Unfortunately, I have failed to keep my Gramps software up to date because it has been working so well. I have been running Windows 7 with Gramps Portable 1.6 for several years and I have a fairly large database. Unfortunately, I had to reinstall windows. At first Gramps continued function normally. But, suddenly, all I get is the splash screen and Gramps no longer loads. I can get later version of Gramps (AIO64-5.1.6-1) to run, but I can’t access my data. Is there any way to convert the old data to data that the newer version will recognize. Or is there a way to get my old Gramps software to run so that I can transfer my data to the new version? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
I don’t know which version is “Gramps Portable 1.6” Do you mean 5.1.6?
5.1.6 is only for the 64-bit processors version of the Windows OS. Are you running in 32-bit mode? The PortableApps launcher would probably fail to run the 64-bit version.
The last version of Gramps that is compatible with 32-bit Windows 7 is 5.1.5
You can download that Gramps Portable version at:
The version is 1.6.12.0. It is VERY old. I believe I downloaded it in 2015. It has worked so well that I never bothered looking for updates. Unfortunately, Gramps has changed file formats twice since then and my data is incompatible with the newer versions.
You must be misrembering the version. The last of the 1.x series was 20 years ago and it
skipped to a major release 2.x after version 1.1.99! It never reached a maintenance release 1.6.12.0 number.
In 2015, the 3.4.9 tombstone for the 3.x family was released. And the 4.x family had releases 4.1.2 through 4.2.1 in that year.
If you were using a 1.x version, Gramps wasn’t even using database files. It was still using XML as the live data format in 2005.
Take a look at the Main Window screen capture webpage
Which version looks familiar?
Perhaps I am misunderstanding how to interpret the version since I can’t get past the splash screen. When I hover over the executable, it reports:
File Description: Gramps Portable
Company: PortableApps.com
File Version: 1.6.12.0
Date Created: 5/5/2015 5:02 PM
Size: 124 KB
Apparently, the “hovered” screen has nothing to do with the true version. I Installed version 5.1.6-1 and hovering displays 2.2.2.1
If my memory serves, the image looked a lot like version 5.0.
So, maybe I was usig the newer file system. How do I transfer my old data to the new version I installed?
As said (and linked) in the original response, you probably need to use the 5.1.5 version of the PortableApps fork, which is the last version compatible with the 32-bit Windows 7.
But the important part is that you do not wipe out the other installation. Unless you changed the database path in preferences, your data is self-contained in its subfolders. (If restoring the backup is not possible, you will having to recover that PortableApps database folder.)
Hopefully, you have been following the recommedations about making regular backups of your research tree data.
If not, this may become ugly.
Install the PortableApps Gramps 5.1.5 to a USB thumbdrive. Get it working there without affecting your installation on the main drive. (It will be slow. Especially the first launch where all the hundreds of modules must be compiled and cached. Gramps is drive intensive. So performance on a solid-state drive SSD is stunningly better than a HDD on the same speed bus.)
Once Gramps gets past the Splash screen on the USB thumbdrive, import your most recent backup.
Verify that all of your media objects are accessible. Double-check the paths in the Media list view. Make certain the none of the paths (nor the Relative media path in preferences) lead to a portableApps folder. (You might delete that non-functional folder later during cleanup and you don’t want to lose your media.)
Thank you! I was going down a rabbit hole thinking that my data was incompatible because of the info I received from “hovering.” I think I’ll be able to recover my data now.
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Thank you. I am running a 64-bit W7 and I have Downloaded Gramps 5.1.6. It seems to be working well. Unfortunately, since Gramps has been so stable for so long, I have neglected to make regular backups. I did, however< replace the DATA directory with my old directory and It appears that worked. Fingers crossed. Thank you for your help.
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Great!
Please make a backup (2 actually) just in case.
1 without media and a 2nd with media. And write a ReadMe.txt to include with the digital file and print out to keep with the storage (USB thumbdive?) device kept safely offsite.
(I like to add the ToDo Gramplet to the dashboard. Then re-purpose the initial ToDo Note with such a ReadMe text. This introduces my research to anyone who my inherit the data.)
The universe might be giving you a nudge.