User:Gioto/sandbox3

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https://gramps-project.org/wiki/index.php/Gramps_6.0_Wiki_Manual_-_User_Directory

Idea for new section that provides an overview of the files and folders/directories found in the user directory see https://gramps-project.org/wiki/index.php/Gramps_XML#See_also Auxiliary XML files in Gramps https://gramps.discourse.group/t/auxiliary-xml-format-documentation/2800 https://www.gramps-project.org/wiki/index.php/Template:Backup_Omissions https://gramps.discourse.group/t/recovering-tree-from-hex-named-folder/6478/3

Structure of the User Directory

In general the following Gramps user files and folders can be found in the "User Directory"

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Gramps - Top level folder.

• books.xml - file
• recent-files-gramps.xml - file
• report_options.xml - file
• tool_options.xml - file
• place_formats.xml - file
• GrampsXX.txt - file containing any error reported by Gramps eg Gramps60.txt

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• css - Theme files used by the narrative website report can be stored here see the StyleSheet option on the HTML Options tab [1]

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• gramps[XX] - versioned folder for each major Gramps release for example: gramps60 for the current release and if upgrading from an older version you may see gramps52 folder or older that can be ignored once you have upgraded.
  • gramps.ini - file holding Gramps configuration settings ( Gramps key file )
  • '*.ini - assorted *.ini files for each view or bottom or sidebar the configuration settings of each will be stored in. eg Dashboard_dashboardview.ini / Gramplets_dashboardview_gramplets.ini / People_personview.ini / People_personview_bottombar.ini / People_personview_sidebar.ini
  • custom_filters.xml -
  • plugins - location of user installed addons for Gramps either manually or via the addon manager
    • each of the addons will have a folder
    • custom holidays.xml file in your personal User directory .gramps/plugins/ folder. [2]

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• grampsdb - location of your family tree files each in subfolders using a seven (7) alpha/digit Hexidecimal folder name based on the date the family tree was created [3] for example
  • [abcdef12] . Also in each family tree folder may contain depending on the DB-API Database Backend used the following files:

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SQLite

DB-API Database Backend family trees are the default and those folders may contain the following files:

• database.txt - plain text file that contains what format the data file is in eg: sqlite / bsddb ...
• meta_data.db - This is just a dummy file to indicate last modified time of the database for gramps.cli.clidbman [4] ??
• name.txt - plain text file that contains name of the family tree to be displayed in the manage family trees window
• sqlite.db - family tree data file

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DB-API Database Backends

for other addon backends please consult the relevant support page. eg: MongoDB, PostgreSQL, SharedPostgreSQL

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BSDDB legacy backend based family tree folders

The BSDDB - Legacy Database backend was superseded in the Gramps 5.1 version. Note that BSDDB can be converted only. BSDDB 3 (Read-only for upgrades)

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• thumb - folder contains media thumbnails for use by the Gramps programs and various reports and addons
  • large - versions of the media thumbnails
  • normal - versions of the media thumbnails

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Note that your media files should not be stored in any of these Gramps "User Directory"s

Backup Omissions

The Gramps Package backup only contains your family tree and (when the 'include media' backup option is selected) your media.

The following settings in Gramps are not transferred:

• Any changes you have manually made to gramp.ini
• Any custom settings for reports (report_options.xml) you have made.
• Any custom Books (books.xml) you have created.
• Any custom holiday sets or country calendars (holidays.xml) you have created.
• Any custom Place Formats (place_formats.xml) you have created.
• Any changes you have made to the dictionary for spell checking e.g.: new or excluded words.
• Gramps exports objects in the Tree. So any added Tags or custom types that have not been applied to at least one record, the Tag or Type will have no place to be included in the backup.
• Any custom filters (custom_filters.xml) you have created.

Custom Filter migration Keep your collection of custom filters through a minor updates to patch Gramps (e.g., from version 6.0.1 to 6.0.2) by manually copying your custom_filter.xml from Gramps User Directory to the corresponding directory in new gramps_version_number. Even minor upgrades with feature changes (e.g., from a 6.0.x to a 6.1.x version) may include XML format changes since the recent innovation of addon rules are causing rapid evolution in Filters. So porting filters in this manner requires verification that the XML definitions haven't changed. Also, Addon rules may have to be installed in the new upgrade before copied custom filters will work safely.

You can keep your custom settings by manually copying each of the *.xml files from the Gramps User Directory to the corresponding directory in the new gramps_version_number directory. Be aware that (due to changes in different versions of Gramps) the settings may no longer work. So be diligent that you test.