NM Collector Software Tutorial - 9. Data Migration

For those who wish to migrate from NM Collector Java Edition (JE) to NM Collector Software Cross Platform there is a tool for that. For those who wish to migrate from any other software package to Cross Platform, the package must export the data in a way that it can be incorporated into a spreadsheet of the proper format to import into NM Collector Cross Platform. It could be difficult but not impossible.

Importing your data from NM Collector Software JE

There's an app for that! The NM Collector CP JE Export Application was written to export data from JE in a format that can be imported into Cross Platform. This desktop application runs on Windows and Linux but not Mac computers. You can copy the NMCW JE database from a Mac to a Windows or Linux computer to extract your data from JE and then copy the extracted data to your Mac computer in order to migrate your JE data on a Mac.

The output of the NM Collector Cross Platform JE Export Application is a directory with csv files and picture files. The results will look something like this:

Each folder contains pictures associated with an item (by number). The csv files contain the data for each type of collection as well as the definition for that collection. Although JE Export program generates all files for all of the collections found in JE, you will import each collection into Cross Platform one collection at a time.

These files can then be imported into NM Collector Cross Platform using the CSV import feature. Use "Import > Items From CSV" to import the actual data. This will automatically load the associated Collection Template definition files. Use "Import > Collection Template" to import only the collection template definition including labels and drop-down list values.

Importing your data from Other Applications

It may be difficult to migrate data from another application to NM Collector Cross Platform but not impossible. The concept is simple but it may take a lot of work.

You must accomplish the following:

1. Export your data from the other program.

2. Manipulate the data from the other program to match the expected format for importing into NM Collector Software Cross Platform.

3. Import the data into NM Collector Software.

Step one depends on the program. Hopefully it can at least export into a .csv (spreadsheet) format.

Step 2 requires an understanding of the format for importing into NM Collector Software Cross Platform. The best way to understand this format is to inspect the exported data and match your data to the exported data. Here are some notes with screen captures:

NM Collector Export To Data Transfer

Start NM Collector Software and select File > Export > Current Collection Items To CSV

Export to data transfer

Select the folder to export the NM Collector Software data to.

Select export to folder

Once the export is complete, open the exported to folder to inspect the contents.  The folders, in this case one folder named "Firearms1", contain the pictures for the associated item. In this case, "Firearms1" corresponds to ITEMID 1 in the exported Firearms.csv file. If pictures were present for other items they would be stored in a corresponding folder.

Exported Data

Inspect the contents of the exported .csv file and compare the contents with the data in the program. You should be able to see the correspondence and construct the data that you want to import into a spreadsheet with the same format and name.

Exported CSV file contents.

Step 3. Import your data from the NM Collector Software formatted spreadsheet and associated pictures.

Select File > Import > Items from CSV

Select Import items from CSV

Select the file that contains your data to import.

Select the file containing your data

NOTE - this may take several iterations to get right. You may end up corrupting your data until you get it right. If that happens, there is an easy way to recover. Every time you start the program your data is automatically backed up. To recover your data from backup simply select File > Recover Database

File Recover Database

And select the most recent automatically backed up database

Select recovery database

Once the recovery is complete, the program will automatically shut down. It will contain the recovered data when you restart it.