File Save

[bkreuter 0]

I'm a new TMG user (one Week)

I would like to keep my projects on two machines - First onmy desk top from which I do majority of work, Scan in new exhibits and print all my reports from and second on a lap top that I could take with me when I travel to visit family and do research.

 

First is it legal for me to use same program on two machines without buying a second copy?

 

Second having difficulty knowing what files to transfer back and forth to make sure any changes made are not lost when I go back and forth. AND HOW!

 

Appreciate suggestions

 

BKreuter

[Jim Byram 0]

I'm a new TMG user (one Week)

I would like to keep my projects on two machines - First onmy desk top from which I do majority of work, Scan in new exhibits and print all my reports from and second on a lap top that I could take with me when I travel to visit family and do research.

 

First is it legal for me to use same program on two machines without buying a second copy?

Yes. The license agreement says that you can do that as long as you only use one installation at a time.

 

Second having difficulty knowing what files to transfer back and forth to make sure any changes made are not lost when I go back and forth. AND HOW!

The normal procedure is to back up your project on the current machine and restore on the machine you are moving to. Then repeat the process when you move back to the original machine. Ad infinitum. You just need to keep track of which machine was last used for editing your data.

 

It's a good idea to have both machines set up with the exact same data file folder arrangements so no path adjustments are needed when you move from one machine to another.

 

Also you can keep your exhibits current on both machines outside of TMG. When you backup for moving between machines, you should only need to back up the data files, accents and filters and nothing else. That makes the process faster and holds the size of the backup file down.

[pktropics 0]

If you are able to network your PC and laptop, you can use a backup/synchronisation program. This is how I do it; it synchronises all my data files (not only TMG) between a desktop in the office and a laptop I often use in the evenings and on field trips. This serves the additional function of keeping a current backup of all data on each machine at all times. I use a program called Second Copy, but there are others around as well. I have it set to only touch files that have changed, so if it is run regularly (e.g. daily or even more frequently) its a very fast and efficient system, and it avoids the pitfalls of files getting out of kilter from accidentally opening an older version, etc. Plus you don't have to backup and restore every time you change machines.

 

pktropics

[Terry Reigel 0]

This is how I do it; it synchronises all my data files (not only TMG) between a desktop in the office and a laptop I often use in the evenings and on field trips.

pktropics

Does this mean that you only enter data on the desktop, and never on the laptop? Or do you have to manually make sure the files are being copied in the correct direction?

[pktropics 0]

The program runs on my PC, but the files "synchronise" both ways; that is, they take the most recent edit and copy it to the other machine. This means you can enter data from either machine, but you have to be careful when you move from one computer to the other that there has been a synchronise backup in between - that is, you can really on work on the one computer at any one time. In practice this is not a problem: when in the office I only use the PC and it's set to automatically synchronise with the laptop on start-up and shut -down, so whenever I turn off and, say, go into the field for a few days with the lap-top, or take it upstairs in the evening (I work from home) it should have the latest version of all my data files on it. When I get back from the field I simply switch on both computers (which are linked on a wireless network), Second Copy opens on the PC and synchronises files across the two machines and I can then start working on the PC.

 

pktropics

[Jim Byram 0]

The problem with recommending such an approach (synchronization) is that a user who didn't understand the limits would destroy his/her database if it were edited on both machines and then synchronized in both directions.

[Kaiyote 0]

I would like to keep my projects on two machines - First onmy desk top from which I do majority of work, Scan in new exhibits and print all my reports from and second on a lap top that I could take with me when I travel to visit family and do research.

 

Second having difficulty knowing what files to transfer back and forth to make sure any changes made are not lost when I go back and forth. AND HOW!

 

BK,

 

First of all, a disclaimer: Although I have a good deal of computer experience, I have only been using TMG for about a week as well. That said, I believe one simple solution is being overlooked in the responses so far...

 

According to what I've read, TMG allows for shared network access (since v5). Since the EULA apparently allows for multiple installations on your computers [as long as they're not run simultaneously], I would attempt the following in your situation:

 

1) Install TMG on your laptop, and create your file there

2) Install TMG on your desktop

3) Access your file (which is on the laptop) from your desktop, through a network (note: this requires a router)

4) Ensure that when you save your scanned exhibits, you are saving them through the network onto your notebook!

5) You should be able to print reports from either computer

 

This should result in only having one copy of the files (no confusion as to which is the 'most' up-to-date), and they would be located on your notebook. Simply take your notebook with you when you travel, and reconnect to use your desktop when you return. ****Make sure you're backing up your work consistently; loss or damage is much more likely with your notebook.**** Also, note that network access may be a bit slower than stand-alone; I expect this effect would be insignificant, but don't know. Some trade-offs are inevitable.

 

Ref - TMG Help File Index:Multi-user Environments

[pktropics 0]

Jim's point is well made, though the risk would be the loss of recently added data not everything. Its why I never close a file without making a back-up (which I do not synchronise between computers).

 

Kaiyote's alternative is one I thought of using originally, and did for some time. The problem with it is, what happens if you lose your laptop? You lose all your files (not only TMG, but other data as well - word files, exhibits, etc.). With the synchronisation system, you always have a copy of all data on the other computer, so if your laptop does go west or falls under a train or gets dropped by the baggage handlers while away from home, you've got something to come back to!

 

pktropics

[Jim Byram 0]

Jim's point is well made, though the risk would be the loss of recently added data not everything.

That's not correct. All tables in a project are not updated simultaneously each time that a project is edited. If both versions of a project are edited and two-way synchronization is done, you could end up with a mix of tables from two versions of the project. The tables do not stand alone and have many links between each other. Such a synchronization would effectively disrupt the links between the tables and destroy the project.

 

As you said, as long as you always backup both projects before any synchronization is done, you can always recover.