Changing versions of DVDpedia, lost some data

[crazynetty]

Hi,
I successfully navigated updating us from a 4.X version of DVDpedia to the 5.X version with the paid upgrade. As the computer the old version was on has died, I used the back-uped version, had to download an old version to this computer, convert it, and then put it in the new. So far, so good.

However, the system is missing some items (like covers) and I've tried simply copying the covers across, but of course the numbering systems are different, so it doesn't work. Also, it is missing playlists and such we've created. I'm sure I'm missing some step (like an .xml file?) but I'm stuck and can't seem to find similar situation on the forum. \

We're also missing anything that we've created from scratch (ie our own file created, cover added) including all review notes on any of the files. So it seems anything that's been inputted or altered from imdb/amazon is where we are having the issue.

I've still got the original back-up from 4.x file, and won't re-back-up this one until it's working, so happy that I've got the back-up at least!

Thanks in advance

[Conor]

All the text data for version 4 is located in your backup in a file called Database.pediadata. Version 5 will convert this file into a file called Database.dvdpd that has a new structure but should not leave any of the fields behind.

The covers are all indeed in the "Covers" folder, but if the IDs are not matching it would mean that version 4 and version 5 where being run simultaneously for the IDs to diverge from the version 4 to version 5 file. E.i. when the conversion happens the covers are not touched as they remain with the same ID.

Sounds like you might have had a "Database.dvdpd" file in your backup from a test of version 5 that you did earlier. Without DVDpedia running you can move the "Database.dvdpd" out of the data folder and then launch DVDpedia again to do a fresh conversion of the 4.x file.

If that does not solve the issue, please email me the old 4.x Database.pediadata file I can try out the conversion here to make sure all the data is being converted.

[crazynetty]

Hi, thanks for the reply. I actually figured it out last night (I'll post the steps for future ref). I re-downloaded the version 4, opened the back-up with that, exported the whole collection (file/export collection), then imported the collection into the new version - previously I had been copying and pasting the data across, not importing, which is where I failed. Then I added the imported collection to the library and shifted them around.

As I had a library already on the go (the one i mentioned in my original post) I then had duplicates. So I cleaned it all out (so no info in new version at all) and tried again, which worked perfectly.

Thanks!

[Conor]

That is excellent news, glad you were able to solve the issue. Do be sure to backup the entire data folder to an external storage as it makes these recoveries easy by simply replacing the data folder if something goes wrong. TimeMachine obviously does this, but I find it harder to use than a clone of my data on another drive.