Best practice process to move from 7 to 8

RootsMagic
1

Hi everyone, I’ve looked on the Wiki and I’m not sure if it covers steps to take before moving your RM file and permanently committing to RM8. I’m in the process of assessing the system (by doing “parallel runs”) and would like to know “best practice” before permanently moving to 8.

So far, the tasks I’ve identified that need to be done prior to moving are:
1. Housekeeping in RM7

  • Run place clean and data clean
  • Review and delete unused places
  • Run problem search
  • Run database tools
  • Create Gedcom labelling as final
  • Backup (both with and without media and to different (offsite) locations) labelling as final

2. Initial RM8 work

  • Create new database in RM8 by importing from RM7
  • Check file properties and compare to file properties in RM7
  • Check count trees and compare to tree count in RM7
  • Review sample of people, places, sources, media, and tasks for accuracy
  • Run database tools
  • Backup (both with and without media) labelling as initial
  • Start working and finding!

I also recall that Bruce said that we should check the formatting of dates (I think to ensure there isn’t text in numeric fields?) but not sure where to look for this.

Does anyone else have any other ideas or suggestions?

Thank you in advance! :slightly_smiling_face:

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How to find text in date fields

Directions for RM7:

  1. Click “Reports”
  2. Click “Lists”
  3. Select “Fact List”
  4. Click “Create Report”
  5. Choose “Facts with text date” in the menu
  6. Click “Generate Report”

Directions for RM8:

  1. Click “Publish”
  2. All Reports and Charts
  3. Select “Fact List”
  4. In “List Type” choose “Facts with text date”
  5. Click “Generate Report”
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When you upload Rootsmagic 8 does it remove Rootsmagic 7? I’d like to keep 7 around for a while.

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No, installing RM8 will not remove RM7 or it’s data. Both will work as normal.

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Thanks @mapleleaf - I’ll add that step and the instructions to the checklist I’m creating - thank you!

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might want to add:
Cleanup in rm7 - merge Repositories, duplicate Sources and Places. Run Multimedia list report and search for items not found.
Cleanup in rm8 - merge Place details (can view events). Run Multimedia list report and search for items not found. Merge Duplicate Citations (note: automerge checks text fields only. if you attach different media or webtags to citations without changing any of the text, automerge will merge them and combine the media and/or webtag. May want to manual merge citations if this is a concern, though this could be cumbersome if you used memorize/paste a lot.)

Also, LauraB had a good tip to load your rm7 db twice. rename one as a test db and mark it in a different color . Good way to experiment without putting your main db at risk.

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Thanks so much @kevinm – they’re all great tips and I’ll add these to the checklist as well!
I’m not sure though, that I’ll add the merge duplicate citations feature to the checklist just yet – I still want to assess how that “behaves” across the system (I understand some reporting might be affected as well as the issue you mentioned) so I might hold off on that task for the time being.
Thanks once again! :blush:

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I found that merging Sources and merging Places is much easier in RM8, at least on a Mac. I think it may be because the fonts are so much clearer. I had originally intended doing this before I permanently migrated my databases, but eventually decided to do it post-migration

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Thanks Jill, this info. is helpful!

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Good topic and suggestions, Jill. As a user of SQLite, I would undertake these steps in RM7 on a copy of my database before importing it into RM8.

  • Run my RMGC_Properties – Query which is much more comprehensive than the RM Database Properties display.

  • Run my Delete Phantoms script #3 which is much more comprehensive than the RM Clean Phantom Records tool.

Earlier versions of both of the above are built into my Bundled Utilities – RMtrix application for Windows for ‘easier’ use. None of the above have been updated for TreeShare nor for RM8.

I would use these repeatedly along with other SQLite queries and RM7 operations to find and fix reported problems to the point that I would be comfortable migrating to RM8 but that is not going to happen until RM8 has fulfilled shortcomings and stabilised.

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