Transfer Libra data?

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alteredsteve175
alteredsteve175 Posts: 2,718 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Got a new Android phone yesterday. The Libra app transferred to the new phone, but my data did not. Is it possible to transfer the existing data to the new phone?

Thanks for any advise.
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  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,293 Member
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    alteredsteve175 wrote: »
    Got a new Android phone yesterday. The Libra app transferred to the new phone, but my data did not. Is it possible to transfer the existing data to the new phone?

    Thanks for any advise.

    Yes, if you still have a way to extract data from your old phone (like a USB connection that will make it look like a drive).

    It's been a while since I did it, and I had a little difficulty, but I don't remember *exactly* what I did to overcome it. I can give some suggestions when we get to the "here the miracle needs to occur" step, because I remember what I fiddled with.

    In your old Libra, open the database listing (via the 3 bars (not dots) thingie in the upper right). You should see a list of the database entries, organized by date.

    In the upper right, you should see a three-bars thingie with an arrow on top of it. Click that. Pick "save to drive".

    Now you have to figure out where the app put the file, and copy it to your new device, probably with an intermediate step where it sits on some computer than can treat the phones as a drive.

    Now, go to your new device, which will now have the file on it (somewhere), go to the database display on this one (it may be empty if you haven't added new entries). Click on the 3 dots in the upper right. One of the options should be "import database". Tell it to import the copy you saved onto this device.

    Hopefully, that will work. I had problems getting new Libra to recognize the file and import it; I got an error message I don't remember (but it wasn't terribly helpful). I think I got around it by doing one of two things: I'm pretty sure I put an entry manually into the new database, then exported that and looked at the file. I think I either fiddled with the old (exported) file to put it in the same directory location as the app put the new one (even though that doesn't look like it should be necessary), or looked at the internals of the file (a text editor should be willing to read it) and tweaked something in the header rows of the exported data file to look more like the same rows in the new file. (I don't think I had to fiddle with the data rows.) I think one of those things will work, though I'm obviously not positive. With any luck, you won't have this particular problem in the first place.

    I did not find anything helpful online.

    Maybe someone else with a better memory will come along and help. If not, I hope that loose description may be helpful. It was vaguely annoying, but not insurmountable, and not as much work as typing everything in anew: That I remember for sure.

    If you have questions, please ask . . . it might trigger some memory, but if it doesn't I'll just admit it. ;)

    Good luck!
  • alteredsteve175
    alteredsteve175 Posts: 2,718 Member
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    Thanks, Ann. You're the aces!

    I will attempt this transfer tonight.
  • Phirrgus
    Phirrgus Posts: 1,894 Member
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    If you upload (export) the file to google drive via the 3 dots, simply click on the file while in drive on the new phone, and you should get the option to open it with Libra, which will automagically import it.

    Hope that helps.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,293 Member
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    Phirrgus wrote: »
    If you upload (export) the file to google drive via the 3 dots, simply click on the file while in drive on the new phone, and you should get the option to open it with Libra, which will automagically import it.

    Hope that helps.

    Good point. I was assuming no network access on old device, which was my case, but might not be Steve's.
  • Phirrgus
    Phirrgus Posts: 1,894 Member
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    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    Phirrgus wrote: »
    If you upload (export) the file to google drive via the 3 dots, simply click on the file while in drive on the new phone, and you should get the option to open it with Libra, which will automagically import it.

    Hope that helps.

    Good point. I was assuming no network access on old device, which was my case, but might not be Steve's.

    Ah that would make sense. These days I guess I just assume signing onto a network as a primary setup step.
  • alteredsteve175
    alteredsteve175 Posts: 2,718 Member
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    Phirrgus wrote: »
    If you upload (export) the file to google drive via the 3 dots, simply click on the file while in drive on the new phone, and you should get the option to open it with Libra, which will automagically import it.

    Hope that helps.

    Thanks, Phirrgus.

    I have uploaded the file to Google Drive. I can open it in Drive on the new phone, but Libra does not import it automatically. There are some sharing options at the bottom of the screen, but Libra is not one of the options.

    Libra also has an import database option, but I haven't figured out how to import the chart from Drive.

