I am getting another computer and would like to transfer my present JMRI software to the new computer. How do I do this so I don’t have to input all that information again?
Hi,
I use JMRI simultaneously on two computers. I have a test track in the shop and the programming track on the layout both tied to JMRI. One with a Sprogg the other with Digitrax and a PR4.
For a while I was backing up the JMRI Roster files onto a removable USB drive and updating the roster in each computer.
Then I decided to use the free Dropbox site to keep my roster files there and now when I make decoder changes on either computer the shared roster file is kept up-to-date.
Follow these instructions closely:
http://jmri.org/help/en/html/Dropbox.shtml
Even if you only use one computer, the Dropbox method will keep an off-site backup of your roster on “the cloud” so you have less chance of losing your roster.
I lost my roster backup once, it was on a 3½" floppy! (Yes, it was that long ago) I had to re-enter the roster by hand (back when I only had about 25 locomotives in it) and that was no fun.
This page will describe how to find the location of your roster.xml files on your present computer, copy them to a removable drive (you should have a roster backup anyway!) and then importing your roster into the same location on the new computer, after you have (downloaded and) re-installed the JMRI program on your new machine:
http://jmri.org/help/en/html/apps/DecoderPro/RosterFile.shtml
In very basic terms;
To move the entire Roster to another computer, choose “Export Roster” from the Roster menu, select a location to save the file and then move that set of files to the other computer before you choose “Import Roster” from the menu to import
It’s a fairly simple process:
- Export your roster file and copy it to a thumbdrive
- Download and install the latest version of JMRI onto your new computer
- Import your roster file into Decoder Pro
Tom
I’ve heard that JMRI’s roster export/import doesn’t always work well. (I keep my roster on a server that’s backed up twice daily so I’ve never needed to try it)
But if it doesn’t, just copy the roster folder (NOT the roster.xml file) from your JMRI preferences on the old computer and replace the one on the new computer. Then start JMRI and select “Rebuild roster index” from the Debug menu.
Stick with the same version and it should import/export fine. Don;t try to move AND upgrade at the same time. Install the same version on the new computer, import the roster and check everything out. THEN upgrade if you want to use the latest version.
–Randy
I tried all the suggestions but it did not work. It would not import the files. I put the roster folder in the directory but it did not work. I can import 1 entry at a time but that will take to long to do. I tried with the same version and also the latest version but still no success
I uninstalled the program and deleted anything JMRI in the registry. Then I copied everything in the JMRI directory from the old computer and pasted it in the new computer and it worked. Thanks for all the input