I installed RM10. It appears to be using my old RM9 file. I realize that it was “converted” to RM10 format (based on something I saw in the installation process), but is it your intention that it continues to show …RM9.rmtree as the file name? Or is it I who made this problem by creating the RM9 database with the “RM9” suffix?
No @tcluster , you didn’t cause the problem as my 2 databases converted to RM 10 also show as RM 9-- I imported mine by gedcom
Jeez people! RM10 converts the internal file structure. It does NOT rename or move your file. If you want to rename it, then do so.
After your RM10 converts the file, it will be in the same exact place with the same exact name as before. This is basic file handling that you should know how to do if you have used a computer for more than a week or so.
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I beg gently to differ.
My father was a very smart man. In a large high school, he had the highest math grades in the whole school and he later had a successful career as the chief accountant for a fairly large firm. He started using a Windows PC at home when he was retired and in 80’s. He did taxes for individuals and for two or three small companies. He also did complete financial accounting for two or three small companies. He learned to make software like TurboTax and Quickbooks and Microsoft Excel sing and dance. But he was totally lost when it came to basic file handling. He was only ever able to use Recent lists to open existing databases. When he needed to start a new database, he had to get somebody to do it for him. He had to follow basic written instructions that he really didn’t understand to backup his data everyday. On the other hand, he was adept at making reports.
Under these circumstances, I don’t know why he had such a blind spot for basic file handling on a computer. He took classes, but they didn’t stick. The experience did make me realize that you can be really smart and still have problems with basic file handling on a computer. And for that matter, even though I’m adept at basic file handling I think that Microsoft’s changes to Windows File Explorer through the years has made basic file handling much more difficult than it used to be. I cope with Microsoft’s misdeeds by running file a manager separate from WIndows File Explorer.
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Hello nkess,
I, like you, had modified my RootsMagic file name to include the release number. Fortunately there’s a way you can rename the file from within RootsMagic. You can either change the release number from 9 to 10, or you can go with the flow and remove the release number altogether. I chose to adhere to RootsMagic tradition and remove the release number. Here’s a url which points to the instruction on how to do this.
http://wiki.rootsmagic.com/wiki/RootsMagic_8:Move_or_Rename_a_Database
I worked in data processing for over 30 years. It was on mainframes and it certainly made me familiar with “basic file handling”. It was not uncommon for us to give names to our databases that corresponded with the release level of the products which used them. I adopted that practice with RootsMagic during the period when I had both RM7 and RM9 active, and I forgot that it was I who added the release number to the dataset name. I appreciate the help I received in this forum.
Unless your father retired in the last 20 years, this is a completely different time. Computers are not new nor have they been for better than 30 years now. We are not talking a few old people having problems. We are talking about a growing number of people that have pretty much had computers somewhere in their lives for for the majority of their time on Earth.
Computers and mobile devices have become useable by the general population in the last decade but that expanding group has made no effort to learn the basics of file/folder organization. Reading a simple book to grasp the basics of a complex tool is a concept lost to the current American population.
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Jeez @kfunk --take a chill pill-- as an FYI for you and Rooty-- I know HOW TO CHANGE A FILE NAME that was NOT WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT…
@tcluster THANK you Thomas on the info as to how to change a file name-- I have in the past add the version number to a file name such as Bass Roots 7 from RM 9 BUT that was NOT my problem as my RM 10 databases have no version # in their names…
I add 2 files— 1 on Wed and 1 on Sat – they were being saved to the desktop instead of my RM 10 file ( figured out what was wrong and fixed that) and on Sat the two new RM 10 files show with RM 9 icons on the desktop EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE CLEARLY RM 10 ( note all other files showed correctly as RM 9 or RM 8)
databases
Well yesterday the 2 RM 10 files changed on their on and started showing as RM 10 instead of RM 9 files BUT THEN EVERY FILE I HAVE IN RM 9 AND RM 8 NOW SHOW AS RM10 FILES and they have NOT BEEN CONVERTED to RM 10 files-- only RM 7 files stayed the same — the 1st row is from RM 10, 2nd row from RM 9, 3rd row from RM 8 and 4th row from RM 7
Not a big problem as long as you don’t save to desktop or use ICONS in your file folders BUT I do know this has not been typical behavior in the past for RM or others
Isn’t this simply that there can be but one application set as the default association with a given file type? When you installed RM7, all the .rmgc files, whether from any previous version, became associated with RM7. Likewise, after installing RM10, all .rmtree files, regardless of version, became associated with RM10.
