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Transferring data between different copies of CAMEO

In some situations, you might need to transfer data between your own copy of CAMEO-the source copy-and someone else's-the target copy.

To transfer data from your copy of CAMEO to someone else's, you export the data from your own records into an export file. Your colleague then imports the data from that file into his or her copy of CAMEO. If instead you receive data from your colleague, you would import his or her export file.

Note: You would follow the same procedure if you wanted to transfer data from one of the two previous versions of CAMEO into the latest version.

You can export data

When you transfer data between two copies of CAMEO, it's possible to unintentionally duplicate records. Before transferring data, review Data transfers and record IDs.

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Exporting data from all CAMEO modules

You sometimes might want to export all the data from all your CAMEO modules into a single export file. This procedure is an easy way to create a backup archive file of all your CAMEO data.

To export all the data from all your CAMEO modules except the Chemical Library, follow the steps below:

  1. From the File menu, select Import\Export, then click Export.
  2. Click Export ALL CAMEO data.
  3. Select a location for your export file, then click Save. All the data from all the records in all your CAMEO modules (except the Chemical Library) will be exported to a single zipped file at that location.

If some of the exported records are linked to map objects that you want to export, follow the procedure in Transferring map links and map objects.

If some of the exported Facilities records are linked to site plans that you want to export, follow the procedure in Transferring site plans.

Exporting data from all records in a CAMEO module

Sometimes, you might need to transfer all the data from just one module, along with data from related records in any child or grandchild modules. You might want to do this, for example, if you represent a fire district that has just entered into a mutual aid agreement with neighboring districts. If each district has in its copy of CAMEO only records for facilities in that district, then each district could export all its facility data, and share that export file with neighboring districts. Under the CAMEO Data Ownership Rule, each district would "own" the data for facilities in that district. Note, though, that if each district has records for facilities not only in its own district but also in neighboring districts, each district would instead export just the subset of its records containing only the facilities in its own district (see Exporting data from a subset of the records in a module).

To export all the data from a CAMEO module:

  1. Open the module from which you want to export data. If you want to export facility data, open the Facilities module. To export transportation routes data, open Routes. Whenever you export data from either of these modules, related data in the Chemicals in Inventory, Contacts, Incidents, and Screening & Scenarios modules also is exported.
  2. From the File menu, select Import/Export, then click Export.
  3. Click Export Data for Entire Module.
  4. Select a location for your export file, then click Save. All the data from all the records in the open module, along with all data from related records in child and grandchild modules, will be exported to a single zipped file at that location.

If some of the exported records are linked to map objects that you want to export, follow the procedure in Transferring map links and map objects.

If you are exporting Facilities records that are linked to site plans that you also want to export, follow the procedure in Transferring site plans.

Exporting data from a subset of the records in a module

Sometimes, you might need to transfer data from only certain records in a CAMEO module, along with data from related records in any child or grandchild modules. Here's an example: Tier II data is particularly useful to emergency responders. So if you're a member of a SERC that has received Tier II data, you might want to share that data with county- and tribal-level response organizations and/or with fire departments. You might want to export only certain records to each receiving organization: for example, just the records for King County to that county's emergency management organizations.

Exporting from a subset of records can be a way to honor the CAMEO Data Ownership Rule. When you need to export records, you can search a module to create a found set containing just the records you "own" (for example, just your fire district's records, rather than all your facility records). You then export just the found set.

To export only a subset of records from a CAMEO module:

  1. In the module, create a found set containing just the records you want to export.
To do this, search the module in such a way that only the records you want will be found. For example, to create a found set in the Facilities module that contains just the records for facilities in Johnson County, choose Start Search from the Search menu, type "Johnson" in the County box, then press Search. (For more details about setting up searches, see Searching).
If you want to export facility data, open the Facilities module. To export transportation routes data, open Routes. Whenever you export data from either of these modules, related data in the Chemicals in Inventory, Contacts, Incidents, and Screening & Scenarios modules also is exported.
  1. From the File menu, select Import\Export, then click Export.
  2. Click Export Data for Found Set.
  3. Select a location for your export file, then click Save. All the data from all the records in the found set, along with all data from related records in child and grandchild module, will be exported to a single zipped file at that location.

If some of the exported records are linked to map objects that you want to export, follow the procedure in Transferring map links and map objects.

If some of the exported records are Facilities records that are linked to site plans that you also want to export, follow the procedure in Transferring site plans.

