, I bought v9 so I wouldn't risk losing the data I had already accumulated. All my research, which is still in a folder under The Master Genealogist v7, was transferred to Microsoft One Cloud, along with all my other data files, back during the summer. When I installed v9, I had no problems accessing my files from my computer. Just a few days ago, again anticipating the discontinuation of TMG, I bought a second copy of v9 to install on my wife's laptop computer, so I could access my files if I was doing research away from home. However, when I try to access my files through One Cloud, I get error messages about old exhibits and certain data files not being found. When I click on OK, the program shuts down. I'm running the same version of Windows on both computers, so I should be able to access the same files from the laptop as on my desktop. What am I doing wrong?

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If I were you, I would not have TMG access its files from the cloud. I believe this could lead to problems. Instead I would have all TMG files reside on your computer on its local disk. Then whenever you want to use the laptop, I would use TMG to make a backup of the desired project on your computer, then move that backup .SQZ file to the laptop, and restore that project there. If you make changes to a project on the laptop, then I would reverse the backup/restore procedure to put the changed project on your computer. It is a bit more work, but is much more reliable.

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Thanks for the information. Next question: is there any reason why I couldn't just copy the files to my flash drive and use the flash drive with the laptop, instead of going through the backup/restore process?

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It "might" work, but I have heard some users have had problems doing this, and I would advise against it. However, as I understand it the key to doing this is to be sure that the drive letter of the thumb drive will be identical on both devices. You need to force the full path names to the data to be identical on both systems, as these path names are stored within the project files. There are ways to force a drive to be a specific letter, but that varies with OS versions so I leave that to you. You would have to install the TMG software on the hard drive (not the thumb drive) of both the computer and laptop, which I believe you already have done. It may not be necessary but I gather it may be safer if you make sure the the full path names to the program itself is identical on both the laptop and computer. That can be done easily by creating an identically named folder/path in the same drive letter on both systems and telling the installer to install TMG in that location on both. Now load/restore your TMG project on the hard drive. Next use TMG to "Copy" (or Move) the project to a thumb drive folder you have created. Don't just copy the files, let TMG do it. Now open the project from that thumb drive location and open Preferences for that project and change all the paths for data for the project within Preferences to be on the thumb drive. Warning. Be sure to exit TMG completely before removing the thumb drive, so TMG will finish writing and safely close all its files.

 

I have not tried this, but it "should" work. However, there is a significant advantage to using the backup/restore process. Namely it forces you to make backups on a regular basis, which is a very good thing. On the other hand, I understand that having the files on the thumb drive eliminates the possibility of the two copies getting out of sync. The choice is yours. But if you do use the thumb drive, be sure to backup often anyway.

 

Hope this gives you ideas,

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Wow, sounds like I'm in over my head! I think I may have given the impression that I want to use the flash drive for data storage, writing directly to it from TMG, but that wasn't my plan. My intention with the flash drive is to use it solely for data transfer between my two computers. Right now my data files are on my desktop computer's C: drive (I have transferred them back from One Drive); if I want to access them on the laptop I would copy them (in their folders) from the C: drive to the flash drive, then transfer them from the flash drive to the laptop's C: drive. Is that workable? BTW, I appreciate the thoughts about backups; I actually have 2 automatic backup systems simultaneously backing up my hard drive, one to an external hard drive, the other to the cloud.

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If you only want to use the flash drive tor data transfer, then that process is simple.

 

When in TMG on computer A do a Backup.

Exit TMG.

Open the Backups folder (which is specified in TMG Preferences).

Copy the latest backup file (file extension .SQZ) to the flash drive.

 

(By the way, do not specify the flash drive as the TMG Backups folder. That can lead to problems. Have the TMG Backups folder be on disk, then copy the one file you want to the flash drive.)

 

Now take the flash drive to computer B.

Copy the .SQZ file to the Backups disk folder on that computer.

Enter TMG.

Restore that Backup file.

Now you are good to go on computer B.

 

If you make any changes while on computer B, just reverse the process.

 

Next you said:

I actually have 2 automatic backup systems simultaneously backing up my hard drive, one to an external hard drive, the other to the cloud.

 

NO, NO, NO!!! Never include the folders containing database files as something to be monitored by a program automatically running in the background, especially if that program could monitor/touch/backup the files while the database is being used. That includes automatic backup systems and automatic virus checking programs. Their background actions can cause problems while any database program is running, not just TMG, as many posts from users on this Forum will show.

 

Instead, do periodic manual backups yourself while in TMG to the TMG Backups folder. Then manually copy that latest backup file to a folder which is being automatically backed up externally as you describe. Always exclude all actual TMG folders from any automatic backup system. It takes some manual work and discipline to remember to do the backups yourself, but it is MUCH MUCH safer for database files.

 

Further, if you copy the .SQZ file into a folder which periodically will be automatically backed up to the cloud, then you may often be able to avoid using the flash drive to transfer your data. If the latest backup file is on the cloud, then simply copy it from the cloud to the TMG Backups folder on disk when next on the other computer and do your Restore of that file.

 

While you exclude these database files/folders from being automatically monitored by these programs, you can still manually run such a program against these files/folders whenever you are absolutely sure the database program has been exited and is not running or using these files.

 

Hope this helps explain,

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I actually have 2 automatic backup systems simultaneously backing up my hard drive, one to an external hard drive, the other to the cloud.

 

NO, NO, NO!!! Never include the folders containing database files as something to be monitored by a program automatically running in the background, especially if that program could monitor/touch/backup the files while the database is being used. That includes automatic backup systems and automatic virus checking programs. Their background actions can cause problems while any database program is running, not just TMG, as many posts from users on this Forum will show.

 

Instead, do periodic manual backups yourself while in TMG to the TMG Backups folder. Then manually copy that latest backup file to a folder which is being automatically backed up externally as you describe.

Michael,

 

He didn't say the backup software was accessing the files while they are in use. You are of course right if that's what's happening. But it is also very possible to set up an automatic system that doesn't touch files when they are in use, and in my view that is the only reliable system for most users. Any backup system that depends on manual action by the user is no backup system for most of us.

 

Twinspappy,

 

Make sure your automatic system does not try to copy TMG project files while TMG is open, or backups while they are being made. If you do that you will be fine, and much more likely to actually have current backups then if you depend on manual action unless you are a lot more disciplined than most of us.

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