30 replies to this topic

[SMotteshard]

Jim,

After conducting the Google search and reading through some of the hits, I found a Rootsweb TMG mailing list that I didn't know existed. You were/are a major contributor on that list along with this forum. You seem to know just as much as TMG tech support. I'd like to continue with your suggestions.

First of all, PhilDee from TMG tech support replied with the following:

<<

Posted 20 April 2012 - 09:45 AM

Steve,

If the External Exhibits box is greyed out in Step 3 of the Backup Wizard then you don't have any external exhibits. How large is the last backup file you have?

Phil
Wholly Genes Tech Support

>>

He's the person who resolved this same issue with another TMG user back in 2007, but he hasn't responded anymore to this thread. Since this error seems to be generated by exhibits I think that's the first thing I need to understand. Do I have external exhibits or not? If I don't have any external exhibits why does the VFI indicate: ""Validation complete. No problems found. 3627 external exhibit files were checked"?

Steve

[SMotteshard]

Jim,

While I'm waiting for your response I ask the second and third questions.

You said:

>>

Posted Yesterday, 05:07 PM

You should not use TMG backup when you have multiple exhibit folders. The backup works fine but you can't restore the tree. All files will be restored to one folder.

When you have an exhibit tree with multiple folders, you should manage your exhibits outside of TMG.

I believe that this resolves your backup issue?

>>

Are you suggesting that I don't use TMG backup? If not, should I just copy the whole TMG folder: My Documents / The Master Genealogist v8.

When you say "you should manage your exhibits outside of TMG" are you saying I shouldn't use the exhibit options in TMG? Should I be using TMG just for data and not linking to digital copies of sources, etc.

Thanks,
Steve

[SMotteshard]

I sure hope others are learning from this thread. It's a little disjointed on my part because I'm responding as I'm learning. I'm staying home from the FHL today to try find a resolution to this problem. It's costing me some billable hours, but I'm hoping this non-billable time will help me and others with this problem.

While I'm waiting for a response I'm reading as much as I can. Perhaps others don't know about the Rootsweb TMG mailing list, but here's a link to a year-old thread about this very issue:

http://archiver.root...1-05/1306546836

If I understand correctly, and if the posters can be trusted with providing good information, it seems the TMG backup wizard is limited, only 2GB – 4GB. External exhibits, which I think my project has, along with the data can easily exceed that size.

For this particular client project I have to link every TMG event and citation to the digital image of the source. Then, I use Second Site to create an internal-use-only website. The client is a historical society and they dislike using computers and don't want to learn more than they have to about computers. So, the simpler I can make it the happier my client is. This client really likes the Wikipedia style website. So, I use Second Site to create a website that has basically the same display and linking style as Wikipedia.

The client likes to see each event linked to the source image and they also like to see each citation linked to the source image. They don't want images cluttering up the website, they just want to click on the exhibit link when needed. They also don't want to spend the time to search for the image using a "good citation", because as we all know even if you put the URL path to an image found online, that URL path is likely to change tomorrow. They don't want to have to search for a "census" image, even with a good citation, because after all that's what they already paid me to find. They certainly don't want to have to find the image in some other folder I supply to them. They want single click access to an image if they so chose. They also want to select the link to the MS Word doc so they can open the doc when necessary. I can't (as some suggested in the TMG mailing list thread referenced above) limit the amount of external exhibit links.

So, since the evidence indicates TMG backup wizard has size limitations, the work-around in my case seems to require that I make a copy of the whole folder located at: My Documents / The Master Genealogist v8. It's only 6.02 GB, so certainly not a storage limitation issue like we used to have with computers way back when.

Does anyone forsee a problem with making a copy of the whole folder to use as a backup rather than trying to use the TMG backup wizard?

Thanks,
Steve

[Virginia Blakelock]

Steve -

The first backup priority for all of us is our data files and exhibits. I have 4 projects, each in its own folder. Each TMG project contains 80-100 files. I make a backup of my project - including accents and filters if they have changed - after each work session. The quickest way is with the Backup Wizard (a problem for you at this moment). If for some reason I can't use the Backup Wizard, then it is simple to copy the project folder using Windows Explorer.

