Which database file is the latest one?

[JohnvanSomeren]

[I just tried to add this topic and somehow kicked myself off this forum. I am adding it again, hoping it is not a duplicate! Sorry.]

I just upgraded my MM EX to 1.6.3 64-bit. It runs on Windows 11. The first attempt failed, and so did the second (couldn't write a dll to MMEX folder). Eventually I deleted the whole folder and started from scratch.

When I started MM EX it asked (reasonably enough) which database I wanted. The "Money Manager database and backups" folder had so many files so I selected the latest and the immediate display showed silly account balances. I didn't notice the software was still running and exited MMEX.

This morning I tried again, selecting different files. No sensible results.

I had backed up my whole hard disk (using Windows 7 back up and restore) and I now want to recover my latest database. The backup was scheduled at 19:00 on Sunday 26th March. (I last added a handful of transactions to Money Manager sometime during the previous week.)

I still have no idea which file to chose because the filenames don't have a any meaning that makes sense to me. I attach a screenshot of the huge list of files that my File Restore offers me. Please point out the latest database (or help me to work out which one it is).

Please also point out my previous back up (a week earlier because my 26th backup probably backed up the corrupted files.

Your help will be extremely appreciated. There are a dozen years of my financial history in there. I am well past my 'best-by' age and memories are very dear to me.

[Renato]

You write : I just upgraded my MM EX to 1.6.3 64-bit.
From which version did you start the upgrade.

Your file names are a bit confusing, sorting them by date would give a better overview.
The filenames with .bak are security copies which are created according to the settings in the options.
If you upgrade from an old MMEX version to a new one, the databases will be automatically backed up and adjusted, visible in v7,V8,v9, .... v16.
Since there are .bak files between the versions, I assume that you have interrupted the update process (several) times.
This can lead to such problems as you described.

Suggestion: please sort the files by date and make a new screeshot.

[JohnvanSomeren]

Money Manager files on my BackUp device.xlsx

(9.35 KiB) Downloaded 18 times

Many thanks for your fast reply. I had set my Board Profile to email me when anybody replied, but it didn't happen, so I didn't notice your reply until today.

I have restored all the 97 files to a folder on my desktop and found out how to copy their file names into Excel. I attach the excel file of the file names

I have no idea why the file names are so complicated. Obviously I did something to the file names at some dim and distant date, but I have no memory of doing it.

As I said in my original post the upgrade to V 1.6.3 failed because it couldn't write a dll to the program folder. That is why it was interrupted. Eventually I deleted the whole program folder and then the installation worked.

You say the version number is in the .bak file name. Can I assume "_v16_2023_03-25" refers to version 1.6?

I have a copy of DB Browser for SQL LIte. My most recent live data file contains an account I only just opened. I can use SQL Lite browser to look at the table of accounts and see which one contains this account. Is this a sensible way to work (I am very experienced in MS SQL Server and spend several hours per week writing SPs and Views). However, I am a programmer, not a DB administrator!

I shall check for replies daily. Many thanks for your help so far.
John van Someren

Money Manager files on my BackUp device.xlsx

(9.35 KiB) Downloaded 18 times

[Renato]

Unfortunately, the Excel list does not contain a date.
Please open a Dos window, navigate to the directory with the files, enter the following command:

dir MoneyManager* /o-d >list.txt

and place it here in the forum.

[JohnvanSomeren]

Sorry, Renato, I thought that the filenames would contain the dates. The attached file livelist.txt is from the folder in My Documents where MM places all its files.

Thanks
John

[Renato]

Hi John
Based on the information available to me, I would use File:

25/03/2023 16:25 1,159,168 MoneyManager database from 2011 07 01 onwards.mmb_start_2014-12-21.mmb_upgrade_v6_2017-02-23.mmb_update_2019-08-19.mmb

take as a basis.
However, I would give the file a readable name, such as Accounting.mmb.
The remaining files I would save in a .zip and delete, so that it regains clarity.

[JohnvanSomeren]

Many many thanks. I will be taking your advice on Saturday (tomorrow) mid morning when Sue joins me. She is a friend, a bookkeeper and general all-round common sense person.

Best regards
John

[JohnvanSomeren]

All is now fixed. Not perfect, but fixed. Many many thanks.

Once I have opened MM, do you know how to find out which what is the path to the .mmb file it is using?

Best Regards
John van Someren

[Renato]

under File / Recent Files this is displayed

[JohnvanSomeren]

Thanks. The first item in the screenshot below *is* my current database. It was among hundreds of others in My Documents. I moved it to its own folder in My Documents and then instructed MM to open a new database. Everything looks fine as far as accounts and transactions are concerned, but I still have no way of confirming which folder MM is looking in.