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Database Backup and Compaction

Former Member
Former Member
Typically I backup my personal files, including the Basecamp database, to external hard drives using a script and a commercial program. In "My Collections" I have 399 tracks, 14 routes and 1105 waypoints. The "TracksSegments" folder in the Basecamp database contained 857 files. At this point, I ran the Basecamp backup program by choosing File/Backup from within Basecamp. During the backup process, about 460 files were deleted from the "TracksSegments" folder. With over half of the files gone, I was very concerned that data was lost. However no data was lost implying that the TrackSegments folder contains many junk files which are deleted during backup.

Is the compaction of the Basecamp database and the resulting increased efficiency discussed anywhere in the documentation? The need to run the Basecamp backup to delete junk files should be documented.
  • Former Member
    0 Former Member over 10 years ago
    I wasn't familiar with this 'feature', so I asked around and found that you are correct in that we prune orphaned track segments during backup. We only do this during backup instead of startup to avoid startup performance hits. The backup didn't cause any data loss, but the fact that there are orphaned track segments implies that there may have been data loss at some point during BC operation. I'm not aware of any documentation on this topic, but pruning the track segments is us trying to cleanup after ourselves. I'm told there isn't really any performance gain by doing so. There are efforts to refresh our documentation, so we'll see if this has a place in that effort.
  • Former Member
    0 Former Member over 5 years ago in reply to Former Member

    Comment: Hi first some background. A couple of years back many of my Garmin Basecamp tracks were mysteriously truncated thereby losing the timestamp & elevation data but keeping the segment ID and co-ordinates. I have been desperately trying to find a way to restore the original Basecamp track segments but no matter what I try the files always appear truncated.

    I previously used some data recovery software which found many of the Garmin track segments but on their own they are useless without the corresponding Basecamp Alldata.gdb file. Is there a way to include these "Orphan" track segments into a new version of Basecamp? 

    I hope you can provide me with some advice / pointers. Thank you

    David J Parker

  • Afraid Wurth is long gone Disappointed