---
title: "Import records from older data backup"
url: "https://openforis.support/questions/2737/import-records-from-older-data-backup"
tags: ["collect"]
status: "accepted"
score: 0
answer_count: 2
asked: "2020-03-15T12:11:51"
last_activity: "2020-03-17T11:58:07"
source: "Open Foris Support - Q&A Forum"
license: "Copyright Open Foris, 2026. Some rights reserved under creative commons license."
---

# Import records from older data backup

Asked by joseph on 2020-03-15

Dear all, I want add an older data-set into the new data-set; the data structure of the old survey has been updated to exactly the same data structure; only the survey names are different: FAILED
Packaged survey uri (http://www.openforis.org/idm/biotis) is different from the expected one (http://www.openforis.org/idm/mabiotis). Can somebody help me here? Joseph


## Accepted answer (score 1, by Lauri (OF) on 2020-03-16)

Link: https://openforis.support/questions/2737/import-records-from-older-data-backup/2741

Dear Joseph,

if the survey names do not match, you can change the survey name in your old backup file. Well, this is a bit laborious but follow these steps:

1) copy your xx.collect-backup -> yy.collect-backup

2) rename yy.collect-backup -> yy.collect-backup.zip

3) unzip (yy.collect-backup.zip)

4) open idml.xml in NotePad++ and change survey name at line <url> to match with new name, and then save this.

5) open info.properties in NotePad++ and change similarly survey name at 2 lines (lines starting with texts 'survey\_url' and 'survey\_name'). Save the file.

6) Unzip all these 2 files + folders that were in the original zip.

7) Rename zz.zip -> zz.collect-backup

8) Import into Collect.

This method works also with collect-data files.

regards, Lauri


## Answer (score 0, by joseph on 2020-03-17)

Link: https://openforis.support/questions/2737/import-records-from-older-data-backup/2742

Perfect Lauri, i could update all old records in the new database! As I made 'Field-date'as a 2nd key besides the Object-ID, i have now several 'multitemporal'series for monitoring analysis purpose (but that will be another question :-). Thanks a lot, Joseph.