* Backup & Restore Plugin

[CurtisB48]

My Windows 7 Home Premium laptop had to have Windows 7 reinstalled and I am now starting to use Family Historian 5 again.

The last time I used "Backup and Restore Family Historian Settings" was 2014-09-07 backing up my project, today I downloaded Version 2.3 plugin to restore my 2014 settings. I received an error message as follows:

ERROR: Family Historian backup Version 5.0.9.3 does not match Version 5.0.11.0 installed. Install a free upgrade so the program version matches the backup version to make them compatible.

Could somebody please help me this problem as I would like to restore my 2014 settings.

Brian

[tatewise]

It should actually say:
ERROR: Family Historian backup Version 5.0.?.0 does not match Version 5.0.11.0 installed.
where ? may be any digit up to 9.

So you must install that FH Version 5.0.? to restore the backup, because Calico Pie insist that there must be perfect match on versions for a restore to work reliably, due to possible changes in file formats and Windows Registry entries.

Hopefully you have kept that last free V5.0.? upgrade download that you installed, in your FH installation archive.

If not, there are a couple of workarounds we might try.

[davidm_uk]

I still have copies of these upgrade_fh5_to_.... .exe files on my hard drive if you get stuck:
5.0.2
5.0.5
5.0.7
5.0.9
5.0.11
as well as the install_fh5.0.0_dl.exe

[tatewise]

That is one of the workarounds, and I have most of the others, but we need to know which one.

[NickWalker]

Wouldn't it be possible to make a small change to the plugin to ignore the version in this case where it seems unlikely that the minor update to v5 will make a difference to the way settings were backed up?

[tatewise]

Yes, that is the other workaround, which involves a small edit to a backup file at the users risk.

I am simply waiting for a reply from Brian.

[CurtisB48]

Mike, David & Nick

Thanks for your replies and sorry for not getting back to you sooner.

Mike I have edited the error message to read Family Historian backup Version 5.0.9.3 does not match Version 5.0.11.0 installed.

Sorry I do not know how to save the free V5 upgrades, all I have is the FH Settings 2014-09-07 folder which contains Family Historian, Plugin Data, Program Data, Tutorial Files, Registry.keys and Version.data. The Program Data file contains Diagrams, Fact Types, Flags, General, Icons, Plugin Data, Plugins, Queries, Reports, Text Schemes and Web Search. The only custom things I have are Custom Facts: Military2, Name Changes and To Do. I have a number of Custom Queries which I originally downloaded.

Because I only have a few custom facts which I can download again and to avoid you all having to spend time with my problem I think it would be better for me to learn how to "keep that last free V5.0.? upgrade download" which is something that will help when I need to change my computer.

David has kindly offered help if I need copies of the V5 upgrades if you think it necessary.

I am still learning how to use Family Historian5 and have not tried to do anything more than using the Sample Project and my Curtis & Lyon Project adding people to my tree using the standard facts and the three custom facts noted above. Learning how to keep free upgrades I think is more important and I would like help with that please.

I look forward to hearing from you regarding the best way forward.

Kind regards to you all. Brian

[tatewise]

See the how_to:index#installation_guide|> FH Installation Guide and checkout all the sub-sections, which mentions how to obtain the free upgrade downloads from http://www.family-historian.co.uk/downl ... ad-archive.

A workaround for your Backup/Restore problem is to edit the Version.data file you identified above using a plain text editor such as Start > All Programs > Accessories > Notepad.
Change the number from 5.0.9.3 to 5.0.11.0 to fool the Plugin into thinking the Backup was taken with V5.0.11.

It should be OK because it is unlikely there were any significant changes between V5.0.9 and V5.0.11.

[CurtisB48]

Mike

I have changed the number from 5.0.9.3 to 5.0.11.0 and it has not worked, the error message now says "Version 5.0.11.0 does not match Version 5.0.11.0" Should I change back to what was shown originally?

