Renaming archive files
My current MD file is archived with the file name:
MONEYDANCE 5 2 3 2 2_2023-01-09__22_2023-12-03 2_2023-12-05_2023-12-05.2024-05-15.moneydancearchive
Can I truncate the current file and eliminate some of its legacy? Can I just delete "2023-01-09__22_2023-12-03 2_2023-12-05_2023-12-05." and leave it as
MONEYDANCE 5 2 3 2 2_2024-05-15.moneydancearchive ??
If I can, how do I do that? There is no "save as.'' command ? How else??
Your clear help will be greatly appreciated.
vlp
Comments are currently closed for this discussion. You can start a new one.
Keyboard shortcuts
Generic
| ? | Show this help |
|---|---|
| ESC | Blurs the current field |
Comment Form
| r | Focus the comment reply box |
|---|---|
| ^ + ↩ | Submit the comment |
You can use Command ⌘ instead of Control ^ on Mac
1 Posted by dwg on 15 May, 2024 10:48 PM
You do not rename files in Moneydance instead you use something like the File Manager on the system you have, so for example on Windows you use File Explorer, on macOS Finder etc.
2 Posted by Stuart Beesley ... on 15 May, 2024 11:09 PM
Use toolbox extension. Update mode. General tools. Rename dataset.
3 Posted by sear-protons00 on 21 May, 2024 11:56 PM
I appreciate the two responses to my question…but they either address what I already know or address something above my skill sets.
Let me give you a hypothetical solution I might have tried except for fear of screwing up the works from then on.
SOLUTION (maybe)
1 Working in MAC Filefinder,
2. I take my most recent archive file:
(MONEYDANCE 52322_2023-01-09_22_2023-12-03_2023-12-05_2023-12-05.2024-05-15.moneydancearchive)
3. Duplicate the file and then truncate the name of the duplicate to
MONEYDANCE 52322_2024-05-15.moneydance and save it
4. Open Moneydance
5. And select FILE, OPEN MONEYDANCE 52322_2024-05-15.moneydance
SHAZAM!! MONEYDANCE 52322_2024-05-15.moneydance opens and functions properly, containing all my history.
Then if I have done this on May 30th, when I close MONEYDANCE this file will be saved as:
MONEYDANCE 52322_2024-05-15_2024-05-30.moneydancearchive
and this whole saga will be over.
How does this sound??
Vlp
Captain Victor L Pesce
US Navy, Retired
661 965-0360
4 Posted by dwg on 22 May, 2024 12:37 AM
Lets start with why it happened so to prevent it happening again. What you have done on a couple of occasions is restore a backup, continued to use the restored backup then done the same process again. When you restore a backup it does NOT overwrite your data file it creates a new one with a name based on the backup's file name that was restored. So when you restore a backup at some point you need to rename and perhaps delete some files.
If you continue to follow the backup/restore process you have without any file maintenance sooner or later the operating system will choke on the file name length.
You can rename your data file to any valid name provided it has the .moneydance file extension, likewise with the archive files, it must have the .moneydancearchive extension though.
I would ask why you need to have a historic date embedded in the name of your .moneydance file however. The date in the backup files makes sense as that indicates the point in time the backup was created and hence includes data to that point in time.
5 Posted by Stuart Beesley ... on 22 May, 2024 12:39 AM
No. You cannot rename a .moneydancearchive file to a .moneydance file.
Just use toolbox. Rename the dataset. Then all new backups will have the correct name.
6 Posted by sear-protons00 on 22 May, 2024 10:52 PM
OK Stuart. Gotta use Toolbox. Well, I took a look at Toolbox on my MD and am totally clueless on how to use it. Is there a tutorial somewhere that specifically addresses my issue??
Captain Victor L Pesce
US Navy, Retired
661 965-0360
7 Posted by Stuart Beesley ... on 22 May, 2024 11:37 PM
Launch toolbox.
Tick update mode
Click general tools
Select rename dataset
Type new name and then ok.
8 Posted by sear-protons00 on 23 Jun, 2024 04:56 PM
Stuart,
Thank you for your blow-by-blow instructions. Easy to follow, although left me appropriately very leary of hitting the final EXECUTE button for fear of some unintended consequences (like losing ALL archived data FOREVER !!). So, please, another question.
I designated a newly created folder (MONEYDANCE) to be the archive location for the MONEYDANCE program. The attached snapshot shows you my current MD archive with my most recently saved MD file highlighted. If (WHEN) I use Toolbox to clean up my file names, how much of the current file name structure MUST I retain for MD to recognize my file when I attempt to open the newly “cleaned up” name file that I have created? Or can I just name it “ myMDfile " or any random title ?
I was thinking MONEYDANCE 52322_2024-06-23.moneydancearchive would meet the minimum requirement.
Your comment?

Captain Victor L Pesce
US Navy, Retired
661 965-0360
Support Staff 9 Posted by Maddy on 25 Jun, 2024 08:51 AM
To clarify:
Moneydance creates an automatic backup file each time you close your file, until the set number exist, then each file will be updated in turn.
- In other words, if you rename your data file (not the backup) and close Moneydance, the backup will retain that name at restart.
If you wish to amend the backup file settings, you can choose Moneydance --> Preferences, then select the 'Backups' tab, as outlined in this article of the Knowledge Base.
From this window, you can amend the backup location, and choose the maximum number of backups to be stored.
It is possible to amend the backup location, to ensure the automatic backup files are sent elsewhere. For example, one could choose an external drive, or a shared folder location like Dropbox, iCloud etc. This will make your data accessible from another system, even if you were to encounter complete computer failure, for instance.
You can also create manual backup files whenever you require, and store these files to a location of you choice. To create a manual backup file, you should choose File --> Export Backup. This will create a .moneydancearchive backup file - the same format as the auto backup files.
Lastly, in order to re-name a data file, you can follow the steps in this article of the Knowledge base.
It's important you close the Moneydance program fully before you make any changes.
Then rename the data file. You should retain the .moneydance file extension at the end of the file name.
I hope this information is helpful. Please let us know if you have further questions or need more assistance.
--
Maddy, Infinite Kind Support
System closed this discussion on 24 Sep, 2024 09:00 AM.