Question. Will I Lose Data Or Have To Re-Enter Data? Before I go ahead and order the latest version per your website, I just wanted to be sure that the new version will read and transfer the data from my old version to the new version without having to re-enter names, data, and notes. I've spent a lot of time entering this data and I don't want to lose it or have to enter it again.
Answer. If you are a previous customer and your database is on the same PC that will receive the new version, the new version will find and read your existing database as is. No conversion or re-keying of data is necessary. Never has been, never will be, but customers continue to ask.
The only database issue that might enter in is if you want to move your database from an old PC to a new PC. If your database is on a PC other than the one that will receive the new version, simply copy your database files to the new PC.
These files (i.e., yourname.PED, yourname.GRP, yourname.ADR, yourname.ADD, yourname.etc, copy all of them) can be copied to any folder you wish on the new PC but the recommended folder to copy them to is:
C:\Program Files\FAMware\Fw_DATABASES
You can copy your database before or after installing the new version of the program. If you do it afterwards, the recommended folder above will already be created for you.
If you install the new version to a PC that does not yet have your database on it, simply answer "No" when asked during the initial launch if your database is already on this PC.
If you have already copied your database to the PC before installation, answer "Yes" and it will find those files and let you select them as part of the initial launch process. (This is also explained to you at the time you launch the new version.)
Keep in mind that there are several new database utilities in the new version that will let you copy, move, rename and otherwise manage your database files. To use these utilities get the new version installed then look at Database on the Main Menu. For example, you might want to use the Move utility to move all of your databases to the recommended folder C:\Program Files\FAMware\Fw_DATABASES so that you will always know where they are going forward.
It helps to keep the program and database separate in your mind. This version is an upgrade to the program files not to the database files. The database stays in tact as is. It is not converted, upgraded, or imported. A few unused fields are opened up by the new version, such as the email field, etc., but the rest of your data is not affected. That is, the new version of the program reads the old database pretty much the same way as your prior program version does.
Another way to look at it is that you are upgrading the program not the database. All the new version of the program needs to know is where your database is, that's it. Once it knows that it simply reads it, as is, in place. Your data stays in tact. None of it is lost.
What kind of a software company would we be if you had to re-enter your data every time there was a new version? This would be totally crazy. We've been in business for over 20 years and we've had lots of new versions of the program and never once have we ever required the re-keying of data due to a new version. And, we never will! We understand why you are concerned and we understand why you keep asking this question, but, please be assured, if you upgrade, your data will not be lost.