UPDATED 28.4.2016: Backing up RaceChrono data manually

Here's a short list of what you want to backup, especially if you want to uninstall the app, or factory reset your phone:

VERSION 4.5.0 AND NEWER:

RaceChrono:
- internal storage: /Android/data/com.racechrono.app/files/ (sessions, tracks, exported files)
- internal storage: /DCIM/RaceChrono/ (raw videos)
- external storage: /Android/data/com.racechrono.app/files/ (raw videos, exported files)

RaceChrono Pro
- internal storage: /Android/data/com.racechrono.pro/files/ (sessions, tracks, exported files)
- internal storage: /DCIM/RaceChrono/ (raw videos)
- external storage: /Android/data/com.racechrono.pro/files/ (raw videos, exported files)

Notice: The /Android/data/com.racechrono.app (RaceChrono) and /Android/data/com.racechrono.pro (RaceChrono Pro) folders are deleted upon app's uninstall. So if you uninstall, all your sessions and tracks (and raw videos on external storage) will be deleted. This has changed due to 3rd party cleanup apps, and even Samsung's own apps, are known to delete the /RaceChrono/ folder on unprotected space that was used by prior versions.

VERSION 4.4.0 AND OLDER:

RaceChrono:
- internal storage: /RaceChrono/ (sessions and tracks)
- internal storage: /DCIM/RaceChrono/ (raw videos)
- internal storage: /Android/data/com.racechrono.app/files/ (exported files)
- external storage: /Android/data/com.racechrono.app/files/ (exported files, raw videos)

RaceChrono Pro
- internal storage: /RaceChrono/ (sessions and tracks)
- internal storage: /DCIM/RaceChrono/ (raw videos)
- internal storage: /Android/data/com.racechrono.pro/files/ (exported files)
- external storage: /Android/data/com.racechrono.pro/files/ (exported files, raw videos)

Notice, if you ever need to uninstall RaceChrono the folder under /Android/data/com.racechrono.* is deleted upon app uninstall. Makes sense at least backup the RAW videos on external storage for Pro version. The /RaceChrono/ folder is not deleted but it makes sense to backup it frequently.
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Comments

  • Why are RAW videos in two different folders? Which ones go where?
  • /DCIM/RaceChrono/ is used for internal storage and /Android/data/com.racechrono.pro/files/Movies/RaceChrono/ is used for external storage. This is because Android 4.4 doesn't let apps write under /DCIM/ in external storage.
  • Hello, i´ve pro version and i love your program!

    I just changed phones and now i have samsung s5 mini (android 4.4.2). Older phone was samsung s3 (to my surprise with newer android 4.4.4).

    When i copy/paste sessions to new phone, everything seems ok when i start racechrono and go to sessions, but when i open the folder i want to look at, it doesn´t have any information on Session resume 1, 2, 3 etc etc. Then i go back to Sessions view it says only 3 laps (should be 19 laps). Also the kilometres should be like 80km, but now it says 4315564km.

    Only those sessions that i have used resume, doesn´t work now in my new phone.

    Any idea what´s wrong?

    Best regard,
    Tommi

  • edited September 2015
    Sounds like the Sessions folder was corrupted when copying or when pasting. Maybe try again, possibly avoid using the "Android file transfer" app, and copy to memory card instead. The Android File Transfer app is frustratingly buggy at least on Mac.
  • What i did was connect both phones to computer (windows) and then just copy/paste the files. I tried it many times and it seems ok, but once i open the file i racechrono, then it says Session resume 1, 2 etc and a time when i started each session.

    I can copy/paste those files to memory card, but how could that help since session files should be at /Racechrono/ folder?

  • I meant that you could copy the files to memory card on the source device, and then put that same card to the destination device, and copy once again.
  • Sorry, my bad.

    Did not help though. It might be because of different version of android or whatever. Not a big problem, i can live with this.
  • You can send the broken session to me, and I'll take a look. Send it to tracks(at)racechrono.com
  • Updated 28.4.2016 with RaceChrono v4.5.0 changes
  • Sounds good.

    So, the racechrono pro v4.5.0 is out? I have pro version and still have version 4.3.9 which was updated on 9th of december. Just checked, no updates in play store. Phone is Samsung s5 mini with android 5.1.1
  • It's in beta right now. You can join the beta group if you like, instructions on this forum
  • Has there been any resolution to Tommi's issue? I'm having the same problem, have copied from Samsung S3 to S5 and also between two different S5s. I have had the issue every time, but it doesn't happen to every session, only a few of them.
  • edited May 2016
    sc s15: I assume the session is OK before copying? Problem might be that some Samsungs (or Android phones in general) have some problems either copying or with file system, and some files corrupt.
  • Yes, the sessions work fine on the phone they were created on. There just seems to be an issue when transferring them for some reason. It's not a big deal, I usually use my old phone in the car but transfer the files to my regular phone to review later.

