Syncing between Mac and MacBook

[Lost Highway]

The problem is solved.

It was a question of time!!!!!!
It took nearly two hours to rebuild the database.dvdpd with about 1.000 dvd's.
But than I was able to open the complete file on my laptop.

Now I start to transfer my cd's with a file size of more than 2.000 records.
I will let you know how much time it will take.

Once again - I like to thank Conor and FineWine for their help.
We'll keep in touch.

[FineWine]

Good to know all is well

HINT: Once you have transferred all your data-bases click on the 'Help" menu in each pedi whilst you are holding down the 'Option' (alt) key. Select "Verify database"

Cheeeers

[Lost Highway]

I did it.
But for what reason?

[FineWine]

I did it.
But for what reason?

Conor included these hidden menu commands so that if there are any errors in the database this command will pick them up and attempt to correct them. As you have been moving, coping and pasting large databases between machines it could have been possible for errors to creep in.

Also try out the 3 other error checking menu commands below the 'Verify Database'. All of these commends will do no harm but please ensure you always do have backups (Time Machine etc).

@conor: can we please have an explanation, their use and when to use, of these hidden commands and functions placed in the "Help" sections, perhaps under 'Troubleshooting', thanks.

[Lost Highway]

Hi FineWine
Thanks for the explanation.

You are absolutely right. An explanation for the hidden commands would be really great.
And one more question:
If the commands are helpful for everyone - why are they hidden???????

Maybe you can help me with another problem:
There was a collection of films which was only available on my laptop.
This collection is gone now. Maybe its still there. I don't know.
But - if I would find it again - how could I put
this collection into the "new" main collection -
without spending another night with praying not to destroy something.

And by the way: For what do I need all the different
data saving possibilities like dvd.pedia, security backup (Sicherheitskopie) etc.
if it's NOT a real security backup?

Is there any possibility to secure a file like in "excel" or "numbers"?
With an own name and an own path - without leaving the main program?

CUsoon Highway

[FineWine]

I think I will leave conor to answer all those questions.

I never have had to combine two separate databases into one so again conor is your techman here.

I have never had problems restoring databases from Time Machine and I have done a few over the years. I also run two backups (Time Machine in continuous automatic mode connected to my 2Tb Time Capsule and a once a month external 2Tb hard drive using Carbon Copy Cloner which is kept off site at the relatives and they do the same)

Prost

[Conor]

@losthighway Glad to hear you were finally able to get information moved over and synced between computers.

@finewine Thanks for helping out with all the tips, much appreciated.

1. a) If you can run the original database that had the collection you can use the menu command "File -> Export -> .dvdpedia (tab)" to export only a single collection. This will create a file that when imported into another DVDpedia database, gets imported as a new excluded collection. That would allow you to then merge it into your collection with "File -> Include Collection in Library" menu command.

If changing and loading other collection, do keep track of what ".dvdpd" file you are loading. To help with this you can always check under "DVDpedia -> Preferences", the path to the data folder will be listed at the bottom of the window. Although DVDpedia will load any .dvdpd file with a double click, we always recommend the manual rename to "Database.dvdpd" if necessary and moving the file while DVDpedia is not running or launch with option held down, to select a new data folder.

So that you can be absolutely sure of what is going on. As normal day to day the user should not need to be changing database files.

b) It was simpler to have DVDpedia worry about the data folder and not the user. Hence there is no way to save a file as a normal document program would do like Excel. Specially since DVDpedia saves several bits of information separately. Mainly the covers that are the heft of the megabytes, in a separate folder called Covers. This make working with the data much safer, easier, but does mean that it's not all one single contained file that can be saved. Hence the confusion when moving databases around.

c) Might help to know how DVDpedia works, The most important thing is that there is always has a single database file called "Database.dvdpd" that it operational and a "Covers" folder in the same location that has all the images. That is the basics and the requirement for a data folder. Everything else is optional and not as important. But do keep in mind when moving files around.

2. a) The backup. If it's the backup from "File -> Export". This actually creates a zip file of your data folder for you to save in a safe place. It was just a shortcut for users to easier backup. Making a manual copy of the data folder, would achieve the same result.
b) If it's the files called "Backup1Month.dvdpd" in the data folder, this are just created by DVDpedia as a precaution. Since the data file for even thousand of movies is only a few megs, it's worth the space. Like the debug menus, they have only been used once in 7 years. Overkill for sure, but gives us the option of recovering data for a user that has no backup plan, and accidentally removed half his movies and did not sue undo and quit the program, type of scenario. With users taking backup more seriously and easier, via TimeMachine and Cloud servers, they could likely go, but they are not hurting anyone.

3. The debug commands are hidden as it's really-really rare that they get used. The program should be taken care of avoiding any issues all the time. But the commands have always been there, as they helped me test and debug the features when implemented. If a user ran into major issues I wanted a way to get feedback from the user via a check done by the program, so I left them in. They have come in handy in fixing rare bugs, but I can count the times they have been used to show a real problem in one hand. Hence they remain secret and hidden. You are more than welcome to use them, to feel confidence in the database. But in theory nobody should or need worry about the fact that they exist or what they do.

They get used so rarely I don't even know what "Clean Duplicated in Fields" actually does. Luckily the others names are a bit more obvious.

If any of the above is a bit confusing don't be afraid to ask, with specific questions and details if you want to try something and want to know how that will work out. Congratulations on getting DVDpedia on iCloud.

Goes without saying, do backup often. Never know when you might need a frozen snapshot of the data as it was. Just make a copy of that folder to a new location. As I am pretty sure the TimeMachine does not backup your iCloud folder.

[Lost Highway]

Connor, I like to thank you very much for all these informations.
As you can see I'm only a bloody user and I have no idea what's going
on behind the curtain. That's the reason why I would like to keep it as simple
(for me) as possible.
Once again - thank you very very much.

Best regards
Highway