  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,293 Member
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    At worst, you ought to be able to copy it from Drive to the internal storage location where Libra likes to put its files, and see if it then shows up on the import list. Creating a one-entry database on the new phone, and exporting that, should make that fake file show up on the candidate list for importing, along with its location in the local file store. (You can delete the fake entry later.)
  • Phirrgus
    Phirrgus Posts: 1,894 Member
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    alteredsteve175 wrote: »
    Phirrgus wrote: »
    If you upload (export) the file to google drive via the 3 dots, simply click on the file while in drive on the new phone, and you should get the option to open it with Libra, which will automagically import it.

    Hope that helps.

    Thanks, Phirrgus.

    I have uploaded the file to Google Drive. I can open it in Drive on the new phone, but Libra does not import it automatically. There are some sharing options at the bottom of the screen, but Libra is not one of the options.

    Libra also has an import database option, but I haven't figured out how to import the chart from Drive.

    That's odd Steve, when I open Google drive, I have the 3 dot menu to the right of the saved file. I hit that and get an option to "open with" and choose Libra...screen below.

    bYXM2bh.png
  • Phirrgus
    Phirrgus Posts: 1,894 Member
    edited May 2019
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    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    At worst, you ought to be able to copy it from Drive to the internal storage location where Libra likes to put its files, and see if it then shows up on the import list. Creating a one-entry database on the new phone, and exporting that, should make that fake file show up on the candidate list for importing, along with its location in the local file store. (You can delete the fake entry later.)

    This may be your go to option as well...I'm not sure why our context menus may differ, but if you do need to resort to doing it manually I would recommend a good file manager for Android. Asus file manager and ES File Explorer are both free and easy to use..you can cut and paste from Google drive/pc as well with them.

    edit: Is the new device updated to Pie (version 9) yet? That might account for some of the differences if not...although drive should be consistent..
  • alteredsteve175
    alteredsteve175 Posts: 2,718 Member
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    I am able to open the old Libra chart on the new phone, but Libra doesn't import it. Libra is not in the list of apps that show at the bottom of the screen
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,293 Member
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    Did you go into Libra and try the Import menu option?
  • alteredsteve175
    alteredsteve175 Posts: 2,718 Member
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    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    Did you go into Libra and try the Import menu option?

    Yes. The backup file shows up, but Libra will not import it.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,293 Member
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    alteredsteve175 wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    Did you go into Libra and try the Import menu option?

    Yes. The backup file shows up, but Libra will not import it.

    I had the same problem. As I said in my original reply to you, I don't remember exactly what I did to make it work, finally, but I did make it work. My original email above has some vague ideas about what I might have done. (Sorry not to be more helpful. I didn't know there would eventually be a quiz ;) , so I just solved the problem and forgot the solution, at the time . . . which was months ago.)
  • Phirrgus
    Phirrgus Posts: 1,894 Member
    edited May 2019
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    @alteredsteve175 - well, I had to get a new phone yesterday, so I get to re-figure this out with you. I have Libra pointed directly to the exported file both in drive and downloaded and it will not import it for me either. You can also open libra on the new phone, click the 3 bars at the top and then the 3 dots to import. That's what's working for some folks, so it has to be broken on some installations.

    I'll post back here once (if) I get it figured out. Frustrating lol.

    edit: Here's the link to the devs faq if interested. Not much there really.

    http://cachapa.net/?page_id=467
  • Phirrgus
    Phirrgus Posts: 1,894 Member
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    Update: I put the csv backup straight into the data location on the new phone and it still won't read it. I tried with multiple backups from the last 6 months.

    Apparently it's (per google) a fairly common problem. So there's more at play here than just getting the app to see it. Posts from a year or more ago show doing that working, now it doesn't. Sorry I couldn't help you Steve..I'm going to start entering enough data points manually to get by for now...sigh.
  • alteredsteve175
    alteredsteve175 Posts: 2,718 Member
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    Thank you, @AnnPT77 and @Phirrgus. I tried saving the backup in Google Drive, Google Keep and Dropbox. No matter, the Libra app will not download it.

    I will try one more time over the weekend. If I am not successful, I will manually enter a monthly data point and call that good. It's weird, but I get some satisfaction and resolve from looking at the initial steep drop on the chart. Reminds me how far I've come and keeps me from going off the rails.
  • Phirrgus
    Phirrgus Posts: 1,894 Member
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    alteredsteve175 wrote: »
    Thank you, @AnnPT77 and @Phirrgus. I tried saving the backup in Google Drive, Google Keep and Dropbox. No matter, the Libra app will not download it.

