Not able to import from older Mac desk computer to new iMac with Big Sur.
You need to furnish more information. Import what? If trying to import a backup business file, did you read and follow the Guide: Backup, restore, import, and transfer businesses | Manager? If so, did you encounter any error messages? If you did, post screen shots of them here. Tell us exactly what you did and why you think you are not able to import whatever you are trying to import.
Thanks for the quick reply! I’m trying to import a business from an old version. It imports but when I go to open it I get "This business database is not valid. Manager data is stored in SQLite database. However it appears the file you are attempting to open is not a SQLite database. Thank you so much for your help!!!
You will need to update in stagey. Search the forum for instructions. Use terms from the error message.
Follow the instructions in this post Restoring data issue - #2 by Patch
20.9.89 dowloaded but getting this message: Internal Error 20.9.89 You are running an outdated version. Please use the latest version available.
Depending on what you are doing when you get this error it is likely to be due to one of the following:
-
To install an older versions on Manager you have to un install the newer versions of Manager first.
-
After a database has been opened in a newer version of Manager, the data file is updated. After which it can not be opened in an older version of Manager
So if it’s updated why can’t I view it? It’s there but no view option.
Others have reported Manager sometimes getting confused when updating from a very old version and it initially failing to update with later software.
Probably the most reliable is
- install Manager v20.9.89 on another computer or at least another user login
- start that versions of Manager
- import a backup of your old old data file which has not been used by later versions of Manager
- Save a back up of this data file named with v20.9.89 appended to the name
- Start the current version of Manager (on your normal computer & login)
- Import the v20.9.89 data file.
Alternatively you may find, after re installing the current version of Manager, it is now able to read your data file (as it has been updated despite the reported errors).
Thank you! My old computer is running 10.6.8 will v20.9.89 work on that?
It doesn’t work. Looking for a version that will work on OS 10.6.8.
No luck. This is beyond frustrating.
Well, not updating your system regularly is the cause of the problem.
Hopefully others will take note and update regularly
Thats helpful. I updated but desk computer died. It was ancient and now I’m trying to use an ancient laptop. If someone can help with this odd situation I’d really appreciate it. If its just not possible to use my old files on this new iMac I’d appreciate knowing that too so I can stop trying.
Manager requires macOS v10.13 or newer. So you can stop wasting time with macOS v10.6. That has not been supported in years.
As for recovering old Manager data, that can be done. But you need to be aware of the issues @Patch warned you about:
- You cannot attempt to open a Manager backup file with a newer version of the program and then open it with an older version.
- The conversion script to update older data files to the SQLite format was removed from Manager versions after 20.9.89.
Those facts mean you must first download and install v20.9.89 on a machine it is compatible with. That means macOS v10.13 or newer. Once it is installed, you can import your old, untouched backup file, which will be converted during import to SQLite. After that, you can download and install the current version of Manager and your file will be further updated with changes that have happened to the database structure since SQLite was first introduced. (There have been many.)
ok I added a new user on my iMac, downloaded v20.9.89, imported the untouched file, backed it up, then switched users and opened in the newest version. I can still see it there but can’t view it. There’s no view option. What am I doing wrong?
Your last post is very confusing. If you imported the old file and backed it up in v20.9.89, that means you could access the business. But the imported file would be stored in a different application data folder for the new user. So switching users means means when you went back to the old user, you were trying to look at a different business that was not converted.
And what do you mean by saying “I can still see it there but can’t view it?” See it where? View it how?
What you have not said is whether you are now operating on a version of macOS compatible with Manager. Or what you thought you would accomplish by creating a new user on your Mac in the first place. (That was not part of anything that anyone has recommended.)
I saved the converted file to a thumb drive that can be accessed by either user. I’ve always been able to open the original file and can see the accounts but can’t view them. Originally there was a view button that opened the ledger. Maybe there’s another way to open the ledger that I’m missing?
Making a new user is the only option I have. I don’t have any other computers. Thanks for your help.
I am sorry, @oliver54, but you are not clarifying anything. I do not know what you mean when you write of opening an original file and being able to see accounts. If you can launch the Manager application, you will see businesses, not accounts. You progress from there by clicking on a business name. There has never been a View button on the Businesses page. After clicking on a business name, you are taken to the Summary page for that business, not to any ledger.
I stress again, creating new users on your laptop or any other machine is pointless. There is no issue related to users. The issues are related to operating system version and Manager application version. Creating new users just results in scattering data around in different places, but does not address your problem.
If you only have Macs that cannot be updated past macOS v10.6.8, you will not be able to use Manager unless you download an obsolete version of the program from GitHub. I don’t recommend that. You also mention an iMac, but did not say what operating system version it is running.
I created a new user based on Patch’s post above. “ Probably the most reliable is
- install Manager v20.9.89 on another computer or at least another user login…”
I don’t have another computer besides the old laptop and the brand new iMac running Big Sur.
I’m using the wrong terminology and I apologize. By ledger I mean the individual entries, the income and the expenses. I’m not able to get to those. That’s what I use it for, so it’s no good to me if I can’t open that.