RM Database - More Than One

(1) When a RM file is created or renamed is a unique “RM database” created and maintained for just that file?
(2) My RM file (.rmtree) is located in a folder named RM databases. Is it beneficial to designate this folder as the data folder in the program settings?

I am not fully certain what you are asking in question 1 but you can create as many databases as you feel the need to have. You have the option to choose their name. The only thing you can not do is have two files with the same name stored in the same folder on your computer.

In question 2, the only real benefit to keeping all of your .rmtree files in a folder named RM Databases is that they may be much easier to find when you need to open one, in my opinion. I do not use any of the default folders in RM. I have my own media folder, several folders where I store my working database files, usually in folders named after the family or the family line that I am currently working on. Where you choose to keep them all depends on your person preference. Some people feel the need to set default folder within RM, some of us don’. You may get several opposing answers to this question and it still boils down to what makes the most sense to the way your brain works.

One RM data file (.rmtree extension for RM8) is one database. One RM database is stored in a RM data|database file. One such file contains one or more family trees.

The benefit or lack of benefit is in the eye of the beholder.

  • When you create a new database, a “File=>- Open” type of operation takes place. As a part of this operation, you can navigate to any folder you wish to contain the new database. If you have designated a default folder in RM for data files, the navigation will start at the default folder. You don’t have to stick with the default data folder at that point, but that’s where the folder navigation starts.
  • You can create a copy of your current data RM database file File => Copy. Again, you can navigate to any folder on your computer for the location of the copy of your database and the navigation begins with your default data folder if you have one designated.
  • If you have several databases, they can sometimes be easier to find if they are all in the same folder. And getting them into the same folder can sometimes be easier if you have designated a default data folder. But some users like to keep their RM databases in separate folders. For example, they might be keeping a database of their own and also databases for other people - perhaps family members or perhaps customers. The databases might be considered by such users to be easier to manage in separate folders.
  • Designating a default data folder can make it easier to run RM on two different machines, although there are a lot of considerations to be taken into account if you wish to run on two different machines safely.

Best to have your own folder structure set up via settings for databases, media, reports, gedcoms etc. Know where your stuff is to clean it up and back it up. Each RM8 file is a separate database with some settings specific to that file.

Many users would benefit from a better understanding of computer file and folder organization and what is required for real data backup.

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