PCF Testing

Miro now automatically makes a copy of your database prior to any updates.  Additionally to preserve or share your channels, you can use OPML Export.

Database Backup and Restore

Databases are automatically backed on update, and the Diagnostics menu makes them easy to find.

To locate your database, launch Miro, then from the Help menu, select Diagnostics.  This will open a window giving you the location of lots of useful information, including your database location.

Click the Show button along side the Database file location display.  The will open your system file browser and display the contents of the directory containing your database and highlight the file.

In this directory, you will also see the previous databases labeled sqlitedb_backup_#.  The highest number represents the most recently saved database.

Click the Show button for Database file location

To return to a previous version of Miro:

1. Without deleting any files, run the installer for the previous version.
2. Before starting Miro, rename the sqlite_backup_# file to sqlitedb
3. Start Miro

Don’t panic! If you start MIro before you have copied over the old database, you will get a database too new warning message:

Just close Miro, copy the database and restart.

Note:  These steps only back up the database.  If you are concerned about losing your actual downloaded files, you should follow your standard data backup procedures.

Export Channels OPML

This option is built into miro and can be accomplished as easily as going to the Channels menu and selecting Export Channels (OPML)… . This will create a list of your channels and channel folders that you save off to your system. You can then import the list at any time using the Channels menu and selecting Import Channels (OPML)… .

Using this, will only save off your channel list. If you delete your database, and start over with a clean system, Importing the channels via OPML will not preserve the downloaded, watched or unwatched status of videos in each channel.

With the improvments to database backup, I hope you feel a little more comfortable about diving in to some of the testing builds.

Reference location: Here are the actual file locations in case you need them.

• Windows XP: C:\\Documents and Settings\(you)\Application Data\Participatory Culture Foundation \Miro\Support\sqlitedb
• Vista: C:\\Users\(you)\AppData\Roaming\Participatory Culture Foundation\Miro\Support\sqlitedb
• OS X: /Users/(you)/Library/Application Support/Miro/sqlitedb
• GTKX11: ~yourhome/.miro/sqlitedb