Re: [Gramps-users] Database Portabilty Question

[Benny M. <ben...@gm...>]

No need to make things too complicated. If you want to use your data
on two computer, then
1/ use the relative media path in the preferences for your media. So
your pictures are referred to relative to a base directory
2/The first time use gpkg export to move all your files, or rsync the
picture directories, and use the .gramps to move your genealogy data
3/Do not import info in a family tree that is already present, gramps
does not support merge on import, things will fail dramatically if you
try.
4/For future moving between the two computers, rsync the picture
directory and use the .gramps file to create a new family tree,
renaming the old one to backup, or removing it.

As to the question of why not just copy over the .grampsdb directory,
if you are an experienced user, you can do that and it might work. We
cannot recommend this and normal users should not try it. To be
complete, let me give the reasons:
1/the data in .grampsdb is a binary database format
2/different versions of the database software are binary backward
compatible, but _not_ forward compatible, so slight version
differences in bsddb database on the two computers might/will cause
catastrophic problems
3/being binary database, it is also tied to your system, so 32/64 bit, ....

So, if you want to work between two computers with same .grampsdb, you
need to run the same software version of GRAMPS and bsddb/pybsddb, in
other words, the same distro (as compile link flags might be different
between different distributions) on the same architecture.

Note that above means that your backups work fine, but if you want to
backup something that can be used on the computers in 10 years, do
keep some xml .gramps backups also.

Benny

2009/10/29 doug <do...@o2...>:
> Much your best bet is to save your database in Portable Gramps XML
> format. Give the .gpkg file a name that records the date it's been made.
>
> Copy the <filename>.gpkg to your laptop.
> Then create a new Family Tree and name it <same filename> and Import
> <filename>.gpkg into that.
>
> That takes care of all your pictures, etc. The only thing you'll need to
> deal with is where those pictures, etc. are going to be kept: the
> default suggestion that comes up with the Import isn't usually very
> convenient; but look up the Wiki (I think) or the archives of this
> mailing list - the question has come up a number of times.
>
> Why Portable Gramps XML? You can use it on different setups, eg. my
> desktop is a 32-bit machine running Mandriva Linux 2009.1, my laptop a
> 64-bit running Mandriva 2008.1 with a somewhat different directory
> structure and there's no problem keeping the two databases in sync.
>
> Why not simple Gramps XML? It will only work if the new setup you're
> taking it to has the same structure as the old one. (I stand to be
> corrected on that)
> Doing a backup to an external drive as a straight copy or Gramps XML
> will be OK so long as you have the original structure intact on your
> desktop, but if something goes wrong with that your backup may well be
> useless - again Portable Gramps XML is much safer.
> (On your question, what to back up?  If you have a large collection of
> pictures, etc. you may find you need to take them out of your home
> directory and put them elsewhere to avoid using up all your allocated
> home space. Obviously, those would also need to be backed up)
>
> Why use a name for the gpkg file that records the date? If you're at all
> scrupulous about backing up, you're liable to find yourself inundated
> with gpkgs and not know which refers to what state of the family tree.
>
> HTH
>
> Doug
>
>
>
>
> Dave Marshall wrote:
>> Pictures is one of my concerns. but I was not thinking of pictures, as
>> in photos, when I asked the question. I have jpegs of records, like
>> death certificates, newspaper obituaries and other data that I would
>> like to attach. Since it is jpegs, I guess that would be "pictures". I
>> also have data in the form of transcribed records that I found online at
>> Familysearch.org and other websites that I will be copying and pasting
>> into Gramps.
>>
>> And this brings up another question (I am a Gramps rookie, but have been
>> using Linux for a couple years). On a weekly basis, I copy everything,
>> including hidden folders and files, in my /home/<username>/ folder to an
>> external hard drive for a backup. If the /home/<username>/.gramps/
>> folder does not contain all of the data, what other folders should I be
>> backing up?
>>
>>
>> Duncan Lithgow wrote:
>>> 2009/10/28 Dave Marshall <n8...@ra...>:
>>>
>>>> I just read the Wiki Manual FAQ topics on the issue of Portable files  I
>>>> understand the need to have all of the separate files and subdirectories
>>>> under /hone/<username>/.gramps/ I want to copy my Gramps data to my laptop
>>>> to take with me the library or visiting family so that I can make updates on
>>>> the spot instead of writing notes then entering the data later. I am using
>>>> PCLinuxOS-Gnome on both the home computer and laptop. If I copy all of the
>>>> files under /hone/<username>/.gramps/ to the laptop then copy it back to the
>>>> home computer, will all of my data be intact?
>>>>
>>>
>>> In short, no it won't. You should export your data to a GRAMPS XML
>>> file and import that into an empty database on the other machine. (I
>>> recommend renaming the original as 'backup' and the newly imported one
>>> as 'master' so you don't risk getting confused about which one is the
>>> most up to date.)
>>>
>>> If you mean all your pictures etc. as well, then that's a whole
>>> different ballgame.
>>>
>>> Duncan
>>>
>>>
>>
>> --
>> Dave Marshall N8OAY
>> n8...@ra...
>>
>> N8OAY's Railfan Help Desk
>> http://www.railfanswelcome.com
>>
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>>
>>
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