LogBooks and backups
A LogBook is one log - a plain file on disk. You can have many of them (e.g. home, each activation, each contest) and switch between them. This page also covers everything about backups.
Types and templates
- LogBook type: Standard or Contest. Contest logs are kept in a separate folder and have their own fields (serial numbers, exchange) - see Contests.
- LogBook template: STANDARD, POTA, SOTA, LLOTA, IOTA, WWFF, FIELD DAY. The template decides which program field comes first and is required (e.g. your Parks field in POTA) and which columns the list shows. Change the template in the configuration or by double-clicking its name next to the gear in the LogBook window. More: POTA, SOTA, WWFF…
New LogBook and switching LogBooks
- Open the configuration (F11), LogBook page.
- In the LogBook name field type a new name (a new log is created) or choose an existing one from the list. The list also shows the number of QSOs in each log.
- Click OK. If the current log contains QSOs, the program asks what to do with them:
- Discard current QSOs and load the new LogBook file - a normal log switch; the old log stays on disk unchanged.
- Merge current QSOs with the new LogBook file - QSOs from the current log are added to the chosen one.
- Delete QSOs and create an empty new LogBook - the chosen log starts from zero.
Use the third option only with a new name. If you point to an existing log, it is emptied (you can get it back with Restore LogBook from backup).
The name cannot contain the characters < > : " / \ | ? *.
Choosing the log at start
On the LogBook → Behavior page: Run setup on the first start of each day opens the configuration on the first start of a day, and with Open only the LogBook selection window only the log selection window. Useful on activations: each day you begin by choosing (or creating) the right LogBook.
Edit LogBooks
The Edit LogBooks button (configuration, LogBook page) lists all logs of the given type with the number of QSOs and the date of the first and last QSO. Buttons:
- Select LogBook - makes the selected log the current one,
- Add new LogBook, Edit LogBook name, Duplicate LogBook,
- Delete QSOs in LogBook - empties the log but keeps it,
- Delete LogBook, Delete all empty LogBooks,
- Show LogBook file in explorer.
The open log cannot be deleted or renamed - switch to another one first. A deleted LogBook does not disappear at once: it goes to the
BACKUP\DeletedLogBooks folder, from where you can recover it (copy the folder back into LOGBOOKS).
LogBook tools
Configuration → LogBook tools page collects operations on logs:
| Button | What it does |
|---|---|
| Export LogBook to ADIF file / Import ADIF file to LogBook | Import and export |
| Merge LogBooks into one | Merging logs |
| Show current LogBook file in Explorer | The folder with the logBook.csv file. |
| Send zipped LogBook copy by e-mail / to FTP server | Chosen logs in a zip file - e.g. for yourself or an organizer. E-mail needs SMTP set up (QSL cards), FTP needs a server on the FTP servers page. |
| Restore LogBook from backup | Restoring |
| Cleanup: backups and unnecessary files... | Cleanup |
| Delete QSOs in LogBook, Delete LogBook | As in Edit LogBooks. |
The LogBook page also has Check the current LogBook - checking.
Merging logs
Merge LogBooks into one: on the Standard and Contests tabs tick the logs to merge, and in Merge into choose the target - the current LogBook, a new LogBook (give a unique name) or an existing one. Duplicates are skipped and at the end the program reports how many QSOs it added. Make a backup before merging.
Checking and repairing a log
Check the current LogBook looks for typical faults, e.g. after an import from another program:
- Duplicated callsigns and Approximately duplicated callsigns (the same station within 2 minutes, almost the same frequency),
- Invalid dates, Invalid or missing frequency, Missing band,
- a mode that is empty, UNKNOWN or saved as LSB / USB / MFSK.
Click Analyze, choose an Action for each group (e.g. Ignore, Merge into one QSO, Try to get from frequency, Remove QSO) and click Fix LogBook. The repair can delete or change QSOs - the program asks for confirmation.
After the analysis the QSOs with errors are in a table: date and time, callsign, band, mode, frequency and Problems (for a duplicate - the time of the other QSO). For the selected rows:
- Edit QSO (or double-click, Enter) - the same edit window as in the list, but only for this QSO: no moving to the previous / next one and no Advanced mode (options for many QSOs). After saving, the QSO is checked again - a corrected one shows a green OK in Problems.
- Fix selected - the actions chosen above, only for the selected QSOs.
- Delete selected (or the Delete key) - removes the QSOs from the log, after confirmation.
Of a pair of duplicates, one QSO is in the table (the other one is earlier in the log). When after changes two QSOs from the table are equal, both show a duplicate - delete or correct one of them.
Backups
Automatic log backups
With every change that rewrites the log (editing, deleting, importing, pasting QSOs), the program keeps a copy of the previous version:
logBook.csv.backup (the newest) and .backup1 … .backup10. So you have the last 11 versions of every log.
Full backup of the program data
Menu → LogBook Tools → Back up all RigAndLog data
(also on the Misc configuration page) packs the configuration, all logs and contests, QSL templates and cards, recordings and
program data into one zip file. By default the file goes to the BACKUP folder with the date in its name. Tick
Save on local drive and/or Send to FTP server.
A backup inside the program folder will not save you from a disk failure. From time to time copy the file from BACKUP
to a USB stick or cloud storage - or send backups to an FTP server.
A backup reminder is set on the Schedule page: Remind me to make a backup when closing the program and how many days. To restore data from a full backup, close the program and unpack the zip file into the program folder.
Restoring a log from a backup
- Configuration → LogBook tools → Restore LogBook from backup.
- The list shows the backups of the current log with the number of QSOs, the dates of the first and last QSO and the file date. Choose the one from before the mistake (e.g. with more QSOs).
- Click Select LogBook backup and confirm.
Cleanup
Cleanup: backups and unnecessary files... frees disk space. Tick categories, click Analyze, then Delete selected:
- Old LogBook backups (
.backup1….backup10- the newest.backupstays), - Deleted LogBooks deleted more than 14 days ago, old backup ZIP archives (the newest ones stay),
- Recordings without QSO and QSL files without QSO, installation backups, browser data.
Deleting cannot be undone. The Make a backup first button in this window makes a full backup before the cleanup.
Two computers - synchronization
When you work on two computers (e.g. at home and on a laptop for trips), use Menu → LogBook Tools → Synchronize LogBooks with remote folder:
- Synchronization folder: a local or network folder (e.g. a network drive, USB stick, cloud folder) or an FTP server. The folder cannot be inside the program folder.
- Synchronization direction: Local folder → Remote folder (sending) or Remote folder → Local folder (receiving).
- Synchronization mode: Append missing QSOs only, Copy LogBooks or Merge QSOs (update existing QSOs, combine statuses). The Replace existing LogBooks option overwrites the logs at the destination - be careful.
- Before receiving from the remote folder you can back up your local files (a button in this window).
Typically: back from a trip, you send from the laptop (local → remote, append missing), and at home you receive (remote → local, append missing). Do not use the same folder on the other computer while synchronization is running.