That you temporarily saw RM9 icons after installing RM10 or saw both RM9 and RM10 icons in the same folder is likely the result of having the file browser window open on it before the upgrade and left open without a refresh until after you created some new files with RM10. So the existing files remained with RM9 icon and the new files got the RM10 icon. After refreshing the browser, all the database files would get the icon from the current association.
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Ok, so I have been around computers, phones & tablets for 30 years, handle all my financial stuff on them, used them in my business before retiring and have 7 adult children & numerous teenage grandchildren also with whom I communicate with via computers. But - Now you’ve really confused me. I have not upgraded to 10 yet. So what exactly should I expect, reg these files changes, names etc and what should I do to not get lost in the naming confusion you describe when I do upgrade?
Suppose you have an RM9 database called jpk.rmtree. I don’t know what you really call it, but let’s go with that. One thing to be aware of right off the bat is that to a large measure, Windows tries to hide file extensions from you like the .rmtree extension for RM’s databases. You may only be seeing the file listed as jpk without the .rmtree. Despite your 30 years being around computers, I don’t know what your exact experience is dealing with these kinds of issues.And if you are on a Mac instead of on WIndows, then I really don’t know what a Mac does about showing you or not showing you file extensions.
That being said the simplest thing you could possibly do when you upgrade to RM10 is to open your RM9 file, wherever it is and whatever it is called. Doing so will “just work”. Your file name will still be in the same place and will still have the same name. But it will now be an RM10 file and you will no longer be able to open it with RM9 should you run into trouble with RM10. That’s why you see the advice about making a copy of your RM9 file and opening the copy with RM10 rather than opening the original file with RM10. That way, you can use RM9 to go back to the RM9 file which has never been touched by RM10.
But as easy as it sounds, “making a copy” gets you into the file management folder management issues that sometimes create problems for users. You are in a better position than any of us to decide which approach is best for you.
If you are still on RM8 rather than being on RM9, the situation is exactly the same. If you open your existing RM8 file with RM10, it should be very easy and it should just work. Again, the only question is what happens if you run into trouble and want to go back to RM8. Well, for that particular database you can’t. So you get into making copies of your RM8 database and making backups of your RM8 database before starting to use RM10.
If you are still on RM7, then the situation is totally different. RM10 does not take your RM7 database and convert it in place to being an RM10 database. Instead, RM10 will create a new RM10 database and will import all your RM7 data into it. It will leave your RM7 database untouched and still totally usuable in RM7.
Only thing I would add to @thejerrybryan comments is that you MIGHT want to add RM 10 to the name of the file–so instead of just Smith-Jones, it would be Smith-Jones RM10-- might also consider add RM 9 to the original…
The other thing I noticed is that even though I had my folder settings in RM 10 BEFORE moving any file–
the backup went back to where the copy came from-- meaning the backup would go back to RM 9-- this also happened in RM 9 ( they went back to RM 8) and I had to drag them to the RM 10 folder…
thank you both - I am on Mac using RM9- now that I think of it and look into the folders - I am reminded all programs have an info window and in that window it shows the date created, date modified and the version # as well as the size & file location, so I can-duplicate the program file, update the copy, check those info windows after the upgrade & label each according to their appropriate version. - Will they/can they
both point to/use the same media file?
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Yes, and here is some extra text to get the response up to at least 20 characters as required by the forum software. I was just going to give the one word answer of “Yes”.
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