Brother's Keeper - related files

[Rove]

I 've got Brother's Keeper Programe. Had it a few years.

I have moved the Program from one computer to another, with a bit of hassle but working OK.

What I have noticed is that I have these 6 files / most times its 5 files showing up in many places amongs my Files and also in my Photo Albums Lists.

Somethimes I just wipe them off with no ill effects (I think) but I keep finding more.

These are the Files

BKLOCATE............DT5 file.......5kb
BKMAIL................DT5 file.......4kb
BKMARR...............DT5 file.......3kb
BKPARAM.DTA.......DATA file.....6kb
BKPERSON............DT5 file.......7kb
BKSOURCE............DT5 file.......5kb

Can someone who has Brother's Keeper Program please explain why this happening.

Shall I keep deleteing them ? I think one set is required for the Program.

Thanks

Bill

[Guest]

The purposes of the flies are explained in an appendix of the printed manual I received when I bought v5.2 on CD. There are a total of 10 files where BK stores information

BKPERSON.DT5............information about people
BKMARR.DT5..............information about marriages
BKLOCATE.DT5...........all locations
BKSOURCE.DT5............source information
BKMAIL.DT5...............mailing address
BKOPTION.DT5..........option parameters
ALTKEYS.DT5..........Alt key names/places
REPORTS.DT5.........specifications for suctom reports
BOTTMESS.DTA......message for group sheets
PARAMETR.DTA.......default parameters for group sheets

I never delete them. If the program needs them it will use them. If it doesn't, they are too small to be of any consequence so no need to delete them.

Graham

[Guy Etchells]

I would suggest saving the Brothers Keeper files in their own folder.
This is for two reasons
1: It keeps all the required files in the one location
2:It makes them easy to back-up or move to a new location or computer.

I store all my BK5 files in a folder named BK5
I store all my BK6 files in a folder named BK6
I don't know how I came to choose those odd names. ;)

Seriously doing this allows text and phot files to be added and stored withing the relevant folder rather than being scattered round the hard drive.
It also allows many different data sets complete with text file and photos to be stored without confusion as each folder would have a different name.
Cheers
Guy

[Guest]

I've always done the same as Guy or my own data.

However, if I am entering data on behalf of someone else, for production of a chart, I create a folder in the person's name and store the files for that job there.

It keeps the data files for the particular person together but separate from others.

Graham

[busyglen]

I also do the same as Guy, and it's very easy to do a back-up this way.

When I changed computers to another one, the chap that did it for me, downloaded BK6 upgrade, and then installed all of my files from my back-up, which was great as I haven't a clue how to do that. ;)

Glenys

[Rove]

Many Thanks

Bill

[Rove]

Hello Graham, Guy and Glenys

I'm still puzzled by these files, Graham said 10 Yesterday I counted 24. All different title and 20 of them a different size.

Like I said they are all over my records. I mean the 6 that I showed on my 1st post.

So, do these files absorb / collect the data that one adds in the program or are they just part of the mechanism that controls the Program.

Yesterday, I downloaded the Brothers Keeper 6.2 Program which is Free. Is this more up-to-date then the 5.2 Program.

Thanks. Bill

[Guest]

Hello Graham, Guy and Glenys

I'm still puzzled by these files, Graham said 10 Yesterday I counted 24. All different title and 20 of them a different size.

Like I said they are all over my records. I mean the 6 that I showed on my 1st post.

So, do these files absorb / collect the data that one adds in the program or are they just part of the mechanism that controls the Program.

I just had a look at the BK6 folder on my machine and counted 28 files with DT5, DT6 or DTA extensions. As with the 10 I listed previously, I would expect that they contain either data or parameter settings which control how the program works in each individual implementation. Presumably the larger number reflects the extra features added to v6 over v5,

There are contact details for John Steed in the Help section of the program - I'm sure he will be able to explain in detail. I certainly wouldn't worry about them.



Yesterday, I downloaded the Brothers Keeper 6.2 Program which is Free. Is this more up-to-date then the 5.2 Program.
For clarity, downloads of BK have always been free but the program is actually Shareware rather than Public Domain or Freeware. Anyone wishing to continue to use the program after testing whether it is suitable for them should send the registration fee off to John (details again in the Help section).

Graham