Move your FTM Source Tree Between Two Computers from Family Tree Maker's blog

When working with Git repositories, especially on large projects, it's often necessary to move your FTM (File Tree Manager) source tree between two computers. This can be due to hardware upgrades, switching between work environments, or simply because you're transitioning to a new machine. Moving your FTM source tree between two computers involves ensuring that all necessary files, configurations, and local changes are transferred seamlessly so you can continue your development workflow without disruptions. The process can be straightforward, but certain steps must be carefully executed to avoid issues like data corruption or losing unsynced changes.

The first step to Move your FTM Source Tree Between Two Computers is to ensure that the source tree is in a clean state. This means that all your changes are committed, and there are no conflicts or unresolved files in your local repository. You should push all your local changes to a remote repository (such as GitHub, Bitbucket, or GitLab), ensuring that all collaborators have access to the latest version of the source tree. This is a critical step because if your changes exist only locally, moving the FTM source tree might result in losing work that hasn't been backed up or shared with others. Once you've confirmed that everything is up to date, you're ready to start the migration.

To physically move your FTM source tree between two computers, you can use a variety of methods, such as copying the entire source tree directory via an external drive or network transfer. Ensure that hidden files and directories, such as .git folders, are included in the transfer. These contain essential information for your Git repository, including version history and configuration settings. If you're using an external drive, make sure the file system is compatible with both the source and destination computers to avoid errors during the transfer. Once the copy is complete, you can paste the source tree into your desired directory on the new computer.

After transferring the FTM source tree, it's important to verify that everything has been moved correctly. Open the project on the new computer and check the Git repository status. This ensures that no files are missing and that your local repository is fully functional. You may also need to configure Git settings, such as your username and email, on the new computer if these settings were specific to the old machine. Finally, pull the latest changes from the remote repository to ensure that you're working with the most up-to-date version of the source tree. By following these steps, you can successfully move your FTM source tree between two computers without losing any data or causing disruptions to your workflow.