In this short Best Practices article, I will discuss the processes of backing up and transferring projects in ATLAS.ti 7 Windows, ATLAS.ti Mac, and ATLAS.ti Mobile (iPad and Android apps). Very often when we talk about creating backup files, people will assume that it is a precautionary measure just in case something unwanted happens to our analysis projects. While this assumption holds truth to some extent, in this article, I will consider a couple of other occasions in which we might need to create backup files more often than we think. I will also discuss some matters surrounding this issue. Finally, I will describe the methods of creating project backup files for different purposes.
I list down below some of the frequently-asked-questions (and my answers) which I discuss with my course participants:
ATLAS.ti Windows. In ATLAS.ti Windows (version 7 and earlier), projects are backed up using the Copy Bundle function. This procedure allows to create a sort of a ‘zip’ file that contains all documents and all work done with them in the analysis project. Everything is together in one single file.
To create a copy bundle:
To unpack a copy bundle:
The copy bundle procedure should also be used to transfer ATLAS.ti Windows project files between computers.
You can export the ATLAS.ti Mac project, and save the exported file in an external location (e.g., the cloud or an external drive). This procedure backs up the file and allows to transfer the project between computers.
To export the project:
To import a project:
Projects created in ATLAS.ti 7 Windows can be exported into ATLAS.ti Mac. To do this, follow these steps:
In ATLAS.ti Mac, import the Mac Transfer Bundle. To do this, import the project (same procedure described above).
Once ATLAS.ti 8 is released later in 2016, it is going to be possible to import into the Windows version of ATLAS.ti projects created in the Mac version of the software.
Projects created using the ATLAS.ti Mobile applications must be transferred to the desktop versions of the software for analysis. Currently, projects created using the iPad app can be transferred to ATLAS.ti 7 Windows and ATLAS.ti Mac applications. Projects created using the Android app, can only be transferred to ATLAS.ti 7 Windows.
iPad app. In the iPad app, the procedure to export a project is as follows:
Tap the overflow menu in the action bar and select the option Export Project.
The exported project will be saved with the extension “.hprm” within the device itself. We can then transport this file to the desktop version of the software using the Share function or using a cable.