Copying Campground Master to another computer

There are a few reasons you may need to copy your entire Campground Master software and data to another computer.  Perhaps you bought a new computer, or want a backup on a home computer, or you're adding another computer to the network.  In any of these cases, just follow the steps below.  

These are given in general terms because specifics may vary, but only basic computer knowledge is required.  If you're not sure how to do a particular step, consult your computer support person.

1. Make a backup of the current database (assuming you still have it on a working computer) using the Maintenance / Back Up Database function.  You'll need to save or copy the backup to a floppy disk, CD, USB memory stick or other location where you can get to it from the new computer. Be sure to correctly select the "Save in" at the top to specify where it's saving it when you do the backup.

Tip:  We suggest using some unique filename you'll recognize when restoring.  It's easy to forget where it was saved and accidentally try to restore the wrong file later, so using some unusual name like "John's Friday the 10th backup" will ensure that you are selecting the correct file later.

2. Use Maintenance / Restore from Backup on that same computer to verify that the backup copy is readable.  (Don't worry, if it's not readable then your current data won't be altered.)

3. If you're using a version prior to 4.0:  Also copy any map image files (.bmp files that are located in the same folder as your database) onto your backup disk.  If you're not sure what folder that is, go to Maintenance / Program Options / Database, and look at the current database path.  The map images are not part of the normal backup in older software versions, so these need to be copied separately, using normal file copy functions in Windows Explorer or My Computer.  If you're not sure which .bmp files are being used, go to Maintenance / Park Setup / Maps an check the Filenames (not the map Names).  Also if you use any "bitmaps" on custom Forms, for instance a company logo for your receipts, those BMP files need to be copied separately.

4. If you're using the Export to Web function: Copy any template files (.htt files) that you're using.  These might be in a different location -- see File / Export / Export to web vacancy grid(s) to check the template file location.  

5. You'll need to know what version you've been running so that you can install the same version on the other computer.  Check Help / About Campground Master to see what version you're running.

6. Locate an installation disk or download file for the same version you're currently running.  All major versions can be downloaded from our web site if necessary.  If you can't locate the exact version then use the next higher version, assuming you're authorized to upgrade to it -- but be sure to also update any other computers that will still be using Campground Master.  NOTE: Do not use your original installation disk unless you're sure it's the same version you've been running.  Only install that version, or a later version from our web site if your license allows upgrading to it.

7. Install the appropriate version of Campground Master (from the disk/download in step 6) onto the new computer.

8. Run Campground Master.  It doesn't matter whether you load the sample (demo) database or not.  However if it loads some old database and you don't know the login password, then you may need to load the sample database so that you can get logged in (automatically).  This might require downloading the "Free demo" from the web site, if you no longer have a Demo icon to start it from.

9. Go to Maintenance / New Database (create a new database file).  It will ask you for a database name, so enter the same name as your database used before.

10. If you copied any extra files from step 3 or 4 above, go to Maintenance / Program Options / Database to determine the current database location, and copy those files from your backup disk to that folder (using Windows Explorer or My Computer to copy the files).

11. Go to Maintenance / Restore from Backup to restore from the backup -- you'll probably get a couple warning messages, and then be sure to select the correct backup file in the Open dialog (select the location in the "Look in" drop-down list).  (Using a unique name as suggested in step 1 helps to know you got the right file.)

Note: If you don't see the file you backed up in step 1, then it's most likely that you didn't restore from the correct file.  This is most often due to not selecting the correct "Save In" in step 1, or not selecting the correct "Look In" in step 11.  Likewise, if you don't see your data after restoring, and/or your login doesn't work, then you are not restoring from the correct file.  Review steps 1 and 11.

12. If all looks OK, go to File / Save to make sure it's saved to the hard disk.

That's the basics of setting up on a new computer.  If you're networking multiple computers, you'll also need to set the appropriate network settings so it can connect to the master (or become the master, as the case may be).  For instance if this is a replacement for a network workstation, be sure to assign it the same workstation ID as the one it's replacing.

Also keep in mind that the printer selection and options in File / Printer Setup are computer-specific, so you may need to do some tweaking there also if you don't use the default printer settings for everything.