    I will try one more time over the weekend. If I am not successful, I will manually enter a monthly data point and call that good. It's weird, but I get some satisfaction and resolve from looking at the initial steep drop on the chart. Reminds me how far I've come and keeps me from going off the rails.

    You're welcome @alteredsteve175 - the developer is pretty non responsive, just points people to his FAQ..so if I do manage to find a way I'll be sure to let you know. I think I know what part of the issue is, just don't know how to fix it...although @AnnPT77 might :)

    It seems that even though the backup is being saved as a properly labeled csv, drive treats it as an image file when libra tries to restore it. Have you ever run into such a thing Ann? Thanks :)
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 13,690 Member
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    Phirrgus wrote: »
    It seems that even though the backup is being saved as a properly labeled csv, drive treats it as an image file when libra tries to restore it. Have you ever run into such a thing Ann? Thanks :)

    Can you download from Google Drive to your phone and end up with a readable CSV in the downloads folder (use Android file manager to change extension to .TXT to visually inspect what you've got)

    Or even rename on Google drive to TXT before downloading. Download.


    Then in all cases Rename to what libra wants. And import locally on phone.
  • Phirrgus
    Phirrgus Posts: 1,894 Member
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    PAV8888 wrote: »
    Phirrgus wrote: »
    It seems that even though the backup is being saved as a properly labeled csv, drive treats it as an image file when libra tries to restore it. Have you ever run into such a thing Ann? Thanks :)

    Can you download from Google Drive to your phone and end up with a readable CSV in the downloads folder (use Android file manager to change extension to .TXT to visually inspect what you've got)

    Or even rename on Google drive to TXT before downloading. Download.


    Then in all cases Rename to what libra wants. And import locally on phone.
    @PAV8888 Thank you! Yes, I have it downloaded from google drive, saved in downloads (android file manager) and documents + the copy left on drive. Below is what I've tried:
    1. copy to internal storage/Libra as downloaded > nope
    2. copied to internal storage/Android/data/net.cachapa.libra > nope
    3. copied to internal storage/Android/data/net.cachapa.libra/files > nope
    4. copied to internal storage/Android/data/net.cachapa.libra/ and each of the previous locations *all > nope

    I renamed the download to a .TXT file per your suggestion and it shows as a .PNG :D Visual inspection regardless of which encoding I choose yields gibberish.

    I'm officially at my wits end as I can't seem to choose what format Libra backs it's data up as. I do appreciate the help Sir :)
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,293 Member
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    Phirrgus wrote: »
    alteredsteve175 wrote: »
    Thank you, @AnnPT77 and @Phirrgus. I tried saving the backup in Google Drive, Google Keep and Dropbox. No matter, the Libra app will not download it.

    I will try one more time over the weekend. If I am not successful, I will manually enter a monthly data point and call that good. It's weird, but I get some satisfaction and resolve from looking at the initial steep drop on the chart. Reminds me how far I've come and keeps me from going off the rails.

    You're welcome @alteredsteve175 - the developer is pretty non responsive, just points people to his FAQ..so if I do manage to find a way I'll be sure to let you know. I think I know what part of the issue is, just don't know how to fix it...although @AnnPT77 might :)

    It seems that even though the backup is being saved as a properly labeled csv, drive treats it as an image file when libra tries to restore it. Have you ever run into such a thing Ann? Thanks :)

    No, that doesn't sound familiar (from when I managed to make it work), and it sounds like you're further into "why" than I was. (I just hacked until it worked.) The backup files are named as CSVs, look like CSVs, and my current file manager isn't showing me any file properties that seem useful. Does it behave any differently if you copy it to make it a local file, getting Drive out of the equation?

    I went back and looked at what I think is the file I actually managed to import on my new phone (last summer), and I don't see anything obviously different (content-wise) from an export that I just created.

    Also, just as a random thought . . have you tried importing when the new database has at least one record in it? (Stupid random thought. Trying to remember what the heck I did . . . .)

    Sorry not to be more helpful. Wish I could remember . . . ! (I sometimes say that gray hair is brain cells leaking out; maybe it's more true than I'd like.)

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