Have started to read the Knowledge Base > FH Installation Guide, I have never had any problems downloading the free upgrades, just don't know how to save them to my computer.

Brian

[davidm_uk]

When you go to the Family Historian website to download the updates and then click on download , depending on how you have your browser configured, it should ask if you want to run the file or save it to your computer. Choose save, and save it to a location on your hard drive (I just use the Desktop). Should should end up with a file there called somethink like upgrade_fh5_to_5.0.11.exe (it may not display the .exe on the end, depending on how you have Windows configured). This is the file that you need to both save (either copy and paste, or drag and drop) and then run to install the update.

I have a folder on my hard drive called Source, where I create subfolders for all of the programs that I download from websites and then save the install program in a suitably named folder (e.g. D:\Source\Family Historian\....). This folder is configured into my backup program so that I always have a copy should I need it.

[tatewise]

When you changed the number are you sure you used zero 0 and not letter O?

Are you sure you are changing the Version.data file in the Backup folder specified in the Plugin?

[CurtisB48]

Mike

I have just double checked that numbers were changed using 0 and not the letter 0.

The Plugin refers to:

Backup Data: C:\Users\Brian\Documents\Family Historian Projects\FH Settings 2014-09-07

Program Data: C:\ProgramData\Calico Pie

I have changed the Version which is in the My Documents Folder: Family Historian Projects, FH Settings 2014-09-07, Version. I can not find a file named Version.data in the FH Settings 2014-09-07. Should I also be looking for C:\ProgramData\Calico Pie ?

Brian

[CurtisB48]

David

Thanks for your help re Family Historian website updates, I have saved a copy of "upgrade_fh5_to_5.0.11" to my Family Historian Projects folder, was very easy to do and I wish that I had this knowledge before my computer needed to have Windows 7 reinstalled.

Kind regards

Brian

[tatewise]

Does the ERROR message say:
Major Version Mismatch
ERROR: Family HistorianVersion 5.0.11.0 does not match Version 5.0.11.0 installed.
OR
Minor Version Mismatch
Family Historian Version 5.0.11.0 does not match Version 5.0.11.0 installed.

If the former Major Version Mismatch with no space between Historian & Version then you have deleted the leading space in the Version.data file. Put it back in and the Plugin won't complain.

[CurtisB48]

Mike

It said "Major Version Mismatch
ERROR: Family HistorianVersion 5.0.11.0 does not match Version 5.0.11.0 installed."

I have put the leading space back in and rerun Backup and Restore Family Historian Settings Version 2.3 Plugin, Restore all Family Historian Custom and Preference Settings, and have an error message: Minor Version Mismatch
Family Historian Version 5.0.11.0 does not match Version 5.0.11.0 installed. This is the same message I got earlier this afternoon.

Brian

[tatewise]

Are you sure there is not an extra space between 5.0.11.0 & does?

In other words you've added a space to the end of Version.data after the last zero.

[CurtisB48]

Mike

I decided to remove my Family Historian Projects folder from my laptop computer to a new folder in my external hard drive. Then copied my current Project the Sample Project and FH Settings 2014-0907 from the originally saved FH Projects folder on my external hard drive to my laptop computer. I changed the Version.data to 5.0.11.0 and rerun the Plugin for Backup and Restore Family Historian Settings which has worked, however, I now have to choose which button to select for the backup 1) Program Data Files, 2) Tutorial Files, 3) Registry Data Keys could you please advise me which one I should select in order to get my custom facts and tabs back into my computer.

I am very sorry it has taken a lot of your time to help me for which I am most grateful, with hindsight I should have carried out the above much sooner.

Kind regards and thank you for your help. Brian

[tatewise]

Program Data Files will do that.

Generally speaking, Program Data Files holds customised Diagrams, Reports, Queries, Facts, Property Box Tabs, Plugins, etc.

Registry Data Keys hold Tools > Preferences settings, but also Records Window custom Columns, and customising of the Core Diagrams associated with the toolbar icons.