Exporting data from a single CAMEO record

You can export the data from just a single CAMEO record, along with data from related records in child and grandchild modules:

  1. Select the record from which you want to export data.
  2. From the File menu, select Import/Export, then click Export.
  3. Click Export Data for Current Record.
  4. Select a location for your export file, then click Save. The data from the record, along with all data from any related records in child and grandchild modules, will be exported to a single zipped file at that location.

Transferring map links and map objects

Sometimes, you might need to export records that are linked to objects on your CAMEO map. You might need to share with a colleague not only the data from those records, but the map objects as well.

To export all the records, map links, and map objects linked to records in a CAMEO module,

  1. Export the records, following the instructions in Exporting data from all records in a CAMEO module. The exported file contains the data from your records, including the map links from linked records, but not the linked map objects themselves.
  2. Open the module (if it isn't already).
  3. From the Sharing menu, select MARPLOT, then Show All on Map.
  4. The map objects linked to records in this module will be selected and displayed.
  5. While the objects remain selected, from MARPLOT's File menu, select Export.
  6. Set up the export by clicking "selected objects" and "MARPLOT Import/Export (MIE)," then click Export. An MIE file containing all the selected objects is created. MIE files are a kind of text file that MARPLOT uses for importing and exporting data.
  7. Give your colleague both the file you exported from CAMEO and the MIE file.

If you need to export just a subset of the records in a CAMEO module (for example, just the records you own under the CAMEO Data Ownership Rule, not the records you obtained from someone else) along with related map links and map objects, then

  1. Follow the steps in Exporting data from a subset of the records in a module.
  2. While the found set is still in place, from the Sharing menu, select MARPLOT, then Show All on Map. Map objects linked to the found records will be selected in MARPLOT.
  3. Follow steps 4 to 7 of the preceding procedure.

To import your data, your colleague should do the following:

  1. Back up the data in his or her copy of CAMEO, following the instructions in either Exporting data from all CAMEO modules, Exporting data from all records in a CAMEO module, or Exporting data from a subset of the records in a module. The exported file serves as an archive file.
  2. Put the CAMEO file and MIE file that you exported anywhere on his or her hard drive.
  3. From CAMEO's File menu, select Import\Export, then Import.
  4. Click on the name of the exported CAMEO file, then click Open. The data from the file will be imported into his or her copy of CAMEO.
  5. Start MARPLOT.
  6. In MARPLOT, from the File menu, select Import.
  7. Find the MIE file, click on it to select it, then click Open. The map objects are then added to his or her CAMEO Map (if he or she does not have the map layer for the objects, a layer will be created). Map links between the imported records and map objects will now be functional in his or her copy of CAMEO.

Important: Follow the CAMEO Data Ownership Rule when you transfer map objects (see Avoiding trouble).

Transferring site plans

To share Facilities or Special Location records that contain links to site plans with a colleague, along with the site plans themselves,

  1. Export the records, following the instructions in either Exporting data from all records in a CAMEO module or Exporting data from a subset of the records in a module. The exported file contains the data from your records, including the links to site plans, but not the site plans themselves. The site plans are files stored inside the SitePlans folder.
  2. Give your colleague both the exported file of facility and special locations data and your site plan files.

To import your data and site plans, your colleague should do the following:

  1. Back up his or her facilities and special locations related data, following the instructions in either Exporting data from all records in a CAMEO module or Exporting data from a subset of the records in a module. The exported file serves as an archive file.
  2. Back up the SitePlans folder (in case any of the new site plan files have the same names as files already in the folder).
  3. Put the exported CAMEO file anywhere on his or her hard drive.
  4. From CAMEO's File menu, select Import\Export, then Import.
  5. Click on the name of the exported file, then click Open. The file then will be imported into his or her copy of CAMEO.
  6. Place your site plan files inside his or her SitePlans folder. The links from Facilities and Special Location records to site plans will now be functional.

Important: Follow the CAMEO Data Ownership Rule when you transfer site plan files (see Avoiding trouble). One possible way to keep track of the owner of a particular site plan file is to include a code in the file name to indicate the owner. For example, you could use "FW1_" as the prefix in the names of all site plan files owned by Fire District 1.

Importing data from another copy of CAMEO

To import a data file exported from someone else's copy of CAMEO, first check to be sure that the CAMEO Data Ownership Rule is being followed (see Avoiding trouble). That is, be sure that the exporter of the data is its "owner." Then,

  1. Back up the data in all of the CAMEO modules into which you will import data: if you are importing data into multiple CAMEO modules, follow the instructions in Exporting data from all CAMEO modules. To back up a single module, follow the instructions in Exporting data from all records in a CAMEO module. Your exported file serves as an archive file.
  2. Place the export file anywhere on your hard drive.
  3. From CAMEO's File menu, select Import\Export, then Import.
  4. Click on the name of the export file, then click Open. The file then will be imported into your copy of CAMEO.

