Is there a way to open a Quicken file from an older version of Quicken for the Mac WITHOUT updating?

ed12

I wanted to look at old Quicken data WITHOUT doing anything to my current data file on my new version of Quicken, but can't seem to stop the new version from trying to convert my old data. This would really mess things up.
Is there any way to look at archival data in the program with which it was created without making changes in the current data?

jacobs

@ed It is very unusual to hear that your import of Quicken 2007 to Quicken 2019 resulted in acocunts being completely omitted. I would suggest that in Quicen 2007, you re-index your file (Command-Option-B), then quit Quicken 2007. In Quicken 2019, select File > New and re-import your Quicken 2007 file. See if it imports more successfully after re-indexing.

Also, if you had maked any accounts as Hidden in Quicken 2007, they will be marked as Hidden in Quicken 2019 after your import. Make sure you go to Accounts > Hide and Show Accounts and uncheck any checked accounts you want to be able to see in the sidebar and in reports.

You should end up with a Quicken 2019 file that contains all your data from Quicken 2007. This will be easier to open, and to move forward to fuutre versions of Quicken, than trying to make do accessing your old Quicken 2007 in the future.

jacobs

@ed If you create a new file, it will simply be a transfer from the Quicken 2007 file. And it will create a new file if you select File > New (not Import). There's not really a good way to selectively transfer transactions from one Quicken 2019 file to another, so it won't have anything you have entered since you started using Quicken 2019. If you've done a lot in Quicken 2019, then that's not a viable solution to replace your existing Quicken 2019 file.

But what I was thinking was that you could still create a Quicken 2019 version of your Quicken 2007 file, just for reference. In other words, you'd have your live Quicken 2019 file, and separately, you'd have your historical archive file, which you could open when you needed to look something up. It's just that instead of having to keep Quicken 2007 around (and ultimately, a Mac which can run it), you'd have your historical archive accessible just by opening a different Quicken 2019 file. 

smayer97

Note that QMac has a special ability to merge/import multiple QM2007 files into one QMac file. You simply keep the main data file open then import a QM2007 data file. 

QMac may create new accounts on the second import but you can easily move/merge the transactions from one account to another by selection all the transaction then clicking and dragging them to the destination account.

Always be sure to have backups before attempting any major file manipulation in case something goes wrong.

Quicken_Tyka

Hello Ed,

If you are trying to open an old data file with the new program, the file will need to be converted as it's from a different version.

This conversion process creates a new data file and will not affect your current data file.

Once the file has been converted, you can use File > Open Recent to navigate between the files.



Let us know if you have any questions about this process or if there is anything else we can help you with!

-Quicken Tyka

volvogirl

Opening another file should not affect your current file.  Are the files the same name? Make a copy of your old file and give it another name to keep it separate from your current file.  And opening it in the new version should not affect the old data in it.

smayer97

Quicken is only trying to update the old data file, not the current file, when you try to open the old file. The only way to not update the old data file is to open it with the version of QMac last used for that data file. 

Or you could make a duplicate of the old file, open it with the current QMac version, then dispose of it when you are done.

All that said, what is the concern with the old data file being updated? What version was the old data file used with?

jacobs

When you open an older version of a data file in a newer version which requires a database update, Quicken automatically creates a backup of the old file before it does anything else. So you'll end up with your data file in the new format, but the automatic backup is untouched. It's in the same basic folder as the default location of your data file: your User Library > Application Support > Quicken > Backups > Automatic Backups. The file will be named "BACKUP (Pre-Update) -" plus your filename and date.

Of course, the easier way to make sure you have an untouched original data file is to make a copy of it in the Finder before you open it in the newer version, and then random the copy something clear that you'll know if the original like "My Quicken from version 2017". 

ed12

Thanks for the responses. I had previously converted my old Mac Quicken file to the 2019 version, but a lot of the old accounts from which I needed some archival info did not appear in the new file.

I finally figured out that by opening the old 2007 program and then opening the old file created by that program, I could view all the old accounts without updating. That allowed me to review all the old accounts I wanted to check.

This will work so long as the Apple operating system will allow you to open Quicken 2007. Once that goes away, it appears you will need an older computer to check archival information.

It would be useful for many if the 2019 version of Quicken (and subsequent versions) were modified to allow users to open the old files directly, WITHOUT updating, or some way to see those old accounts even if they are no longer active.

ed12

> @jacobs said:
> When you open an older version of a data file in a newer version which requires a database update, Quicken automatically creates a backup of the old file before it does anything else. So you'll end up with your data file in the new format, but the automatic backup is untouched. It's in the same basic folder as the default location of your data file: your User Library > Application Support > Quicken > Backups > Automatic Backups. The file will be named "BACKUP (Pre-Update) -" plus your filename and date.
>
> Of course, the easier way to make sure you have an untouched original data file is to make a copy of it in the Finder before you open it in the newer version, and then random the copy something clear that you'll know if the original like "My Quicken from version 2017". 

