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This page applies to Lineage Manager™ for Dogs v1.33 ONLY

This information applies to v1.33 and older only. DOES NOT APPLY to new version 2.

About the LMD v1.33 User Database Files

LMD keeps dog information data in three (3) database files, 'labs' is our example database name, your database will have a different name:
  • labs.dta
  • labs.dtv
  • labs.dtm
There is also a database for colors and a database for titles:
  • colors.dtc
  • titles.dtt
There is a file which keeps the default data entry information:
  • labs.dft
All six of these files must be saved (backed up).

There are two (2) methods of backing up the files shown below.

Select the method you are most comfortable with.

Computer Expert Method of backing up the files -- highly recommended.

Exit LMD on your computer before starting this procedure. This procedure is based on Windows XP.

To make a Backup:

  1. Using Start/All Programs/Accessories/Windows Explorer, locate all six of those files on the first computer. The default installation location is c:\program files\nwps\lmd16\program - the files will most likely be in there if you are using Windows XP or earlier. If you are using Windows Vista 32 or 7 32 bit, you will find the files in a very strange place: c:\users\YourLoginName\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program files\nwps\lmd16\program
  2. Select all six files (or four if you choose not to transfer the colors and titles database files) and right click and select 'Copy'.
  3. Now 'Paste' them to a USB Flash Drive or a CDR/CDRW. Once complete, remove and label the media (include the date) and then store it in a safe place.

To Restore from a Backup:

  1. Install LMD on your hard drive. We recommend the default installation location. 
  2. Copy all the backed up files to a known directory like 'MyDocuments' - this is preferred for Windows XP, Vista, or 7.
  3. Remove the backup media from your computer.
  4. If you copied the files from a CDROM (CDR), you must change the file attributes of all restored files on your hard drive from read-only to read-write (see instructions in next section).
  5. Start LMD and select 'Open a different database from a previous session', then select your database by navigating to where you restored the files to: in our example it would be labs.dta.

If you restored from a CDROM (CDR), you have to change file attributes from Read-Only to Read-Write. LMD requires the database files to be Read-Write. If you have restored your files from a CDROM (CDR), please verify EVERY file you restored using this step-by-step procedure

  1. Using Windows Explorer locate each of the files you restored in the procedure above.
  2. 'Right click' on each file and select Properties from the popup menu.
  3. On the Properties/General tab be sure that the Attributes/Read-Only checkbox is NOT checked. Then press OK.
  4. Repeat this for every file you restored.

LMD Backup & Restore Utility Method of backing up the files.

Exit LMD on your computer before starting this procedure. This procedure is based on Windows XP.

To make a Backup:

  1. Start LMD and press Do Not Open a Database at This Time.
  2. Click on the word File in the top menu bar and select Start Backup/Restore Utility. A message will come up stating that LMD will exit if the utility is successfully started, click OK.
  3. Click on Backup User Database Files, then click on Continue>>. The program will search your hard drive(s) for LMD database files. You can press the Stop Searching button anytime if you see that it has located your database that you are interested in.
  4. Locate your database in the list. You should only have one or two things showing there, verify the file date and file size in the right hand side. Select your database and press Process Selection. An informational message will come up informing you that you must select a location for the zip file to be saved to, press OK.
  5. If you see a message that says 'Please insert a disk into drive A:', put in a floppy disk into that drive if you intend to use a floppy disk for transfer. But since most computers no longer have a floppy drive, please use a USB Flash Drive or CDR(W), by pressing Cancel. A standard 'Save As' window appears. Navigate to the place where you are saving the zip file, check the name and press Save. When it is done saving you will be returned to the main window.

To Restore from a Backup:

  1. Move your storage media to the computer, start LMD, then start the Backup and Restore Utility as you did in step 1 and 2 above.
  2. Press Restore User Database Files, follow the on screen instructions by pressing OK, then Cancel if you are not using a floppy, then view the Open dialog and locate the zip file to transfer. Then press Open to unzip. When the main window reappears, exit the utility.
  3. Start LMD again, then click on select a different database from a previous session. Locate and open the labs.dta file to start using the database.

You can optionally repeat the above steps for backing up the Custom Colors and Titles databases. Press the Backup Custom Colors and Titles Databases button to zip up those files and the Restore Custom Colors and Titles Databases button to unzip them.