You often realize how important a good data backup is, when it's too late. Hard-drives can give up in a same way as light bulbs do, computers can be stolen or their tender electronics can be destroyed during a thunder storm.
Backup the BulkMailer data
BulkMailer stores all data in a separate data directory.
In Version 5, this is
\My Documents\BulkMailer\
Starting with version 6, select menu Extras->Set data directory to identify this directory. In the first input field is the full path. Close this window with “Cancel”.
By default, this is
\AppData\Roaming\Kroll-Software\BulkMailer\
Or are you searching with the Windows search function after BulkMailer.cfg file
Backup this complete directory with all files and sub-folders (eg on a USB stick, which is currently the safest and most durable medium).
Data transfer to another computer
Install BulkMailer, run it once and check the new data directory with menu Extras->Set data dir (see above). Then close the program and copy the backed up files to this location. You can overwrite the empty databases, that BulkMailer already had created.
If BulkMailer can't find a database, he simply creates a new one on next start-up. You can simply overwrite such empty databases with your backed-up data.
The path to the data directory depends on the logged on Windows user, so it may need some more adjustments, when the user name has changed:
IMPORTANT
If the windows user has a different name (log-on), open the file “BulkMailer.cfg” in the data directory using a plain text editor* and correct all file paths in it to the new valid paths.
*) use Notepad or Windows Editor, don't use Wordpad or MS-Word
Transfer individual files
Alternatively, you can restore the individual databases that are essential in each BulkMailer profile folder:
- *.bm3: The BulkMailer address databases
- Exclude.mdb: The exclusion list
(Both can be opened via the corresponding menu items also from within the program.)
- Mailings.mdm: The message texts
BulkMailer Address Databases
Scan your hard disk for *.bm3 files
Open the BulkMailer address databases by menu File->Open BulkMailer address database..
Exclusion List
Scan your hard disk for “Exclude.mdb” files
Open the exclusion list by menu Exclusion->Other exclusion database..
Accessing the data without BulkMailer
All databases used are MS Access database files that you can edit with MS-Access.
Good to know: Your data will never get lost. Even without the BulkMailer application, you can still access all data using MS-Access or other applications, that can read MS-Access databases.
When you want to open a *.bm3 file with MS-Access, type *.bm3 into the file mask in the file-open dialog. Then you should see the bm3-files listed and you can open them. Same with Mailings.mdm