All; Often when I am teaching PAF classes I am asked the question: "How often should I backup my files?". I like the answer that another person gave. He said "When you have done enough work that you would not like to do it over, make a backup file." Personally, I make a backup file about every twenty minutes when I am working on PAF. Richard L. Halliday "If the Lord wanted the work done perfectly He would not let me help. However, that does not excuse me from trying to do my best." Gary Templeman wrote: > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "LaVerne" <[email protected]> > <snip> > >> Is it wise to have one PAF file for a particular family that one works >> on, and restores on, but another for the same family that is completely >> static? >> >> I'd really panic if I didn't know I had this list to help me out. Again a >> big Thank you. >> >> LaVerne >> >> > > Based on the questions you have asked, I think it is best for people in your > situation to have one file, period. By that I mean that if you are doing > your own genealogy, you should have one file starting with yourself, then > adding your ancestors (and/or descendents if desired). If you are also doing > the work for your husband or someone else you *may* want to have a separate > file for that line. You certainly *could* have other files for unique lines > but the more files you have the more difficult it becomes to keep everything > straight. I would NOT have another file that is kept static because that > simply means it is out of date and incorrect, and many people accidentally > add or delete from the wrong file and screw themselves up royally, ending up > with some current data in one file and some in the other. Remember the KIS > principle. Have your single working file, then use the backup function to > make backups and simply save them. If you give the backups unique names by > appending the date you can step back in time if you ever need to restore. > But in general, unless you have a need to work with your file on a different > computer such as at a FHC, or you mess up your working file, you should not > need to be restoring *at all*. > > Your work flow should be like this. > > 1. Open your PAF file (will open to your file automatically if you simply > close PAF at the end of each session, without closing the file itself first) > 2. Do whatever work you want. The work is saved as you go, whenever you > click save on an edit screen. > 3. When you are ready to finish up, select File_Backup and make the backup > file, naming as suggested above. You may need to modify the location where > the backup file gets saved if you are using multiple kinds of media such as > a flash drive and a floppy. > 4. Close PAF > > The next time go through the same steps. Note that you do not need to > restore anything, and there is no need to export or import gedcoms for > routine work. > > Gary Templeman > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > >