Exporting and Importing - missing data

[Michael Schmidt]

Hi,

I have several questions:

- Are there differences in how TNG handles the database between Version 10 and 12? When I export the GEDCOM file from version 10 and import that same file on version 12 it´s missing data on branches and the people and families associated with each branch. I could circumvent the problem by not exporting and reimporting the file, but by copying the database. Only I wish to know beforehand if TNG 12 handles the database differently.

- If I cannot simply copy the database - is there a way in TNG to creat connections "en bulk", or would I have to do it in the database itself?

- GEDCOM: you cannot even change the chars in a table allowed in a certain colums (e.g. varchar 22 to varchar 40), is that right?

- GEDCOM: Columns with _before them: will they be accepted by GEDCOM? I know they won´t be shown in TNG itself (without changing the php-code) - but will the flatline the file format, or is it valid? Sometimes this would be preferable to me instead of creating Custom Events...

Bye

Michael

[Ken Roy]

Michael,

There are database upgrades between TNG v10 and v12.  A GEDCOM export and import will not transfer your database as you expect because there are several TNG database tables that do not get exported since they are not imported from desktop software.

The correct approach to upgrading is to upgrade the existing database using the appropriate upgrade from the version you are starting with.

Branches and Branch Links are just a few of the tables that are not part of the export / import.  Cemeteries and associated Countries, States and Album tables, Media Types, Most Wanted, and Reports are some other tables that are not exported.  If you created Reports using Event Types, then the Event Types table should come from your existing database

Not sure I understand your other questions.

[Michael Schmidt]

Hi Ken,

thank you for your answers! To formulate the other questions in a better way:

- Is there a way within TNG to create many connections at once (e.g. change all branches associated with a certain family...) or do I have to do it in the database itself (via PHP MyAdmin or sth....). At the moment I use GEDTOOL to "export" a GEDCOM file to Excel, change the data, and reimport it. See attached Screenshots. However, it´s another layer in-between, and exporting and re-importing is time-consuming and prone to mistakes.

- When I changed the allowed varchars in the sourceID-column in the tng_sources table from 22 to 44 to allow "longer IDs", the sources where not shown in TNG. Did I miss something, or was this probably due to TNG or GEDCOM not allowing even the "length" of allowed characters in the column in the database?

- I´ ve read that GEDCOM allows customer-created columns by naming them with a _before the name (e.g. TNG uses _living as a not-initially-GEDCOM-defined-variable associated with each person). These customer-created fields won´t be shown in TNG itself - at least as long as I don´t change the code of the program. Sometimes creating columns/fields this way would be preferable to me instead of creating Custom Events - as those all have "EVEN"-types...