Using "Archive"

[Stephen Martin]

Online Guide doesn’t really address using the “Archive” option.

Where do I find what it’s there for and the benefits of using it?

Thx.

e.g. Better than exporting using CSV with field info? Or, backup? Or ???

[Brendan]

Hi Stephen,

The Archive function is a great way to export a form including the form structure, all its data, any Link to Forms and all your photos and file attachments for the selected form.

It’s useful for sending a form and all its contents to another Tap Forms customer as they can use the Import Tap Forms Archive command to import everything in one shot.

It’s also useful if you want to take a form and move it to a different document. You just export an archive from document A, then open document B and use the Import Tap Forms Archive command to import it into the other document.

CSV is useful if you want to send to a non-Tap Forms user or want to open the data up using Excel or Numbers or import in to some other app.

The Backup command just zips up your currently opened document. So it includes all forms, not just the selected form, all records, and all photos and attachments.

Thanks!

Brendan

[Stephen Martin]

Excellent.

Backup is probably best for what I’m currently doing; Home <–> Work via Dropbox.

But, I now see very useful ideas for Archive as well; especially transferring a form.

Thx, Bendan.

Steve / Boca Raton / FL

[Sam Moffatt]

If you’re working between two locations and there is some sort of web connectivity, iCloud Sync might be an option as well.

[Stephen Martin]

Thanks, Sam Moffatt. Looked into this, but there is a requirement (“To sync this document, this value must be identical on each device: db-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx“). I don’t see how to change or manage this code so that it will match on the other device.

[Brendan]

Hi Stephen,

When the “db-….” value does not match, it just means you’re not working with an exact copy of the document on each device. I don’t provide a way for you to change that value because that would cause problems with syncing. That “db-” value ensures that Tap Forms is starting from a known state when syncing the documents.

So what this means for you is that you’re wanting to sync two different documents together. That can’t happen. So you’ll need to pick one and throw the other one away.

Use the Send Document function to send a copy of the one “master” document to your other devices.

See the instructions for that feature here:

https://www.tapforms.com/help-mac/5.3/en/topic/send-to-another-device

[Stephen Martin]

>>> = Replies…

When the “db-….” value does not match, it just means you’re not working with an exact copy of the document on each device. I don’t provide a way for you to change that value because that would cause problems with syncing. That “db-” value ensures that Tap Forms is starting from a known state when syncing the documents.

>>> Makes sense. Guessing this only works from restoring a backup then? (as Export/Import wouldn’t make sense as you might be importing into a different db (document))

So what this means for you is that you’re wanting to sync two different documents together. That can’t happen. So you’ll need to pick one and throw the other one away.

>>> Not doing this.

Use the Send Document function to send a copy of the one “master” document to your other devices.

>>> This is just Air Drop I think. I have a registered copy of TF5 on my machine at work, and another at home; so no Air Drop. Currently Work<->Dropbox<->Home is the share workflow.

Thx!

[Brendan]

You can just use a backup of the document and restore it to another computer at work as an alternative to using AirDrop.

So basically you have two different documents. You can certainly have two different documents with different names and sync those independently of each other. That’s an option if you don’t want to pick a master and throw the other away.

[Calion]

How do you use this Archive feature? Is it available on iPadOS?

[Brendan]

Hi Calion,

Yes. You can use the Export Tap Forms Archive function on iPadOS. Tap on any form to view its records, then tap the action menu button. Then tap on Export Tap Forms Archive.

You can then switch to another document, navigate to the Files area, then tap the .tfarc file you exported from the other document, then tap on the Import Archive function.

The form and all its records will now be imported into your document.

Thanks,

Brendan

[timzu]

Hi. On my iPad (latest version of Tapforms 5 on iPadOS 18.5), when I export either a CSV or Archive file, a dialog box shows up saying, “ Archive Exported. Your Tap Forms Archive file has been created and is now in the Exports folder in the Files area.”
I cannot find an Exports Folder anywhere in either the Documents area of Tapforms 5 nor the Files app in iPadOS. So I’m not sure what the “Files area” actually means? Where can I actually see the files I exported?
Thanks.

[Brendan]

Hi Timzu,

The Files “Area” in Tap Forms 5 is accessible from the Tools tab. So tap the Tools tab and you’ll see Files there. Tap that and you’ll see an Exports folder. That’s where your file will be. From there you can upload it to any place you have access to from the regular Apple Files app, such as iCloud Drive, Dropbox, etc.

Thanks,

Brendan

[Author]

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