The second backup priority is any customizations we have made, for example custom toolbars or layouts,or custom report definitions. Those can be quickly and simply backed up in the Backup Wizard using the Customizations option. I make sure I have a backup of my custom toolbar and the custom buttons it uses, and of my report definitions - particularly box charts. Many people use a custom language like English2 - and that would call for a priority backup. If there have been no changes to the customizations, they can be backed up less frequently.

It is important - and helpful in a decision of what to backup - to understand the TMG Data File Storage system (Shared program data files, User program data files, and User Data files). You can view those folders and files in TMG Help / Access folders. I also have an article you can download here (written for v7 but applicable to v8) explaining the system in more detail, including an explanation of the file extensions. That article also includes a list and explanation of the dozens of filters included in the sample project. These filters can be copied to your own projects.

Re backing up exhibits outside of TMG. Most TMG users have external exhibits, linked as you do, and many of those users have hundreds of exhibits in multi-folder exhibit trees. The problem lies in the Restore. TMG does not maintain the folder tree in a restore; all exhibits end up a single folder. From Help / Restore:

"CAUTION: If your exhibits are stored in a multi-folder folder tree rather than in a single folder, you should not use the Restore Wizard with your exhibits. Maintenance of exhibit folder trees (such as backing up or moving the exhibits) should be done outside of TMG v8.

Hope this helps -

Virginia

[SMotteshard]

Virginia,

Yes, your comments are helpful and I hope to find the time to read your articles before I set up the next client project.

Since you said it was "simple to copy the project folder using Windows Explorer" and had no other comments about this option (at least as far I could understand), I assume you don't see a problem if I were to copy the entire TMG folder at: My Documents / The Master Genealogist v8.

Steve

[Virginia Blakelock]

There is no problem copying the entire Documents folder.

Virginia

[SMotteshard]

Virginia,

Thanks, I'll do that.

This client's project will be completed by the end of May and then I'll delete the whole folder from my active hard drive and install a new TMG folder. I won't need anything I've set up for this client in any other project.

Steve

[Virginia Blakelock]

Steve -

I am not recommending making a copy of the My Documents folder or deleting that folder for the purposes of keeping client projects separate. Someone else will have to advise you on the wisdom of that. I thought the original question was a way to backup your project without the Backup Wizard. Copying the Projects subfolder would do that.

Note that TMG creates and populates the My Documents folder with specific folders and files as part of its Data File Storage System.

Virginia

[SMotteshard]

Virginia,

Thanks for trying to help me.

Anyone else willing to provide their opinion on copying the entire TMG v8 folder, which is a sub-folder of "My Documents" folder, as a substitute backup? Again, I won't need anything I created in TMG v8 for this particular client to transfer to another project.

Thanks,
Steve

[Virginia Blakelock]

Steve -

Try posting this question on the TMG-L mailing list. As you found, it is a very active list of long-time users - including professional genealogists - and lends itself better to discussions like this of how to use TMG. You can subscribe here.

Virginia

[SMotteshard]

Virginia,

Just got off the phone with TMG tech support. They asked me to hold off on posting anymore about my backup issue until they could figure out why it's not working. They suspect it could be unique to my computer (and I agree with them) and the resolution would probably not be helpful to other TMG users. I've got every major genealogy software program loaded on my computer as well as many database programs that help me with client research projects. And, of course the anti-virus software too. Perhaps there's some sort of overlapping stuff going on?

Again, thanks everyone for your attempts to help me. I sure like TMG and have used it off and on, depending on clients needs, since 1999 with no major problems until now. Any problems I had in the past could always be figured out by reading the "help", the TMG instruction books, and this forum. I don't remember ever posting to this forum or having to contact TMG tech support until this issue. I had no idea the Rootsweb TMG mailing list existed until now and it appears to be a great resource as well.

Thanks,
Steve