Backup format

Enturk · March 28th, 2014, 07:12 AM

Is it possible to open the backups with some other software (i.e. is it xml, or some wiki format)?

I don't expect you guys to go down, but companies often make the choice to stop supporting a line of products, and I'd hate to be stuck with a bunch of data I can't access.

mirtos · March 28th, 2014, 10:29 AM

I wouldnt worry about that.

This is my undersanding:

Well, 1: we dont want them to plan for them going away

2: you can always work in offline mode if such a hrrible thing happened.

Portilis · March 28th, 2014, 10:30 AM

Well, as it is essentially proprietary database software, I'd guess not (I had a look at a small one a while back in TextPad and it definitely doesn't look like it anyway).

rob · March 28th, 2014, 02:37 PM

We use Firebird as our database engine. The backup files are standard backup files generated by Firebird, which means they are simple Firebird database files, since Firebird does no special handling of the files when generating a backup. It simply copies the database.

If you want, you can view the database structure with a tool called FlameRobin. Please note that all the core content data will be heavily obfuscated (e.g. snippets, images, etc.). That's for two reasons: (a) to keep unrevealed data from the prying eyes of tech-savvy players in the same household, and (b) to protect published/purchased data in the future from being accessed inappropriately.

If we ever abandoned Realm Works, we'll make sure everyone can get their data out before doing so. That's just the decent thing to do.

That's not likely to happen, though, since the company has been going strong for 20 years now and we've even maintained support for Army Builder V2 for 10 years after superseding it with V3 in 2004. Happy customers is how we've thrived all these years, and treating customers responsibly is the best way to make them happy (besides putting out a good product, of course).

mirtos · March 28th, 2014, 03:37 PM

Like your customer philosophy. Also like the fact that you're using a true open source DB.

Enturk · March 29th, 2014, 09:45 AM

Thanks for your prompt replies, both here and on Reddit. They're much appreciated, and a big factor in making me want to purchase Realm Works.

Enturk Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Posts: 5 March 28th, 2014, 07:12 AM	Is it possible to open the backups with some other software (i.e. is it xml, or some wiki format)? I don't expect you guys to go down, but companies often make the choice to stop supporting a line of products, and I'd hate to be stuck with a bunch of data I can't access.
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mirtos Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Posts: 865 March 28th, 2014, 10:29 AM	I wouldnt worry about that. This is my undersanding: Well, 1: we dont want them to plan for them going away 2: you can always work in offline mode if such a hrrible thing happened.
#2

Portilis Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Blandford, UK Posts: 164 March 28th, 2014, 10:30 AM	Well, as it is essentially proprietary database software, I'd guess not (I had a look at a small one a while back in TextPad and it definitely doesn't look like it anyway).
#3