I did not see a way to get to the "User LIbrary" folder containing the "Pre-Update" Backup. Can you help with that? Thank you.

ed12

I tried to reach jacobs and others in this stream via reply e-mail, but they all bounced.

Greg_the_Geek

You can't reply to email from the Community.

jacobs

@ed Apple, in its infinite wisdom, hides the user Library folder. The trick to accessing it is holding down the Option key in the Finder and then pull down the Go menu. Library will be visible as long as you hold down the Option key. 

jacobs

@ed It is very unusual to hear that your import of Quicken 2007 to Quicken 2019 resulted in acocunts being completely omitted. I would suggest that in Quicen 2007, you re-index your file (Command-Option-B), then quit Quicken 2007. In Quicken 2019, select File > New and re-import your Quicken 2007 file. See if it imports more successfully after re-indexing.

Also, if you had maked any accounts as Hidden in Quicken 2007, they will be marked as Hidden in Quicken 2019 after your import. Make sure you go to Accounts > Hide and Show Accounts and uncheck any checked accounts you want to be able to see in the sidebar and in reports.

You should end up with a Quicken 2019 file that contains all your data from Quicken 2007. This will be easier to open, and to move forward to fuutre versions of Quicken, than trying to make do accessing your old Quicken 2007 in the future.

ed12

@jacobs If I go back and reimport the re-indexed file, what will happen to all the transactions I entered into Quicken 2019 since my original import?

jacobs

@ed If you create a new file, it will simply be a transfer from the Quicken 2007 file. And it will create a new file if you select File > New (not Import). There's not really a good way to selectively transfer transactions from one Quicken 2019 file to another, so it won't have anything you have entered since you started using Quicken 2019. If you've done a lot in Quicken 2019, then that's not a viable solution to replace your existing Quicken 2019 file.

But what I was thinking was that you could still create a Quicken 2019 version of your Quicken 2007 file, just for reference. In other words, you'd have your live Quicken 2019 file, and separately, you'd have your historical archive file, which you could open when you needed to look something up. It's just that instead of having to keep Quicken 2007 around (and ultimately, a Mac which can run it), you'd have your historical archive accessible just by opening a different Quicken 2019 file. 

ed12

@jacobs Thanks very much for all your responses, they have all been useful.

I started this thread because my old Roth IRA is listed as a mutual fund in the Securities list. Originally, this IRA started out as a single mutual fund, then I added a second mutual fund from the same investment company (both of which are also on the Securities list), which I handled in Quicken by creating this Roth IRA. But this Roth IRA doesn't show up in the Hide and Show list, only the first mutual fund. Somehow, I did something to cause the Roth IRA account to become a mutual fund. I'm not sure there is any way to fix this, but fortunately it doesn't seem to impact the net worth calculation. If anyone has any insight into this, please let me know.

I think part of the problem for me in trying to work through this issue is that there are so many backups created. I thought that the backup went into the folder I named in preferences, but then why do they seem to show up in a folder named "Automatic Backup". Is that to keep separate auto backups from copies that are made, vs. backups when you close the program?

I also don't understand why I have all these "Quicken State" folders.

I am a long time user of Quicken and generally like it, but sometimes it is pretty opaque, at least to me.

smayer97

Note that QMac has a special ability to merge/import multiple QM2007 files into one QMac file. You simply keep the main data file open then import a QM2007 data file. 

QMac may create new accounts on the second import but you can easily move/merge the transactions from one account to another by selection all the transaction then clicking and dragging them to the destination account.

Always be sure to have backups before attempting any major file manipulation in case something goes wrong.

smayer97

ed said:

...

I think part of the problem for me in trying to work through this issue is that there are so many backups created. I thought that the backup went into the folder I named in preferences, but then why do they seem to show up in a folder named "Automatic Backup". Is that to keep separate auto backups from copies that are made, vs. backups when you close the program?

I also don't understand why I have all these "Quicken State" folders.

I am a long time user of Quicken and generally like it, but sometimes it is pretty opaque, at least to me.

This sounds like you are using QM2007 on either High Sierra (macOS 10.13) or Mojave (10.14) on a drive that has been updated to use the new drive format, APFS (the old format is HFS+ aka Mac OS Extended). WIth those conditions, the built-in automatic backup in QM2007 is known to be incompatible, resulting in incomplete and malformed and broken backup files. 

Please confirm if this is the case.

If this is the case, you have 2 choices:

1. turn off the settings in QM2007 preference for automatic backup (be sure to have an alternate method of backing up. 
2. use a work-around by creating a HFS+ (Mac OS Extended) partition on your existing drive or use an external drive formatted as HFS+ and store BOTH your main data file AND your backup files on that partition (be sure to change your settings in QM2007).