Data Folder Location

The Data Folder Location page allows you to choose which folder on your hard drive you use to save Empiria Studio data and images. You will be prompted to choose a Data Folder when you first start Empiria Studio.

Do not put your Data Folder on a network drive or in a folder that automatically syncs with the cloud. Software can be slow when accessing network folders, and data can be lost if multiple people access the data simultaneously.

Choose an appropriate Data Folder

The following recommendations will help you choose a Data Folder that meets your needs. This list is not complete, and no single Data Folder location will work for everyone.

  • Carefully follow your organization's policies for storing data.

  • Keep in mind that data should be backed up regularly.

  • Avoid setting a Data Folder location where you (or someone else) might accidentally modify Empiria Studio data in the Data Folder. Editing data in the Data Folder will likely interfere with the expected performance of Empiria Studio and may result in loss of data.

Avoid network drives

Although network drives are frequently used to backup data and share files among group members, you should avoid using a network drive for your Empiria Studio Data Folder location. Starting with Empiria Studio 2.0, a lock file will be added to a Data Folder when the Data Folder is opened in Empiria Studio 2.0. The lock file will prevent simultaneous access of the Data Folder by more than one Empiria Studio instance. However, you may experience one or more of the following problems if you try to use a network drive as your Data Folder location.

  • Empiria Studio may perform slowly if the connection to the network drive is slow.

  • You may experience file conflicts that cause someone's work to be lost.

Use these alternatives instead of a network drive

Empiria Studio provides a variety of methods for importing and exporting data that you can use as an alternative to setting a Data Folder on a network drive. Because exported files can be moved and stored, these methods can be used to move files between Data Folders or computers and to backup data.

  • You can import and export individual Experiment files. Experiment files contain images and data.

  • You can import and export Publication Packs, which can contain multiple Experiment files.

  • Each workflow provides opportunities to export individual images and data.

Managing Data Folders

Do not make any changes to the Data Folder outside of Empiria Studio. Doing so will result in loss of data. To preserve your data, follow the instructions below to manage your Data Folders.

Starting a New Data Folder

Data in your existing Data Folder will not be transferred into the new folder. The new Data Folder will be empty until you create Projects and Experiments in it or import data from another Data Folder.

  1. On your computer, navigate to the parent folder (e.g., Empiria Studio Data Folders) of your existing Data Folder(s).

  2. Create a new Data Folder (e.g., New Data Folder) under the parent folder.

  3. In Empiria Studio, open the Data Folder Location page (under Options ).

  4. Click Browse.

  5. Navigate to the parent folder of your Data Folders.

  6. Choose the new Data Folder and click Save.

Switching Data Folders

Data will not be automatically transferred between Data Folders.

  1. Open the Data Folder Location page (under Options ).

  2. Click Browse.

  3. Navigate to the parent folder of your Data Folders.

  4. Choose the Data Folder to switch to and click Save.

Moving, Renaming, Copying the Data Folder

Do not move or rename a Data Folder or copy the contents of one Data Folder to another. You can Export your data to a location on your computer. Then you can create a new Data Folder and Import the data to the new folder. See Importing and Exporting Empiria Studio® Software Files for more information about importing and exporting.

Backing Up the Data Folder

Back up your data by exporting your data to a location on your computer. Then back up the exported data files. See Importing and Exporting Empiria Studio® Software Files for more information about exporting.