If you need to import map objects, follow the procedure described for the data recipient in Transferring map links and map objects.

If you need to import site plans, follow the procedure described for the data recipient in Transferring site plans.

Strategies for avoiding duplicate records

The key to successfully exchanging data between two copies of CAMEO--so that all parties obtain just the data they want and no data they don't want--is to honor the CAMEO Data Ownership Rule (see Avoiding trouble). Below are additional troubleshooting suggestions, in case a procedure goes awry despite your best efforts at honoring the rule.

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Things to do before importing data

The following two strategies, which you can adopt before you import data, can help you to avoid unintended duplicate records.

You sometimes might know or suspect that duplicate records will be generated when you import data from a colleague. For example, you might have obtained facility data from one colleague, but later realize that a different colleague is the actual owner of that data. Your records and the owner's records for the same facilities then are likely to have different record IDs, so if you import the owner's data for those facilities, you're likely to obtain duplicate records (see How CAMEO assigns and uses record IDs).

A solution that you might choose is to delete all the records from your module before you import the owner's data. Do this only if it's acceptable to you to replace the entire contents of one of your CAMEO modules (along with related records in child and grandchild modules) with new, imported data. When you import the new file, new records will automatically be created.

Important: Do not choose this approach if you foresee needing any of your existing facility-related data in any of the following modules: Facilities, Contacts, Chemicals in Inventory, Incidents, and Screening & Scenarios. For example, if you have created Incidents records for accidents at a particular facility over a period of years, avoid this approach.

To delete all the records from a CAMEO module in preparation for importing data,

  1. Follow the directions in Exporting data from all records in a CAMEO module to back up the data in that module as an export file. We recommend that you also make a copy of the export file on another storage device.
  2. From the Record menu, select Delete All Records to delete all the records in the open module (along with related records in child and grandchild modules).

Once you've completed these steps, you're ready to import the new data. Follow the procedure in Importing data from another copy of CAMEO.

Sometimes, you might need to replace only certain records in a module, rather than all the records in a module. For example, you might have obtained facility records for Fire District 20 from a colleague, but then realized that another colleague is the actual owner of the facility data for Fire District 20. Your records and the owner's records for the facilities in Fire District 20 then are likely to have different record IDs, so if you import the owner's data for those facilities, you're likely to obtain duplicate records.

A solution that you might choose only if it's acceptable to you to replace all your records for facilities in Fire District 20 with new, imported data is to delete those records from your module before you import the owner's data. When you import the new file, new records will automatically be created.

Important: Do not choose this approach if you foresee needing any of your existing facility-related data in any of the following modules: Facilities, Contacts, Chemicals in Inventory, Incidents, and Screening & Scenarios.

You could simply browse through your Facilities records, deleting those that are to be replaced (related records in child and grandchild modules also will be deleted). To delete a record, select it or open it in Record view, then select Delete Record from the Record menu.

However, whenever you can, run a search that finds just the records that you need to delete, and then delete them, as follows:

  1. Open the module in which you want to delete and then replace records. If you need to delete and replace facilities data, open the Facilities module.
  2. From the Search menu, select Start Search. Set up and run a search that will find only the records to be replaced. In the case of the example above, you would make an Advanced Search for facility records with "20" in the Fire District field. For help with setting up and running searches, see Searching.
  3. Check over the set of found records to be sure that it contains only the records to be replaced. When a found set has been created, you can browse through only the records in that found set. So if you see any records that you don't intend to delete, you'll know that you need to refine your search.
  4. From the File menu, select Import\Export, then click Export.
  5. Click Export Data for Found Set. Before deleting the found records, you'll back up the data from them into an archive file.
  6. Choose a location for the new archive file. A zipped file of your exported data will be created at that location. We recommend that you also make a copy of the archive file on another storage device.
  7. From the Record menu, select Delete All Found Records. Selecting this command while a found set exists in the module deletes only the found records, leaving the other records in the module untouched.

Once you've deleted the records to be replaced, you're ready to import your new data. Follow the procedure in Importing data from another copy of CAMEO.

Things to do after importing data

If you've already imported data into a CAMEO module, and now realize that you've inadvertently duplicated some records, you may be able to remove unwanted duplicates in one of the following ways. These methods will work only if you can tell by visual inspection which duplicates to keep and which to delete.

Important: Before beginning either procedure, back up the data in the module by following the procedure in Exporting data from all records in a CAMEO module.

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