# Will update or re-install scrape the CustomFilters of advanced users? **URL:** \ **Category:** Development\ **Created:** [October 14, 2022, 1:05pm UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/will-update-or-re-install-scrape-the-customfilters-of-advanced-users/2866 "2022-10-14T13:05:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![emyoulation](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/gramps.discourse.group/emyoulation/32/67_2.png) [@emyoulation](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/emyoulation)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2022, 1:05pm UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/will-update-or-re-install-scrape-the-customfilters-of-advanced-users/2866/1 "2022-10-14T13:05:18Z")
While discussing error handling in the experimental **FilterParams** custom filter editing tool, @kku noted that Gramps discards custom filters that reference non-existent (un-installed add-ons) rules as the custom\_filters.xml is loaded. (It’ll take some experimenting to see if this discard is a purge or a quarantine. Perhaps the XML is commented for the affected filters.) This observation set off alarms. Add-on rules are a recent feature. There is no option to archive or reload one’s library of Custom Filters. (The text import Gramplet will perform a lot of XML-based object creation, but you cannot paste a custom\_filter XML block to create a filter.) If the purge is silent, a LOT of work could be lost with no opportunity for recovery. Could re-installing a fresh copy of 5.1.x (or migrating to 5.2) destroy many hours of crafting a library of custom filters? A fresh copy of Gramps will not have the add-on rules packs or SuperTool generic rules installed yet. Meanwhile, Gramps has to run (and load the custom\_filters.xml to initialize the active view) so that the Plugin Manager can be used to install the add-ons. Won’t that workflow purge a lot of Custom Filters? Migrating to 5.2 might not present as much risk. That process will create a gramps52 folder in the [Gramps User Directory](https://gramps-project.org/wiki/index.php/Gramps_Glossary#user_directory) and the custom filter file would have to be migrated manually. Come to think of it, un-installing & re-installing a custom filter pack (when suspected of corruption or failed updating) might put custom filters at risk. ---
**Author:** ![emyoulation](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/gramps.discourse.group/emyoulation/32/67_2.png) [@emyoulation](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/emyoulation)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2022, 1:13pm UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/will-update-or-re-install-scrape-the-customfilters-of-advanced-users/2866/2 "2022-10-14T13:13:25Z")
**Note:** my workaround for backing up a `custom-filter.xml` is to add that file as a media object attached to a dummy person with a \_Gramps surname. This adds that file to my backup with media objects. (I shudder to think… will restoring that .gpkg overwrite that file?) But I also periodically open that media object & transcribe it to a Note. ---
**Author:** ![DaveSch](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/gramps.discourse.group/davesch/32/40_2.png) [@DaveSch](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/DaveSch)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2022, 2:02pm UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/will-update-or-re-install-scrape-the-customfilters-of-advanced-users/2866/3 "2022-10-14T14:02:48Z")
Custom filters are stored in the user’s version directory. When 5.2 is first installed it will contain no custom filters. An advanced user moving their `custom_filters.xml` file will have ample opportunity install 3rd party filters before copying the file into the `gramps52` folder. ---
**Author:** ![emyoulation](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/gramps.discourse.group/emyoulation/32/67_2.png) [@emyoulation](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/emyoulation)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2022, 2:27pm UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/will-update-or-re-install-scrape-the-customfilters-of-advanced-users/2866/4 "2022-10-14T14:27:10Z")
> [@DaveSch](#): > > Custom filters are stored in the user’s version directory. When 5.2 is first installed it will contain no custom filters. Yes, as I was writing, that thought occurred to me. (And it is the point of the next to last paragraph.) I should probably re-title this topic. The risks are higher with a re-install of Gramps 5.1.x or a rule pack. The 5.2 difficulty will be related to manual migration of customization. That can probably be addressed in documentation as a workflow. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/free1/uploads/gramps/original/1X/2ac1e712b7adf612e31ca08a55419f4cf37c0158.png) [@system](https://gramps.discourse.group/u/system)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2022, 2:27pm UTC](https://gramps.discourse.group/t/will-update-or-re-install-scrape-the-customfilters-of-advanced-users/2866/5 "2022-11-13T14:27:20Z")
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