    I might try a different method to transfer, either SD card or email them to myself. Will report back if I find a solution.
  • I've got two ideas: Try compressing the sessions in to a .zip in the source device using a file manager app. Or share them with RaceChrono to .rcz files and open in destination device.
  • Thanks aol.
    Exported to .rcz, copied the files to my PC, then copied files to 'exports' in the other phone, opened files in RaceChrono and then saved them to 'my sessions'.
    Works perfectly now.
  • I think that you may have jumped the gun a bit on this one. What seems to happen is that apps that want to write to DCIM just get a pop-up that requests access to that area after that the app can then read and write to the area. Lost all my old data after a phone rebuild without good backup. It would have been nicer to be able to store data on external SD card.
  • edited June 2016
    yardie, I don't think so. Apps such as Samsung's SmartManager deleted the folder if you allowed it to cleanup. Users had no way to know that it would delete the folder. Also this change does nothing to prevent backups, and phone rebuilds would have destroyed the old folder too if no backup. You just have to backup a different folder. What I need to create next is an automated backup.
  • OK Auto backup would be good to have for idiots like me. Especially if you could backup to SD card.
  • Even when I zip the files (sessions), transfer them to the other phone, unzip them, the sessions are messed.
    Is there a better way to do this and make it work ?

    Also, what about an export feature of racechrono that backs things up in the near future ?
  • edited June 2016
    What do you mean messed? A cloud backup / transfer is on my TO-DO.
  • Hi,

    Is there plans for a future release to include an cloud backup for sessions? Eg, to Google drive for example?

    I am now a victim of using Samsung SmartSwitch to backup my phone before a factory reset, only to realize that "restore" does not actually restore my phone to a condition even close to what it was...
  • Yes, I have plans. Sorry for the lost data!
  • I wrote earlier in this thread (over a year ago) and it seems it still doesn´t work.

    I mean when i use racechrono pro in my phone (now has android 5.1.1) and then try to copy those sessions to my tablet for video editing (tablet has android 6.x.x), then all i can see in my tablet is session start and maybe last session. All others (session resume 1, session resume 2, session resume 3 etc..) are not visible at all. It just states when i havce started those session resumes, but nothing else is visible.

    But oh well, i guess it´s difficult (or impossible) to get all to work when you have so many different versions of android.
  • @Tommi It's not because of different Android versions, but rather than missing files in the copy. How do you copy them? If you use connect the device to PC with USB-cable, then make sure to reboot the device before making the copy. I recommend using some archiving app (file manager app) to make a .ZIP on the phone and moving that, and extracting it on the device.
  • I was having similar problems with many of my laps missing after I transferred to a new phone.
    However, the ZIP file recommendation in this forum solved the issue for me, so thanks for the suggestion!

    Details:
    I was trying to transfer all of my sessions from my Galaxy S4 running 5.0.1 to my new Galaxy S7 running 6.0.1.

    I initially tried just doing a normal Windows Explorer copy of the "files" folder (internal storage: /Android/data/com.racechrono.pro/files) to my PC over USB.
    After copying the "files" folder over to my new phone via USB, the vast majority of my lap data was missing from most/all of my sessions.

    So, I found this forum post, and tried the ZIP file method instead.
    I used the ES File Explorer app to create a ZIP of that data "files" folder on my old phone.
    I copied that ZIP file to my PC over USB.
    I then copied that ZIP file to my new phone over USB from my PC.
    I unzipped the file on my new phone using the same app.
    Now, all of my laps from all of my sessions show up correctly.

    Thanks for the help!
  • @aol i used your zip method and it worked here as well.

    Thanks for the help.
  • I know this is an old post but I am doing the same process but have no tracks folder. It looks like there is tracks data in the json folder so I copied it but to no avail. When I open a session it's size sets to zero and all data in the sessions folder is wiped. I am using version 52.0, pro.

    BTW, all my tracks are custom because I autocross. Would that affect their stored location? Again, I have no tracks folder. Lastly the app and data works fine in my old phone.
  • You should be able to copy the tracks json file just fine, but RaceChrono cannot be running while you do it. Safest to reboot first, then copy.
  • Sorry but I completely rebooted, deleted the json and sessions folders, and copied those same folders into the data folder. Still no tracks. Sessions have size to them until you open one but no laps, then the session file goes to zero size because, presumably it cannot find the tracks.
    Both phones have the same release of the Pro version.
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